CASE STUDY
Redefining Landform To Retain the Natural Integrity of Place
Client
Capital Estate Development
Location
Denman Prospect, ACT, Australia
Scale
80ha
Collaborators
Cia Landscapes and Colour as Lead Landscape Architect (2015)
and Spiire as Landscape Architect
Services Provided
Lead Master Planning, Urban Design and CAD documentation.
Outputs
Contextual analysis, Design Review, Site Analysis, Urban Design Strategy, Master Planning, Master Planning for Approval Documentation, Building and Siting Guidelines, Ongoing design review.
Award
2020 PIA Award for Planning Excellence
Category: From Plan to Place
Client
Capital Estate Development
Location
Denman Prospect, ACT, Australia
Scale
80ha
Collaborators
Cia Landscapes and Colour as Lead Landscape Architect (2015)
and Spiire as Landscape Architect
Services Provided
Lead Master Planning, Urban Design and CAD documentation.
Outputs
Contextual analysis, Design Review, Site Analysis, Urban Design Strategy, Master Planning, Master Planning for Approval Documentation, Building and Siting Guidelines, Ongoing design review.
Award
2020 PIA Award for Planning Excellence
Category: From Plan to Place
When a project opportunity arises to design for a new community, offering a site that spans a major ridgeline, captures views across the valley to the city centre, connects to a major river system, and is set against the backdrop of Mount Stromlo, things start to get exciting.
In 2015, we were engaged as the lead Master Planner for Capital Estate Developments, the beginning of the Denman Prospect Estate. Since then, we have designed and delivered more than 3,000 homes, a local centre, two major recreational parks and many beautiful green connective spaces in between.
During the initial design review, the following three major opportunities were identified.
Big Green - to reinstate the ridgeline and high points of the site to their natural form. To create unfolding landforms, that evoke immediate experiences, that define space in a sculptural and engaging way.
Big Blue - to connect with the natural amenity of Craven’s Creek and Molonglo River. To enrich the sensory experience with water.
Big Red – New offerings for Canberra’s community and visitors to our valley. Provide amenity and destination, through provision of appropriate density for the new residents.
These three moves were integral to reset the spatial layout and to inform the design principles for all future stages across Denman Prospect Estate.
As the next two development stages unfolded, the design layout extended the green and blue networks, to offer the highest public amenity possible for pedestrians and cyclists, setting the new neighbourhood up for future success.
We acknowledge the Darkinjung, Guringai, and Awabakl people as the traditional custodians of the lands on which our design studio resides and extend our acknowledgement to all traditional custodians of the lands our projects reside upon in the Central Coast, NSW.
We respect and nurture relationships and partnerships with all custodians, clients and collaborators, acknowledging the privilege we have to partake in best-practice design and planning of the land. We aim to uphold the intrinsic value it offers to enrich future experiences.