From city to sanctuary

Tyler Florance graduates this year with a Bachelor of Architectural Studies but will continue study while pursuing his Master of Landscape Architecture.

16 May 2024

Growing up in Wellington, Tyler developed a passion for the region’s wilderness and natural environments. This connection guided his academic journey, leading him to study at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

While Tyler has long been interested in native ecosystems and conservation, it wasn’t until he started volunteering at Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary that he fully grasped the potential of combining his passion for architecture with the natural environment.

“Seeing firsthand the endemic bird species spill out over the sanctuary and into the wider suburban and urban areas of Wellington has really fuelled my passion for landscape architecture. It’s shown me how it can be the catalyst for facilitating change and how it can facilitate green corridors, habitat restoration, and ecological enhancement to allow these species to repopulate urban areas.”

This hands-on involvement motivates him in his studies and also drives his dedication to conservation. In addition to his volunteer work, he showcases original art aimed at inspiring fellow Wellingtonians to take on the role of steward for the region’s wildlife.

Balancing study, volunteering, and employment has posed a time-management challenge for Tyler, but he consistently prioritises every opportunity available to him.

“I’ve interned with Wellington City Council and attended the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference (CERF) in Portland, Oregon, winning joint first place in their design competition. I also received an award and was shortlisted for New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architecture (NZILA) Wānanga.”

Reflecting on the CERF conference, Tyler says it was a huge learning experience for everyone involved. “We were keen to soak up as much information as we could, we had full days of itinerary and attended as many presentations and networking events as possible.

“It was so interesting and lovely to meet people and network. It also scratched that itch of my passion for conservation, biology, and restoration.”

During his internship at Wellington City Council, Tyler focused on public spaces.

“It was a lot of concept development, drawing, and small detail things, which you kind of overlook when you’re doing the big theory stuff at university. It was good developing the other side, and it influenced my postgraduate studies a lot.”

Tyler plans to volunteer overseas in conservation after completing his degree, an experience he thinks will be invaluable as he pursues a career in landscape architecture.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of study for Tyler has been the close-knit nature of the relatively small architecture student cohort at the University.

“You get quite friendly with the lecturers, which is super great,” says Tyler. “They know us all by name and they recommend us to attend this talk or apply for that thing.

“Our cohort is relatively small, so you want to continue doing postgrad to continue on with each other, so it’s a team effort which is cool, and it makes all the difference to university life.”