Brenton Beggs joins Architectus to lead landscape architecture in Victoria

Architectus is strengthening its commitment to landscape architecture with the appointment of Brenton Beggs as the new Landscape Lead in Victoria. 

Bringing a wealth of experience across urban design, strategic master planning, and public realm transformations, Beggs is set to drive innovation and collaboration within the firm’s growing landscape team.

In this interview, he shares his vision for integrating landscape thinking into the heart of projects, the role of landscape architecture in addressing urban challenges, and what excites him most about leading the Melbourne studio’s landscape practice.

Architecture & Design: What attracted you to Architectus, and how do you see your experience aligning with the firm’s vision for landscape architecture in Victoria?

Brenton Beggs: I’ve always believed that great design comes from collaboration, and my career has been shaped by working in multidisciplinary environments. When you bring together different perspectives early on, the results get smarter, more creative, and better for people and places. 
Architectus gets this. 

The drive to embed landscape thinking right from the start really aligns with how I like to work. The multidisciplinary and cross-sector approach of Architectus stood out to me. I love working across different scales, project types, and locations – it allows us to approach big urban challenges from multiple angles, which is how real impact happens. (Also, it’s more interesting!)

What excites me most is how the practice is evolving. There’s this incredible energy, curiosity, and drive for innovation. With the landscape architecture team growing, there’s a huge opportunity to push boundaries and integrate natural systems into projects in a way that genuinely improves how we experience our cities. That’s something I was keen to sign up to.

What excites you most about leading the landscape team in Melbourne, and what are your key priorities in this new role?

Building a team from the ground up is such an exciting challenge. It’s an opportunity to shape what landscape architecture looks like within an already established, forward-thinking practice—and to do it in a way that adds real value to our projects.

I want to see landscape architecture at the table early in conversations, not just as an afterthought. There’s so much potential to elevate our cities and communities through thoughtful design, and I’m keen to explore how we can bring more depth, beauty, and impact to our work.

Right now, my focus is on two things: building a strong, dynamic team, and figuring out the best ways for landscape to complement and enrich what Architectus is already doing. 

My goal is to create a design culture where landscape is an integral component from the outset. I want our projects to be strategic, curious, and commercially, culturally, and environmentally astute. But more than anything, I want it to be meaningful to the people and communities we design for.

Can you share some of the most significant projects you've worked on in your career and how they have shaped your approach to landscape architecture?

I’ve been lucky to work on some incredible projects from big-name places like Darling Harbour to local gems like the Rosebud Foreshore Playscape. But which projects have really shaped my thinking? Streetscapes. 

They might not always get the limelight, but streetscapes are the backbone of public life. They reflect who we are as a society and they have the potential to drive massive change. 

My early career was shaped by projects such as the Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct in Dandenong, Young Street in Frankston, and Springvale Road Boulevard. Later, I led the Wangaratta Railway Precinct Masterplan, transforming three country streets from purely functional asphalt-heavy spaces into vibrant, comfortable and green civic places.

More recently, I led the successful bid for the Bakery Hill Urban Renewal Precinct in Ballarat, which is all about reimagining Bridge Mall as a thriving community space and celebrating the landscape’s layers of cultural history.

Construction is currently wrapping up and I can’t wait to see how the project has developed and how the locals adopt it. Even more recently, I’ve been reimagining local high streets for the Mornington Peninsula Shire, City of Whittlesea and Banyule. Seeing these kinds of projects evolve and watching how people use them in real life is what it’s all about for me.

Streetscapes are chaotic—cars, bikes, pedestrians, utilities, trees, and latte-sippers all competing for space. But within that complexity lies the magic. If we get the balance right, the learnings can be applied across so many different design challenges.

How do you see the role of landscape architecture evolving in response to climate change and urban development challenges in Victoria?

Landscape architecture is well placed to tackle the big issues facing our cities – climate resilience, biodiversity loss, urban heat, flooding. We work across numerous systems, so we’re uniquely positioned to connect the dots between policy, design, and community needs.

To keep our cities liveable we need to be bold. That means finding creative ways to integrate green infrastructure, designing with water-sensitive urban design in mind, and making space for natural systems within dense urban environments. It also means breaking down silos and working across disciplines. The best solutions come from collaboration, and landscape architects are natural facilitators of those conversations.

The reality is that the way we develop our cities has to change. Landscape architecture has a critical role to play in ensuring that change happens in a way that’s thoughtful, inclusive, and built for the long haul.

What advice would you give to aspiring landscape architects who want to make a meaningful impact in the field?

Stay curious. Don’t rush to specialise. Landscape architecture is an incredibly broad discipline, and that breadth is one of our greatest strengths. The more perspectives you explore, the more creative and innovative your solutions will be.

One challenge in our field is that people don’t always fully understand what landscape architects do – or the value we bring. That’s why communication is so important. The better we get at articulating our ideas and advocating for our discipline, the bigger the impact we can have.

And finally, don’t go it alone. The best ideas come from collaboration (I must sound like a broken record!). Ask questions, challenge assumptions, and build a network of people who inspire you. That’s how we push the industry forward.