Dr Ida Breed

Dr Ida Breed

South Africa

University of Pretoria

Architecture

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Work and Research

Christina (Ida) Breed's research is concerned with open space design and how it relates to natural and cultural contextual issues and identity. Her research demonstrates the importance of the landscape design as part of green infrastructure, urban ecology and social-ecological resilience. She is trained in urban ethnography and makes use of qualitative research methods. The findings of her research are relevant to national health issues concerning people and the environment and indicate the importance of quality public open space criteria in the developing world. She is passionate about both biodiversity conservation and social consciousness, which has inspired her travels in the developing world.

Fields Of Expertise

Landscape architecture

Research Profiles

Background & current positions

Dr Christina (Ida) Breed is a senior lecturer in the Department of Architecture in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. She joined the Department of Architecture at the University of Pretoria after completing her masters' degree in Urban Studies at UAM, Mexico and serving in practice in South Africa for 7 years. She completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (dist)(UP) in 2009. She currently co-ordinates and lectures Research Methodology and Biodiversity and Ecological Design focused design studios at Honour's level in the Architecture programme.  

Ida was awarded a doctoral degree in 2015 based on research which examines value systems inside the landscape design profession in South Africa and how to operationalise them. Her research unites concepts of ecosystem services with human values, and contributes to the limited body of work that focuses on landscape designers as actors in social-ecological systems through green infrastructure design. She received a C3 rating from the NRF in 2016, making her one of two rated landscape architects in the country.  

Ida served as President and Immediate Past President for the Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa (ILASA 2016-2019) and on the National Executive Committee. She also served on the Council of the Built Environment (CBE) and their Built Environment Matters Committee (2014-2018). She has acted as a panelist for the South African Landscape Institute (SALI) Awards since 2011 and the ILASA Merit Awards since 2015 and 2017. Ida has served as a SACLAP validation panelist in 2012 and 2017.