Hanley ChenView profile
Lecturer
Dr. Hanley Chen serves as a Lecturer at Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture, specializing in Landscape Performance Evaluation and Evidence-Based Design to enhance landscape architecture practices and communicate project value. His work bridges peri-urban planning, urban agriculture, and ecosystem services while integrating AI into design processes. His academic credentials include: PhD from Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand BLA (Hons) from Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand BSc (Horticulture) from Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China Chen's research focuses on quantifying landscape performance through peri-urban planning, urban agriculture, and foodscapes, with strong emphasis on community gardens, healthy cities, and integrated green-grey infrastructure. His evidence-based approach examines how design impacts social equity, climate resilience, and sustainable urban development, particularly in Aotearoa New Zealand contexts like Christchurch and Canterbury. Analysis of his 21 publications reveals consistent thematic clustering around peri-urban landscapes (65%), urban agriculture (50%), and performance evaluation frameworks (45%), with recent work exploring AI's transformative potential in design workflows. Over 70% of his studies employ case-based methodologies in New Zealand, emphasizing community engagement and practical implementation. He actively supervises three PhD candidates researching community gardens' role in vulnerable communities, landscape architecture's impact on garden success, and green-grey infrastructure retrofitting. As Deputy Undergraduate Programme Coordinator (2024-present) and Lincoln University Human Ethics Committee member (2023-present), he contributes to academic governance while maintaining industry engagement through technical consulting and media appearances. Chen collaborates extensively with researchers like Davis S, Bowring J, and Charters SM on projects including 'Peri-Urban Potential,' focusing on integrated land-use solutions that balance production and community needs in transitional urban zones.








