NBRS Landscape Architecture

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

NBRS SEEKS TO EXPLORE AND POSITIVELY TRANSFORM THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FORCES THAT SHAPE PEOPLE’S LIVES. 2

CORE VALUES SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE At NBRSARCHITECTURE we see that our purpose is to create life-changing environments for the people, communities and institutions we serve. Our user-centric, social architecture design skills help us to explore and positively transform the social and cultural forces which shape people’s lives. Our contemporary architecture is much more than simply buildings.

REAL INSIGHTS For NBRS design is the core of our practice.

Our focus on thought leadership is an intentional journey to discover real insights; understanding and interpreting the needs and desires of the people and communities we serve. To do this we are committed to investing in the discovery of new concepts and applying these insights to guide our design thinking and solutions.

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS Through our investment in thought leadership, we believe that NBRS contributes to long-term and meaningful creative partnerships with clients and consultants. It is these creative partnerships which help to shape our communities to create life-changing environments.

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360° INTEGRATED STUDIOS EDUCATION

The Education Studio is committed to designing innovative spaces that nurture learning. By conducting research in to current and projected trends, NBRS have extensive knowledge in catering for the evolving future of junior, senior and tertiary education facilities.

LIFE & CULTURE

The Life & Culture Studio is a foundation studio at NBRS. Passionate about human centred design and creating spaces that engage people for civic, religious, cultural and recreational purposes.

JUSTICE

The Justice Studio is creating impactful, well rounded design solution to improve the lives of compromised people. With a wealth of experience across correctional facilities and other justice buildings, the NBRS seeks to create responsive facilities that service all who interact with these spaces.

WELLNESS

Through ongoing research and the development of future focused wellness spaces, the Wellness Studio continues to create impactful designs for a range of clients and communities.

INTERIOR DESIGN

Our Interior Design Studio is passionate about achieving a seamless connection between interior design and the whole architectural concept. We deeply consider how interior spaces are used and create innovative design solutions.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Landscape Architecture is an amalgam of art and science. As designers, Landscape Architects are required to be careful interpreters of the natural and cultural conditions of a site. Our Landscape Studio seeks to create attractive, meaningful, usable, connected and equitable spaces that embody sustainable design principles.

HERITAGE

Our Heritage Studio has specialist expertise in providing conservation and heritage planning advice, in addition to adaptivereuse design. We have experience in the identification and management of built heritage items of all types and periods and in design documentation and project administration of projects for both government and private sectors.

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CONTENTS PAGE

360 Integrated Studios 1.1

Learning Environments

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1.2

Communal Open space

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2.0

Case Studies

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2.1

Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre

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2.2

PLC Junior School

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2.3

Inaburra Junior School

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2.4

Willoughby Uniting Church

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2.5

North Sydney Childcare TAFE

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2.6

Private Residence

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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPES THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER NBRSARCHITECTURE is a people focused, research based studio that aims to enrich lives. By developing creative design partnerships our portfolio exhibits an understanding of the people whose lives will be affected. Above all NBRS seeks to design environments that will have positive life changing affect.

a design outcome that achieves a unique sense of place and identity.

Architecture is the cornerstone of NBRS’ interdisciplinary design practice with expertise in Architecture, Heritage, Interior Design, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, ESD and Research.

We work in collaboration with our Architecture, Heritage and Interior studios, informed by advice from our Compliance and ESD specialists. At NBRS, we are passionate about the relationships between architecture and the landscape. Our design studio seeks to inform the architecture and site opportunities from a projects planning stage to ensure an integrated outcome is achieved. Our design studio will question and challenge, listen, research and learn in order that we feel satisfied that we are presenting the best possible outcomes for our Clients.

Since 1968, NBRS has developed a research led architecture practice based in Sydney and Melbourne. NBRS is recognised for its innovative, award-winning design excellence and comprehensive expertise.

Landscape Architecture is an amalgam of art and science. As designers, landscape architects are required to be careful interpreters of the natural and cultural conditions of a site. This interpretation, when overlaid on the Client brief will inform

NBRS seeks to create attractive, meaningful, useable, connected and equitable spaces that embody sustainable design principles.

Places that bring joy to users, and connections between and to the landscape.

