Vancouver landscape architect Don Vaughan has been honoured with the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the profession.

Vaughan received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon in 1965 and shortly after moved to Vancouver to work.

He founded Don Vaughan & Associates in 1971, which grew quickly and went on to handle the bulk of landscape architectural projects in the City of Vancouver including the world famous Granville Island.  Additionally he designed many of the new downtown fountains and plazas, and completed the design of the Skytrain station at Discovery Square which was recognized with an ASLA Merit Award.

In 1981, the name of the firm changed to Vaughan Durante Perry Ltd to reflect the increased role of the partners. During this time, he earned the first ASLA Historic Restoration Award in 1983 for Shannon Mews. Additional work throughout the province included the design of the new town of Tumbler Ridge followed by the design of the world famous Whistler Town Centre.

Vaughan also completed the world famous Sun Yet Sen Garden at this time, earning a ASLA Merit Award.

In 1984 he formed and led The Landscape 86 Collaborative – a team of 35 B.C. landscape architects, to provide the design for site work at Expo 86.

From 1988 until 2010 he founded and ran Vaughan Landscape Planning and Design. Projects over this time include the world renowned Concord Pacific Master Plan, David Lam Park, the Nitobe Gardens Restoration, which won a CSLA award, and the Japanese garden at the Museum of Civilization in Quebec, the latter two projects were in collaboration with Shunmyo Masuno.

Vaughan is a Fellow of the CSLA, a Fellow of the ASLA and a member of the Royal Academy of Arts.

The CSLA Recognition Awards will be recognized at the CSLA-APALA Congress on June 9th, 2022.