Will Bennett
Founder & Chief Nature Nerd at WILDEN Design- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute
Landscape InstituteApr, 2021- Sep, 2024
Experience
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WILDEN Design
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United Arab Emirates
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Design Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Founder & Chief Nature Nerd
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Sep 2020 - Present
My mission is to connect people with nature. WILDEN Design is the sustainable landscaping service revolutionising the way homeowners and renters in the UAE can design their gardens and help regenerate the natural environment closest to them. WILDEN takes clients through an innovative online design process, offering bespoke and pre-styled naturalistic landscapes that showcase thoughtful consideration for the local climate through appropriate plant species and materials sourced locally from the GCC. I launched WILDEN to encourage people to foster and stimulate habitats that can thrive in the UAE, by offering inspiring, contemporary gardens created using landscaping practices that have a lower environmental impact. Show less
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desert INK
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United Arab Emirates
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Architecture and Planning
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1 - 100 Employee
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Senior Landscape Architect
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May 2017 - Sep 2020
Tenure highlights:- Project Landscape Architect for Dubai Expo 2020's Sustainability Pavilion. A successfully delivered and highly collaborative project in which the team helped to showcase 160 plant species from the UAE and international arid climates, within a technically complex landscape.- Project Landscape Architect for 'The Block'; a multi award-winning park in Dubai's Design District, praised for it's holistic approach to sustainable use of 700 concrete blocks reclaimed from the site, as well as it's bold and playful design which has brought new communities to the district.- Lead Landscape Architect for MIZA; Abu Dhabi's exciting mixed creative hub for disruptive pioneers, tech-entreprenuers and creative minds. A 650 hectare redevelopment of a post-industrial landscape and urban grid. Show less
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Landscape Architect
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Jul 2015 - May 2017
. Acting project lead for a number of high-profile design projects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Doha.. Manages marketing and publications, targeting industry leading magazines and publications to develop brand awareness and position desert INK as the leading practice in the region.. Developed a new profit centre for the business to lead a team specialising in villa and residential design services.. Mentor to new staff and junior designers, supervising projects, providing feedback, developing ideas and managing client relationships.. Organising and running team workshops and design charrettes for project development and leading weekly team meetings to organise resources efficiently.Key projects include:+ Acting as lead consultant for a high-profile lifestyle park in one of Dubai's most creative quarters. Role requires effective leadership of various sub-consultants and management of junior staff to design and deliver captivating, multi-media design presentations to one of the regions foremost developers.+ Completed the design of a 122 villa residential complex in Dubai which uses a shared street concept and a dynamic dry-wadi landscape to target social and irrigation sustainability. Due for completion May 2017.+ Seef Lusail, Doha - a multi-tower residential project with extensive podium deck landscape, infinity swimming pool and children's play areas. Led the design team from visioning through to detailed design.+ Mleiha boutique hotel and spa resort; a highly innovative xeriscape design in the heart of the desert. Design concept and detailed design. Currently under construction. Show less
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Desert Group
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United Arab Emirates
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Construction
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300 - 400 Employee
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Landscape Architect
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Sep 2014 - Jun 2015
. Led design projects across the hospitality, residential and commercial sectors as well as high-profile villa designs. . Client management and landscape consultant for large, multi-disciplinary design teams. . Developed relationships with new and existing clients both in the UAE and overseas. . Responsible for the company-wide marketing and brand promotion strategy, including building relationships with local press, media and competition entries. . Key driver in pushing the team's awareness and understanding of new materials, products and ways-of-working, pushing the team to apply innovative solutions in their projects. Show less
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Venn Group
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United Kingdom
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Staffing and Recruiting
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300 - 400 Employee
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Recruitment Consultant
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Oct 2011 - Aug 2013
Specialist in contract and interim recruitment within public sector ICT & technology throughout London Specialist in contract and interim recruitment within public sector ICT & technology throughout London
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DSA Environment + Design
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United Kingdom
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Environmental Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Landscape Architect
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Sep 2010 - Jun 2011
Regional scale planning consultation Masterplanning Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) Detailed design Computer design & modelling Video production Regional scale planning consultation Masterplanning Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) Detailed design Computer design & modelling Video production
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Education
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2013 - 2014
The University of Sheffield
Master's Degree, Landscape Architecture -
2006 - 2010
The University of Sheffield
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Landscape Architecture
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