Urban & Civic Projects
We work with our clients in urban landscapes to ensure that their projects contribute to a greener, more sustainable cityscape.
Main Street & Courthouse Place, Bacchus Marsh
When asked to prepare designs for streetscaping the Main Street of Bacchus Marsh, and options for a key central plaza area, we did extensive on-ground consultation to understand what the community values.
The streetscaping sought a solution to the damage caused by existing large Plane Trees, while finding a way to re-establish the historic Elm tree avenues that Bacchus Marsh is famous for.
Design options and concept plans were also prepared for Court House Place, guided by consultation with Wurungeri Woi Wurrung elders. The proposal reflects epochs of history, from pre-historic through to Aboriginal occupation and European settlement.
Bannockburn Community Hub
This new community facility comprised a library, meeting rooms, hall and offices, but with opening day looming the external areas were a long way from being presentable .
We were appointed to prepare plans for completion of the external areas, and after a site inspection and consultation with the Council parks staff to establish what resources were available, we proposed a landscape solution featuring local indigenous plants and materials.
The facility opened on time and the landscaping has proven a durable and effective solution.
Coastal Play Park Facilities
In response to the Surf Coast Shire’s request to design shelters and toilet structures at three popular playgrounds along the coast, we created a project team of local design professionals to design a shelter, BBQ and toilet structure at Whites Beach Playground in Torquay, a picnic shelter/BBQ area at Bob Pettit Reserve, Jan Juc and a shelter and unisex toilet at Lions Park, Anglesea.
The character of each site provided inspiration for the design of the structures. For instance the Whites Beach structures mimic the wind-blown growth pattern of the vegetation nearby.
Geelong Arts & Culture Precinct Master Plan
The Geelong Gallery, Library, City Hall, Performing Arts Centre and Courthouse Theatre make up a key Cultural Precinct in the Action Plan for the revitalisation of Central Geelong.
As part of the design team led by urban planning and design consultancy Town Matters, our role was to develop an urban design proposal for Lt Malop St and adjacent spaces and laneways to facilitate full or partial road closure for events.
The Master Plan has been adopted as a key part of the vision of Geelong as an ‘arts and events city’.
Golden Plains Shire Community and Civic Centre
The vision for the landscaping around the new Shire offices in Bannockburn is to demonstrate fire-wise landscape techniques and the flora of the Western Plains as well as supporting council’s policies on health, wellbeing and the environment.
The entry landscaping features low native and indigenous groundcovers and vertical salvaged tree trunks, marked and scarred black by fire, as an interpretive reminder of historic fire events.
The outdoor staff area provides space for work and relaxation, with tables, soft grass, shady deciduous trees, BBQ, bike parking and Wifi/data connectivity.
Golden Plains Streetscape Renewal Program
Golden Plains Shire had identified the rural townships of Rokewood, Haddon, Meredith and Teesdale for upgrades to streetscapes and PM&A brought together a consultant team to undertake a consultation program and deliver Streetscape Masterplans for each community.
The project team included well-known placemaker and urbanist David Egwicht of Creative Communities (consultation lead), Social Plannner Carmel Boyce (engagement), Kevin Flynn (civil & traffic engineer) and Kathy Timmins (CT Management, project director).
Streetscape works focussed on practical improvements that encourage visitation as well as placemaking elements that reframe the street as the communitys’ home - taken literally in one case with the installation of ‘Aunty Meredith’s Couch’ along with footstool and bookshelves) by local artist Mark Cuthbertson.
The ‘Under the Yellow Gums’ Stage
Local community group Jan Juc Live asked us to help them develop a vision for a community stage in a local park. We responded and with support of the Surf Coast Shire we developed sketch designs in collaboration with local sculptor and artist Mark Trinham, assisting the project from inception through concept design and into detail design and construction.
The stunning building, designed by Zen Architects and built by local builders, features a vaulted roofline featuring Mark Trinhams sculptural elements, affirming connection to the local place, and celebrating the locally endemic Bellarine Yellow Gum trees.
Wurdi Baierr Stadium, Torquay
This $13.5M indoor recreation facility finds its architectural inspiration in the the rugged, rocky coastline of the Surf Coast.
The landscape design approach was to generate the corresponding coastal context for the buildings, with linear ‘waves’ of native plantings breaking up against the walls, and robust rock gabion seating walls. Materials selected are durable stainless steel, exposed aggregate concrete, and local natural stone.
The project was completed in 2020.