Community Work

NLA is committed to social responsibility and development and has pro-actively addressed this goal. Back in 1995 with only two staff members we were approached by the Alexandra Jukskei River Forum to assist them with the development of the park on the banks of the Jukskei river.  Following a year of discussions and workshops with the community, NLA funded and facilitated the establishment of a Community Trust to train people for the project. 

People that benefited from training and involvement in our skills development programmes were:  Lucky Ngale – 1995 ; Ben Bukhwana –1996 – 2003; and Able Mosweu, who recently graduated with a master's in landscape architecture. The company has worked on community driven projects in Atteridgeville, Alexandra, Katlehong and Soweto.

Through the Atteridgeville and Saulsville Environmental Forum, the University of Pretoria and Work to Win, NLA have co-ordinated projects that involved the design of neighbourhood parks and school grounds. Community participation, appropriate technology, local skills and limited funding are the focus of these schemes. NLA is involved in a project that assists the Riversands Farm School (Diepsloot) with technical advice on the upgrading of their school grounds.

More recently NLA has carried out pro-bono work for the Lakeview School in Soweto as well as for the Dramatic Needs Organisation who implemented a Community Art Centre in the Northern Free State. In addition to the above, NLA actively supports both Oliver's House and the Avril Elizabeth Home financially, on an ongoing basis.

Employment Equity

At present there are very few historically disadvantaged individuals (HDI’s) registered as landscape architects in South Africa , nor are there many HDI’s currently studying landscape architecture at the two recognised South African programmes. However, NLA has illustrated a commitment to employment equity and aims to educate HDI’s through bursary grants, training courses and ‘apprenticeship’ in the fields of landscape architecture , environmental planning and administration, aiming to eventually employ them in a full time capacity.

To date the firm has trained four people in administrative activities (all HDI), two in environmental planning (HDI), one in project management (HDI), provided numerous internships in landscape design to HDI students, as well as having sponsored either full or partial bursaries to HDI landscape architecture students studying at the University of Pretoria or University of Cape Town. NLA absorbs students as employees upon the successful completion of their studies.

NLA actively mentors candidates registered with the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP) in preparation of writing their professional exams.

Community Work

NLA have worked on community driven projects in Atteridgeville, Alexandra, Katlehong and Soweto. Through the Atteridgeville and Saulsville Environmental Forum, the University of Pretoria and Work to Win, NLA have co-ordinated projects that involved the design of neighbourhood parks and school grounds. Community participation, appropriated technology, local skills and limited funding are the focus of these schemes. NLA was involved in a project that assists the Riversands Farm School (Diepsloot) with technical advice on the upgrading of their school grounds.