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2020

AILA

Health and Education Landscape Cairnsfoot Special Needs School

CAIRNSFOOT SCHOOL

2020

Kidsafe

Commended

High School (2B) Cairnsfoot Special Needs School

1.1

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

LEARNING

SAFETY

Learning is a crucial element of a child’s development and can be incorporated into play. Play spaces that encourage exploration and experimentation extend a child’s interaction with the world around them, facilitating immersive learning. Elements within a play space can provide various opportunities for learning, including water elements and vegetable gardens.

Safety is of course a highly important element in the design of places. While maintaining a high level of safety and a sense of security, play spaces present a unique opportunity to introduce elements of controlled risk for children. Safety can be built in through design and choice of materials, to allow children can explore and play in their own way.

ACTIVE PLAY

FREEDOM

Active play can be integrated both through designed play elements as well as more free form spaces, allowing the children to use their imagination and play how they want. It is important to provide different opportunities and experiences which are both flexible in use and provide varied opportunities for activity.

Play is an instinctive way in which children interact both with each other and the world around them. They learn to experiment, take risks and work together. They invent stories and worlds and find their place within them.

Theming and the provision of multipurpose play equipment can offer children non prescriptive opportunities for exploration.

PASSIVE PLAY

PRIVACY

Passive play spaces should be flexible and balanced, catering to the needs of a wide range of users and varied play experiences.

These passive zones provide a sense of separation from more active zones, while maintaining a strong connection. These more private areas provide a quiet space for activities such as observation, reflection and individual recreation.

Privacy is a vital part of child care design and play in general, especially in terms of children and views into play spaces, as well as other security concerns. This can be addressed through creative landscape design solutions and strategic planting.

The privacy created by these design elements provides a feeling of freedom and a safe place for children that encourages uninhibited play.

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1.2 LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

1.2

COMMUNAL OPEN SPACE CREATIVITY Creativity in both design and provided play opportunities is a key consideration. Unique designs for play spaces enhance the energy and experience of the children who use them. Designs that support creative play provide children with the freedom to use the space the way they want, to be imaginative and inventive, creating their own ways to play as they interact with each other and their environment.

Discovery and development through play

PLC JUNIOR SCHOOL

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Vertebrate Pond

PLC JUNIOR SCHOOL

SENSORY ENGAGEMENT

CHANGING NEEDS

Successful integration of sensory elements into a play space adds a level of vibrancy and invites interaction. Varying colours and textures provide visual stimulus and an exciting basis for creative play, while planting and water elements providing unique opportunities for touch and sound.

Over the course of their development children require a variety of challenging, educational and physical opportunities within their play spaces. Ensuring the ageappropriateness of the design is vital for its success. Understanding how to cater to children’s needs at different stages aids in creating thoughtful, innovative spaces which contribute to their physical and mental development.

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1.2 LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Creating practical learning spaces that enrich our connection with nature.

NATURAL CONNECTION Use of natural elements within play spaces enhances the connection to the surrounding environment and the natural context of the area. This also supports learning and discovery while providing interesting elements which can be incorporated and used to enhance creative play and education.

WATER PLAY Water elements offer a variety of play opportunities including creative free play, learning, discovery, building/’engineering’ and teamwork. Wet creek beds, water troughs and push taps, can create active spaces in which children can experiment and learn with the water.

PLANTING Planting can attract habitat into play areas, which can expand a child’s learning and discovery, while creating a connection to nature. The planting itself also offers a unique living element within a space that can facilitate play itself, or provide secondary amenity such as scent or texture.

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2.0 CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES Landscapes for experimentation, team work and play

RUTH EVERUSS AQUATIC CENTRE

RUTH EVERUSS AQUATIC CENTRE

2.1

RUTH EVERUSS AQUATIC CENTRE “The landscape design expresses strong geometries and arrangements that give respect to the existing heritage building character and qualities.�

The Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre redevelopment will comprehensively transform this 1959 swimming centre into a state of the art aquatic leisure centre for a wide cross-section of the local community, whilst retaining its significant heritage fabric. The project has been undertaken in a creative partnership between our Architecture, Heritage & Landscape Studios.

The indoor facility will include a 25m lap pool, family leisure pool and program pool. Additional features include an attractive kiosk, foyer & civic forecourt, modern change rooms, a landscaped suncourt, an air conditioned viewing area for indoor 25m pool and a flexible space which can be used for meetings, programs and in conjunction with adjoining outdoor activities.

