Marcella Eaton

• Doctor of Philosophy in Landscape Architecture, Edinburgh Collage of Art, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, Ph.D.,1997
• Master of Landscape Architecture program, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1985-1986
• Architectural Theory and Criticism, School of Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 1983
• Summer Session courses in Religion and Music Studies, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, 1981, 1982
• Bachelor of Environmental Studies, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, B.E.S., 1982
• Architectural Technology, Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology, Timmins, Ontario, 1978-1979

Marcella worked as a research associate at the University of Manitoba and University of Washington before spending six years as a practising designer with Thomas McBroom Associates, landscape architects specializing in golf course design, based in Toronto and working on Canada-wide projects. She was a part-time Lecturer in the Landscape Architecture Program at Edinburgh College of Art from 1992 until 1997. After working in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba for a number of years, Marcella took on the role of Acting Coordinator of the Environmental Design Program in 2002, 2003.

From 2009 until the end of 2015, she was the Associate Dean Academic and Coordinator of the Environmental Design Program in the Faculty. She was recognized with the University-wide Dr and Mrs HH Saunderson Teaching Award in 2002 and won Faculty-wide Teacher recognition awards in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2011. Marcella received the Carl R. Nelson Jr. Teaching Award in the Faculty of Architecture in 2009. She and Alan Tate received the 2015 Landscape Institute Award (UK) in the category of Landscape Policy & Research for the Second Edition of Great City Parks.

Marcella completed her Ph.D. in 1997 which was titled Philosophy and Design in Landscape Architecture. The work focused on the role of philosophy, ethics and aesthetics in the design education of students of landscape architecture. This research work is ongoing as questions of how we teach design studio, what we teach in design studio, and how well we teach students remain current. She continues extensive site visits and research work on seminal landscape projects globally. Marcella has worked with academic colleagues across Canada to form Land|Terre Design Research Network, to share ideas and research across academic institutions and with professionals. Marcella was the Principal Investigator in a successful SSHRC Connection Grant in 2018 commencing with a National Colloquium in Winnipeg for Land|Terre. She has also created the website landterre.com to publish digitally landscape architecture research and work from across Canada.

Recent publications include:

• 2019   Eaton, Marcella. “Pre-Mortem | A Landscape Approach to Northern Manitoba”, in McGuire, Mary Pat and Jessica M. Henson, Fresh Water, (San Francisco: AR+D Applied Research + Design Publishing)
• 2015   Great City Parks Second Edition, (London: Routledge) with Alan Tate
• 2012   “On Landscape Architecture, Design and Drawing from the Broken Middle” in Amoroso, Nadia, Representing Landscapes, (New York: Routledge) with Richard Perron

Marcella Eaton completed her PhD in Landscape Architecture titled Philosophy and Design in Landscape Architecture in 1997. The work was an enquiry of the importance of philosophy, ethics and aesthetics to the education and practice of landscape architecture. A critical understanding of not only the discipline but also ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ is required to prepare landscape architects to lead in the collaborative, creative exercise of seeking solutions to the design of spaces for society that are appropriate today. This has led to ongoing research of culture and nature, aesthetics and ethics, and design education. She has examined ideas ranging from the structure of language to issues of representation. The fundamental questions relate to how we value the land and human/ non-human relationships in national, regional and urban contexts. Issues of global warming, traditional ecological knowledge, the environment, and multicultural values contribute to her work. She is very interested to understand why people love spaces and how design can contribute to the creation of meaningful environments.

Eaton’s has also worked with Alan Tate on both volumes of Great City Parks, in the interview process and photography.