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A Writtle College postgraduate has been shortlisted for a major student award for his garden design which explores urban agriculture and incorporates multicultural communities.
Jin-Koo Park, who is studying for an MA Garden Design, has been shortlisted for a Student Award from the Society of Garden Designers - the only professional association for garden designers in the UK.
The 33-year-old, from South Korea, was shortlisted alongside three other students in the Student Design - Commercial category and will find out in January whether he has won the accolade.
Jin-Koo, who is currently working at Martha Schwartz Partners (MSP) in London, said: “I am delighted to be on the SGD's Student Awards shortlist as this is the influential institution for garden designers in the UK.
“This project explores the relationship between landscape and garden through the engagement of people. As a landscape architect and garden designer, I want to contribute to society wherever I live.
“I am very grateful to my friends and lecturers at Writtle College, who have helped me to adapt to life in the UK and have supported me to explore this subject.”
Jin-Koo's garden design, called Interactive Community System, explores how community gardeners and local residents can interact with each other in a common community garden area or adjacent individual allotment plots. The proposed community garden is composed of a Hometown Kitchen Garden to encourage local residents to feel an attachment to the place where they live; a Gardening Education Centre for boosting gardening culture; and an Edible Meadow to link community gardeners and local residents over grown food.
An SGD spokesperson said the standard of entries this year was very high and the judges had remarked on the exciting diversity of projects from students and the wide variety of techniques used to express their ideas.
Dr Saruhan Mosler, Jin-Koo's MA dissertation supervisor, congratulated him, saying: “This is excellent news and comes after another Writtle College MA student won an SGD Student Award last year. This shows the high standard of work produced by our students, even before they have left College.
“Competitions offer an excellent opportunity to students as they help them to build their portfolio and gain experience - as well as recognition - within the design industry.”
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 29 January 2016 at London's Landmark Hotel, with TV personality and designer Joe Swift MSGD hosting the evening. The event will also be attended by two Writtle College alumni who have been shortlisted for honours in the SGD Awards.