The redevelopment of the existing Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre will provide a more attractive, flexible, cost effective and practical centre for the community.

The rejuvenated Aquatic Centre will include outdoor 50m & 25m lap pools to provide for swimming carnivals, lap swimming, springboard diving and waterpolo, an interactive water play area and an extensive surrounding concourse with spectator grandstand.

The landscape design associated with the upgrade of the REAC has created significant recreation areas for the benefit of the users of the centres, be they family groups, individuals or swimming club members. The landscape design expresses strong geometries and arrangements that give respect to the existing heritage building character and qualities.

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2.0 CASE STUDIES

“support the students’ development as they play and engage in immersive learning experiences”

2.2

PLC JUNIOR SCHOOL

One of the most distinctive features of PLC Sydney is its garden setting. It is a lush, green campus, in contrast to its urban location. Pedagogically, PLC Sydney Junior School is interested in offering immersive learning opportunities, with a special focus on Science. NBRS has been commissioned to deliver environments that support the students’ development as they play and engage in ‘real-world’ learning experiences.

The design features a large outdoor play area positioned at the centre with garden areas fringing learning spaces and forecourt entry areas, sensory and vegetable gardens.

The pond design will incorporate glass viewing panels for observation of underwater activities. Interpretative signage will allow for the identification of the pond inhabitants as well as providing additional information on ecology and lifecycles. Planting fringing the ponds provides habitat areas and carefully placed logs and rocks allows for easement of movement between land and water, retreat and hiding spaces and shade / sun areas.

An insect enclosure is also to feature in the play area, with students allowed access within the structure for a hands on experience.

The design also incorporates ponds that will contain fish and invertebrates.

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2.0 CASE STUDIES

Riverbed Exploration Space

Shaded Playground

Butterfly Farm

Vertebrate Pond

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2.0 CASE STUDIES

2.3

INABURRA JUNIOR SCHOOL “create an educational play experience which challenges children to explore and experiment�

The playground design for Inaburra School provides a naturalistic environment in which the children can learn and play. This is achieved using predominantly natural materials such as; timber, mulch, sand, water, stone and various native Australian plant species. These elements combined create an educational play experience which challenges children to explore and experiment within the natural elements whilst learning.

Key elements within the playground include sensory gardens, sensory materials (ie water, stone, pebbles and sand), naturalistic play equipment (ie timber construction, recycled timer sleepers etc), sandpits, dry and wet creek beds, timber decks/ wharfs, mounded turf area and various other equipment which challenge children physically and mentally.

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2.4

WILLOUGHBY UNITING CHURCH

The redevelopment of the existing church site required a sensitive design approach to compliment the existing buildings being a Victorian manse, the Federation chapel with the proposed new contemporary building works.

The architecture for the new hall, offices, meeting rooms and breakout areas physically embraced the Federation Chapel.

The landscape design reflects a transition in garden styles with careful plant selections reminiscent of the architecture style.

The design was sympathetic to the retention of significant site trees in order to maintain privacy to the adjoining residential properties. Additional boundary screen plantings were provided to reinforce the existing. Street frontages were enhanced with new street trees complimenting existing planting.

The design required low maintenance plant species and incorporated an irrigation system with re-use of captured rain water.

A paved forecourt area provides a welcome entrance and breakout space for the congregation. Contemporary materials and furniture selections compliment both the new and old buildings.

Andrew Leuchars was the Landscape Architect responsible for design, documentation and supervision of the landscape works.

The Landscape Studio is one of the seven core studios at NBRSARCHITECTURE. Committed to creating attractive, meaningful spaces for our clients and their communities that are integral to, and enhance the design of each project.

“The landscape design reflects a transition in garden styles with careful plant selections reminiscent of the architecture style.�

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Landscape design reflects a transition in garden styles

Additional boundary screen plantings were provided to reinforce the existing

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NORTH SYDNEY CHILDCARE TAFE

2.5

NORTH SYDNEY CHILDCARE TAFE The courtyard that sits bound by four walls

By revitalising a harsh brutalist and neglected courtyard, the Landscape Studio of NBRSARCHITECTURE has created a vibrant, engaging open space for the Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE NSW. The sophisticated courtyard at the St Leonards campus creates a communal learning area and serves as a space for a range of functionalities.

