When the average person thinks about landscape architecture, the most common connection is with residential design, or lush landscaped resort grounds. Not many people associate landscape architecture with kids, parks and schools.But that’s exactly what the landscape architects at DFS Group have been working on of late. We have designed and created some great play spaces and recreation projects including conceptual designs, landscape plans and planting palettes for adventure playgrounds, sporting fields and school grounds.
Cotton Tree Playground – nature based play
The riverside Cotton Tree Park is in the process of receiving a new nature-based playground.
The playground theme is derived from this riverside context with river boats, sandy soft-fall areas and a dry creek bed forming the props for nature-based play. Contrasting with traditional man-made structures, these materials of nature offer unstructured opportunity for climbing, scrambling and river based role-play.
Our landscape architects prepared the detailed concept design for the Sunshine Coast Council. Construction is well underway and is scheduled for completion in August.
Elizabeth Daniels Park – sports fields, multi-recreation centre and dog park
The former tip site turned sports fields, is getting a major landscape makeover thanks to a Capital Works program by Sunshine Coast Council. To be constructed over the next three years, the makeover includes extensive new tree plantings, pedestrian pathways, revegetation works, signage and improved parking. The very popular dog park is also being retained.
DFS Group landscape architects prepared the landscape master plan, concept design and cost estimates, which helped clarify the vision and bring this project in on budget.
Palmwoods School – tree stump sculpture
Principal Landscape Architect, Rob Burrell has been involved in this innovative project for over 10 years. The stump was once part of a 100 year old memorial tree on the school grounds, planted by a founding family of the school before the First World War. Over time, the tree became hazardous and sadly, had to be cut down in 2005 for safety reasons.
Rob worked with local artists in transforming the stump into a magnificent carving titled “A Nurturing Environment for Learning”. In context with walking trails, decking and bush retreat teaching areas, the sculpture is largely regarded as “the heart of the school”.
Now, 10 years later, DFS has been engaged to fortify the tree stump against the ravages of time. The ongoing decay and internal collapse of the wood (as part of the aging process) means that part of the sculpture needs to be braced by external supports. With the help of the bracing, the sculpture will live on for another decade.
This magnificent carving won the Queensland Arboriculture Award in 2005.