Katherine Masiulanis a landscape architect and the director of Leaf Design Studio. At the heart of her practice is a combined passion for design and storytelling and in addition to site-based designs, her work extends into Interpretive design and Public Art (when she’s lucky!). Katherine has a lovely partner who is studying for his PhD, and a seven year old son, so she’s currently also the family breadwinner. Here she is - on getting into her field, her projects, and creating a career around life and family.  

What do you have on your desk at the moment?

Quite a few playspace projects, and unusually for me, a private garden design.

I have a moth orchid from a friend which is currently blooming, and a selection of my pottery and basket-masking. I love making things, but then I need to find homes for them, so my pens and other plants are housed in a variety of odd vessels.

How would you describe your career so far and how did you get into this industry?

Serendipitous.

I actually started at Uni in Mechanical Engineering, then moved to Industrial Design at Monash University after two years, somewhat by accident. When I came out, I couldn’t get a job directly in the industry, so worked for a couple of years as a design draftsperson, for a playground manufacturer.

It’s a bit like putting Lego together, which can actually get dull eventually. After a couple of years I applied for a position with a Landscape Architect, not actually knowing what one did! Thankfully she employed me, and gave me lots of opportunities, responsibilities and scope to learn on the job.

Since then I’ve worked in a range of consultancies and for local government before starting my own practice nearly 4 years ago.

What are some of the most important/ topical issues you tackle in landscape architecture?

We deal with outdoor spaces - so doing what we can to combat climate change is a huge one, whether it’s revegetation or trying to save existing trees; planting for biodiversity or to combat the urban heat island effect; planning communities for the future; or choosing to use recycled and low impact materials in our designs.

There has also been an increased focus within AILA (Australian Institute of Landscape Architects) in the last few years on genuinely engaging with the traditional owners of the land, and respecting country.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?

Having a child was challenging within a traditional consultancy. I think there was an unconscious prejudice, as they were outwardly welcoming and flexible; and yet I was reduced from running multiple projects to taking the minutes and running none.

Now I run the business, and all my own projects - and get to choose which ones to work on! On the other hand - there is no-one else there to take up the slack if I’m ill or would like to travel, so that’s a juggle.

There has been (and continues to be) a challenge in specialisation. By that, I mean that when you become skilled at one area of design, it can be hard to break into other areas. I have a great deal of experience in playspace design, and while I enjoy those, I’d like to be taking on more varied work. Variety makes me happy.

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

Outside work, I am a serial (and sometimes parallel) enthusiast. I tend to get quite involved in a particular creative pursuit, and then move on. At the moment it’s ceramics, textiles and to some extent watercolour painting.

Enthusiasms of the day have included bellydancing, writing (I’ve published three books, some short stories and poetry), guitar, and ephemeral art.

How do you balance work/ life?

I typically work three days a week. I look after my son, make things, and do life admin on the other days. It gives me the flexibility to work a little more if I need to, but also to keep sane.

When I started the business, I was still working at Council, and trying to write a book, and it was really too much. I had a sort of ‘mini breakdown’, where I felt I wasn’t doing anything properly, and ended up with shingles, which was a wake-up call!

It made me reassess my priorities, and acknowledge that I can’t do everything at once. A little humbling, but definitely a step in the right direction. Now I carefully manage my workload, and don’t hesitate to say to clients that I can’t take on projects when I wouldn’t be able to service them properly. Reputation is so important in business, so I’d rather be honest up front than let someone down.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to break into the industry you are in?

There are so many Landscape Architecture graduates out there at the moment, so I imagine it must be hard. It can be really valuable to know how things are really constructed, so if you can do some time with a Landscape Construction or horticultural company that’s great.

I’ve also seen people starting out getting stuck CAD drafting with little opportunity to take responsibility, which is a lost chance for employers.  It’s so important to have people who have an ability to be proactive and run with projects independently, as they are the reliable backbone of a company. I find that mentoring people and seeing them blossom is terrifically rewarding.

Website: www.leafdesignstudio.com.au

Book: How to Grow A Playspace co, authored with Elizabeth Cummins of Bricolage Design, published worldwide by Routledge, Taylor and Francis.