Dr Charlotte L McLean is a recently qualified post doctorate graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University (October 2024). Her thesis examined an under-researched period of landscape history in Britain, through analysis of the archive of Scottish landscape architect Mark Turnbull (1943 – 2016). Unlike most academic research surrounding ‘rural modernism’ to date, this thesis recognises landscape as a critical agent of cultural change, and places it centre stage, whilst grounding the research within a distinctly Scottish context.
Charlotte previously practiced as a chartered landscape architect and has over 30 years’ experience in landscape design and conservation. She has enjoyed a wide-ranging career, with extensive experience in the private sector and on the planning side as landscape architect for Historic England in southeast England. She has worked in Italy, France, Germany and Australia.
Her experience of working with historical maps is wide ranging, involving maps dating back to 16th century through her work on designed historic landscapes both as a landscape architect and in her role at Historic England. Her research into Scottish post war landscape architecture took her to America where she was fortunate to spend six days in the Weitzman Architectural Archives at the University of Pennsylvania, studying regional mapping projects undertaken by students of Ian Mc Harg (author of Design with Nature) and learning about early attempts with computers to create digital terrain map in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
She has been a Director of the Rosneath West Peninsula Community Development Trust for over 10 years and was on the steering group for a community project to create a Local Place Plan. She is currently involved in the creation of a digital archive for the local history library.
Publication/Outputs:
Landscape London: A guide to recent gardens, parks and urban spaces published by Ellipsis in 2001.
PhD thesis ‘Landscape Design, Planning and Infrastructure: Scottish Landscape Architecture through the work of Mark Turnbull (1943-1916)’
