Michael van Gessel is a Dutch landscape architect with over 3 decades of experience that stretch back to the Agricultural College of Wageningen, where he earned a BA in Plant Disease, another BA in Landscape Architecture and then an MA in Landscape Architecture. His professional experience was gained with the Dutch office Bakkker en Bleeker (now B+B) where he practiced for more than 25 years and directed the studio from 1991-1997.

Since 1997 he has been enjoying self-employment and independent consulting. In this dispatch, Michael discusses his approach to thinking about and designing landscapes, the fragility of Europe’s rural territory, his work with Bureau B+B, the exhibition of his work at the Triennal of Landscape in the Dutch city of Apeldoorn, his recent monograph, and the 5th Biennal of landscape in Barcelona.