Cook Park is adjacent to Wontama and typifies the established landscape of Orange.

The established garden and magnificent ornamental trees on the site offer a beautiful setting for residents, carers and visitors. The location of the coffee shop at the entrance conveys the welcoming and caring philosophy of Uniting.

Taylor Brammer’s design philosophy of wellness and inclusion is celebrated with welcoming courtyards which feature a bird aviary, vegetable and herb beds. Sculpture and rural character resonate with the countryside setting of Orange. Sheltered seating locations provide opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the sun and nature in comfortable and pleasant surroundings.

Courtyards at Wontama create opportunities for activities such as gardening and contemplation.

Matthew Taylor, director of Taylor Brammer attended the opening with over 150 community members. This project exemplifies Taylor Brammer’s design expertise in creating inspirational spaces and environments.

The existing distinctive trees on site were incorporated into the overall design.

This design expertise was explored recently at the ‘Making Cities Liveable’ Conference in Brisbane, where Matthew Taylor presented ‘An Urban World Towards Sustainability”. Matthew addressed the relationship of nature and human settlement. In understanding our ongoing and evolving relationship with our world, a historical perspective was used to evaluate the contemporary challenges and desired outcomes for sustainable cities. Read more on this presentation at http://blog.taylorbrammer.com.au/matthew-taylor-presents-at-2017-making-cities-liveable-conference/.

 Familiar countryside elements are incorporated into the courtyards, further supporting the concepts of wellness at Wontama.

Slides from Making Cities Liveable presentation “An Urban World Towards Sustainability”

Beginning in the middle ages, society has been in balance with nature. In the changes that have occurred with the industrial revolution, this balance has been distorted where society has lost touch with nature and its benefits.

Slides from Making Cities Liveable presentation “An Urban World Towards Sustainability”

Sustainable cities incorporate both social and community benefits by bringing nature to the city. There is a need for an integrated design approach across our living environments.

Slides from Making Cities Liveable presentation “An Urban World Towards Sustainability”

Contemporary designs by TBLA have incorporated the warmth of nature and this design philosophy provides sustainable social and beneficial living environments.

Mark Moran, Vaucluse

Mark Moran Vaucluse is creating a vibrant community in the heart of Vaucluse. In the words of Mark and Evette Moran, we believe ageing is to be celebrated and enjoyed. To facilitate the enjoyment of the warmth of nature, themes of bountiful harvest and simply enjoying scent, texture and character of the themed gardens establishes wellness across the site.

Designing a range of lifestyle places brings our vision of nature and wellness to the all-encompassing and vibrant lifestyle to Mark Moran Vaucluse. In the creation of the Sunrise and Sunset gardens these beautiful gardens have been inspired by the location adjacent to the iconic Sydney harbour. This underlies our relationship with our land with the natural and dramatic surroundings of the sandstone cliffs of South Head and the ever changing moods of the South Pacific Ocean. Complementing these gardens on the roof top are the grape filled arbour and Moroccan garden evoking amongst other themes, the smell and texture of lemons across the site. Part of the living younger longer themes has been making easily accessible the circular herb garden that underlies the wellness benefits of all the gardens.

Nature inspiring form

A world of knowledge and memories are highlighted in the plant selection across the themed gardens with both familiar plants and vibrant contemporary newcomers making a mark across the site. Careful selection of Italian Cypresses creating a walled garden contrasts to flowering native plants, the nectar attracting birds signalling their presence with calls in the themed gardens.

The enjoyment and beauty of the gardens will inspire a lifestyle that embraces the benefits of nature, providing sheltered, protected places so as enjoy life to the full.

Nature inspiring form

Find out more

Sydney Harbour

Matthew Taylor’s recognised heritage expertise has been brought into use as the head of the AILA Landscape Heritage Group (NSW). The group was successful in gaining a grant from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage in their NSW Heritage Grants Program for the listing of 10 significant landscapes in NSW.

Victoria Barracks & Admiralty House, Sydney

The group has recently organised a very successful workshop at Tusculum, a significant heritage house in Potts Point that saw 30 AILA members and invited guests contribute to what places matter. A lively debate ensured on what is significant, the importance of connection to place. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a very strong sense of connection to their ancestral land. Indeed, Aboriginal sense of place does not include the word Landscape, their association with the land is spiritually based this coming from being close and dependent on the land to live.

The locations of the lighthouses for example along the NSW Coast are spiritual places for the local aboriginal tribes as these promontories were where fires were lit for the purposes of night fishing.  The critical engagement and acknowledgement of aboriginal placemaking and what it means to our relationship with our land.

The project is in its early research and scoping phase, and aims to identify significant cultural landscapes. The study will also address important heritage conservation areas, heritage curtilages and smaller scale gardens, trees and items that may be suitable for listing on the State Heritage Register.

Raising awareness to Landscape Architects and the wider community is an important goal of the study. Heritage consultants MHQ have been engaged to prepare a study to identify state significant landscapes.

Further information available at AILA Heritage Workshop