Visible from the four building wings and floors directly adjacent, the courtyard brief called for a student-orientated learning environment that is functional and adaptable. Key to the design of the space was the provision of open and transparent environments to encourage usage, whilst considering the key viewpoints from levels above.

From an initial landscape planning exercise, the previous space was found to be isolated and visually uninviting as a result of overgrown vegetation. Access into the courtyard could be gained solely through the adjacent building’s fire escape which resulted in minimal usage of the space and a lack cohesion with the wider campus. A collaborative approach between disciplines was adopted from an early design stage to improve connectivity between the courtyard and the broader campus with the aim of creating a new heart of the Institute.

Integration of new doors, stairs and ramps from the main ground floor level further

encourages students to meet and gather in the revitalised space.

The building cleverly disguises the complex courtyard that sits bounded by its four walls.

With proposed access into the courtyard from both the ground and lower floor levels, including access from plant rooms, fire escapes and student common rooms, many constraints were presented from initial stages. Retaining an existing large Magnolia tree presented further challenges in achieving desired levels in respect to numerous door openings and accessible ramp grades.

The resulting designs have provided a multilayered and flexible space, offering opportunities for outdoor learning, formal class structures, private study sessions, as well as a space to simply relax and socialise.

The integration of tiered concrete seating disguises a complicated level change while providing a functional element that is adaptable to various users and scenarios.

The geometric form of the seating around two sides of the courtyard allows for amphitheatre style presentations to be held for multiple groups concurrently. The seating also separates the upper lawn terrace (designed to host large and small events) from the lower break out space that promotes relaxation and includes a communal table tennis table.

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2.6

PRIVATE RESIDENCE A mix of native and exotic species have been used as a means of complimenting the sites surrounds while creating points of interest within the garden

Green steps

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Integration of water features into open green space

The new gardens created for this project compliment the substantial new home set on 1,100 sq metres of land. Early site works required the relocation of an existing 10 metre high Canary Island Date Palm that is now a feature within the front garden.

Measures were taken to preserve other substantial trees.

A formal garden design with new planting to the street frontage to provide privacy and a sense of enclosure. A broad entry path is flanked by flowering Crab Apple

tree creating a point of interest on the walk to the house. Level areas of lawn were created above basement car parking and close to the street.

Hard finishes feature travertine marble paving and sandstone walls. The design also incorporates green steps where low hedge plants are located within the stair structure at each riser. A large open lawn at the rear of the property for provides ample space for entertaining and children’s play and water features create points of interest.

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NBRS & PARTNERS PTY LTD Sydney 4 Glen Street, Milsons Point NSW 2061 +61 2 9922 2344 Melbourne Suite 704 / 575 Bourke St Melbourne VIC 3000 +61 3 73116714 ABN 16 002 247 565 architects@nbrsarchitecture.com nbrsarchitecture.com @nbrsarchitecture NBRSARCHITECTURE is a people focused, research based studio that aims to enrich lives. By developing creative design partnerships our portfolio exhibits an understanding of the people whose lives will be affected. Above all NBRS seeks to design environments that will have positive life changing affect.

Architecture is the cornerstone of NBRS global interdisciplinary design practice with expertise in Architecture, Heritage, Interior Design, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, ESD and Research.

Since 1968, NBRS has developed a research led architecture practice based in Sydney and Melbourne. NBRS is recognised for its innovative, award-winning design excellence and comprehensive expertise.

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DIRECTORS:

STUDIO PRINCIPALS:

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Andrew Duffin

EDUCATION STUDIO Jonathan West Macella Salzmann

Nominated Arch. NSW 5602, ACT 2450, NT 1160, QLD 5465, SA 3539, TAS 1160, VIC 20063, WA 2699, NZ 4897

Jonathan West DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY James Ward DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Rodney Drayton DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & CULTURE Andrew Leuchars DIRECTOR OF STUDIOS Samantha Polkinghorne

LIFE & CULTURE STUDIO Andrew Tripet WELLNESS STUDIO Ian Gibson JUSTICE STUDIO Anthea Doyle INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO Sophie Orrock LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO Andrew Leuchars HERITAGE STUDIO Samantha Polkinghorne

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