The presentation of the prestigious Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award to Di Menzies (Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki) at the 62nd World Congress of the International Federation of Landscape Architects in Hong Kong on Wednesday 28 October marked a historic day for the profession.

The Jellicoe Award recognises living individuals whose life and work have made a sustained, profound global impact on society, the environment and the advancement of landscape architecture.

Di is the first indigenous awardee, the first from Oceania and the fifth woman landscape architect to receive this singular award, and is now just one of a select group of 18 landscape architects from 14 countries worldwide to be so honoured since 2005.

IFLA president Bruno Marques: “Di has spent 50 years proving that the landscape is not something to be managed, but something to be loved and respected as a relative. She has built the global frameworks, fought the legal battles and mentored the leaders who will carry the profession into a more inclusive and resilient future.”

Before leaving for Hong Kong Di said she was immensely proud of the whakataukī she was gifted by Rongowhakaata to open her acceptance speech. Di Menzies: “The whakatauki is ‘Te Kotahi a Turahiri, ka ripo ana i te moana: A single child who causes the ocean to ripple’ ... meaning the one who makes change. It echoes my advocacy to the students I teach and do research with: ‘Be the one who causes the ocean to ripple’.”

Di's myriad ripples are many and varied. After graduating as a landscape architect at Lincoln University in 1974 she spent 14 years practising at Wellington City Council and the Ministry for Works and Development before taking up roles as diverse as being a lecturer, NZ Environment Court Commissioner, adjunct professor at Unitec, and researcher working on a range of projects, including in recent years Generation Kāinga - a kaupapa Māori research project that empowers rangatahi to investigate and explore housing and kāinga solutions.

As reported by Waatea News the Jellicoe Award highlights Di's dedication to ensuring that landscapes are understood not simply as physical spaces, but as places shaped by culture, history, identity and relationships with the natural world.

It was also noted that Di's achievement is particularly significant for Māori and Indigenous design professionals, demonstrating the growing international recognition of cultural knowledge and Indigenous perspectives within landscape architecture. In 2018, Di became the first woman to be accorded Kāhui Whetū (guiding light) status by Ngā Aho, Aotearoa’s network of Māori design professionals.

Citations for the Jellicoe Award have also noted that Di served an unmatched three terms as President of Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (1983-85, 1995-99), was made a Life Member of NZILA in 2005 and then served as IFLA President from 2006-2010.