Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles (Portugal) was one of the founding figures of modern landscape architecture in Portugal and a leading advocate for sustainable spatial planning in Europe. Trained as both an Agronomic Engineer and a Landscape Architect, he belonged to the first generation of Portuguese landscape architects and dedicated more than six decades to the advancement of landscape, environmental stewardship, and human-centred urban development.

His career combined professional practice, academic leadership, public administration, and national politics. As a designer, he was responsible for some of Portugal’s most influential landscape projects, including the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Gardens in Lisbon, designed with António Barreto and widely regarded as one of the country’s most significant modern landscapes. Earlier, while working for the Municipality of Lisbon, he helped revolutionise the planning and design of the city’s green infrastructure and public open spaces.

Following Portugal’s democratic revolution in 1974, Ribeiro Telles became a pioneering voice for environmental protection and sustainable development. As Secretary of State for the Environment and later Minister of State for Quality of Life, he played a decisive role in establishing the legislative foundations for nature conservation, land-use planning, and environmental quality in Portugal, helping position the country as a European leader in these fields.

A passionate educator and advocate for the profession, he contributed significantly to the development of landscape architecture education in Portugal, particularly at the Higher Institute of Agronomy and the University of Évora. He was also a founding member of the Portuguese Association of Landscape Architects (APAP) and served as its President from 2001 to 2005.

Throughout his life, Ribeiro Telles championed the concept of an interconnected ecological structure linking city and countryside. His vision ultimately shaped the Lisbon Green Plan and the city’s extensive greenway network, creating a lasting legacy for future generations.

Professor Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles passed away on 11 November 2020, at the age of 98. He is remembered as a visionary landscape architect, environmental thinker, educator, and statesman whose work transformed the way Portugal understands and values its landscapes.