Projects
Malvern Springs Village Square
Client: Ellenbrook Management Pty Ltd
Location: Malvern Springs, Ellenbrook, Western Australia
Date: October 2007 - October 2008
Category: Urban Design
The design brief for the Malvern Spring Village Square was to create a unique and contemporary ‘urban’ space referencing the local natural environment and site character, providing areas of discovery, retreat and contemplation for the community. The Village Square is located at the heart of the development. The design for the space is simple and bold in terms of the materials used and the form and arrangement of the spaces. The formal perimeter of the space allows for clear and direct access and circulation with surrounding landuses, while the central space offers a more intimate environment suitable for strolling and sitting.
A key design criteria for the client was the visible demonstration of sustainable design practices, in response to growing awareness within the broader community of fundamental sustainability issues such as responsible water usage, “waterwise” plant selection and biodiversity considerations. As a result, a conscious decision was made to exclude grass lawns from the design, to use predominantly endemic and indigenous species, to use only subsurface drip irrigation and to use local and natural materials where possible. The rammed earth walls using local laterite gravel gives the walls the distinct earthy brown colour that is so dominant in this region of Perth, with the form and colour creating a strong reference to the nearby Perth Hills.
The landscape design is of a unique, contemporary and ‘urban’ Village Square that provides a variety of open, intimate, small and large gathering spaces with good visual and physical access and connectivity. The design utilises simple, robust materials that can be easily maintained and are durable, and that can be readily and economically replaced in the future if necessary. The planting has ongoing educational value, demonstrating the use of indigenous and endemic plant species in an urban setting, with ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the planting to determine it’s success over time.
Gallery
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Community space
Creation of a unique and contemporary ‘urban’ space referencing the local natural environment and site character.
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Rammed earth walls
Low, sinuous rammed earth walls reference the nearby Darling Ranges.
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Artworks
Artworks scattered through the garden represent man co-existing with nature.
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Plant motiffs
An arbor with elaborate detailing draws inspiration from endemic plant species.
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Sustainable materials
The design utilises simple, robust materials that can easily be maintained and are durable.
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