Nowadays, being always online, connected and available, mobile technology has mostly erased any space for leisure and quietness. If we compare the ‘Flanèur’ -the bohemian, daydreamer or cultured person who had time to stroll in the city- with the ‘Commuter’, the person who has to travel every day from home to work with the pressure to convert that time into a productive space, it is possible to see that what is lacking is really that space and time ‘in between’, now converted as an imperative space for production by modern society. The otherwise ‘unproductive gaps’ somehow need to be filled.
A social network in your back garden. A village in the city.
At Valby Gardens, we are building a village in the city; a place where you can enjoy a natural sense of belonging with your surroundings, and where the architecture focuses on simplicity, light and space. The development consists of blocks of flats and single-family terraced houses. The blocks of flats lie along Gammel Køge Landevej, while the terraced houses are shielded behind the blocks.
During the course of planning the layout for the HANA (Japanese for “flower”) restaurant / bar and event space, we were challenged to come up with a concept that would evoke the floral imagery of the establishment’s eponymous name.
In a country with limited resources such as Japan, the spirit of Monodzukuri is the epitome of ingenuity at the service of craftsmanship.
La Estancia Wedding Gardens were conceived in a traditional Mexican baroque colonial style. When one of Bunker’s associates decided to marry here it was made known to us that the owners had been toying for some time with the idea of building a chapel in the same style as their gardens, since all previous weddings took place under a light canvas canopy roof. They found very romantic the idea of an architect designing the chapel he would marry in so the commission was granted to us.
Grant Associates, the UK landscape architects behind Singapore’s iconic Gardens by the Bay, has been appointed by the Royal Botanics and Domain Trust in Sydney to help develop a new sustainable masterplan for the historic Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney and adjacent public Domain.
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Working alongside Cox Richardson Architects and Planners, Grant Associates will be responsible for developing the landscape strategy and public realm elements of the new masterplan.
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
With a combined area of 64 hectares, on a spectacular location bordering the iconic Sydney Harbour waterfront, the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney and public Domain is the largest single site in the Sydney Central Business District. Ongoing management of the space is crucial for the future development and direction of Sydney as a cultural and tourist destination. Due to celebrate its bicentenary in 2016, and as Australia’s oldest research and scientific institution, the Garden holds a unique place in the nation’s intellectual life and as a popular recreation and visitor destination.
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
The new integrated masterplan is due to be unveiled in November 2013. It will address the heritage of the Garden and its role, structure and future form; identify the means by which research and education can flourish; address the physical environment, facilities and character; and seek to establish a framework for a resilient and sustainable financial future for the Garden.
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Keith French, director, Grant Associates said: “We’re delighted to be involved in this fascinating project. As the primary role of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust is for scientific research, we have to ensure a sustainable financial future and funding for this work, is balanced against the needs of heritage, education, recreation and as a tourist destination. It’s a real privilege to have the opportunity to play a small part in the future role of this amazing historic site.”
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (c) Simone Cottrell
2012-2013. On a 12 meters by 13 meters (39ft by 42ft) plot of land, a monolithic volume is transformed in order to attain luminous indoor spaces. Slade stone at the exterior facades is contrasted with the soft beech like wood finish, achieving great definition and space discovery.
The garden is located on the southwest coast of Portugal, in Herdade da Comporta, Alentejo, which is an outstanding and diverse landscape mosaic with high ecological and cultural value. It is worth mentioning the dune system with psammophilous pioneer vegetation, as well as maritime and umbrella pine woods. This mosaic is complemented by agricultural areas in the lower alluvial soils with large ranges of rice fields. The plot area is 3000m2, and the morphology of the land is very smooth and low sloped.
The developer of this new build contemporary property approached OPS to create designs for the rear garden and a dedicated hot tub area. The budget was tight at the concluding stage of the build and consequently the client was after maximum impact for minimal expense, or if using developer language ‘bang for buck’.
It sometimes happens that you are asked to produce something you have actually wanted to do for some time. A customer called and asked if we could build a log shack in his field, one that would be large enough to sit and write inside. I loved the idea from the start. Oddly enough, we’ve recently received quite a few questions about the log shack we produced years ago.
A project that delights in the textural complexity of simple materials.
This design for the garden of a single family residence responds to the challenges of a small urban site by using the textural and ephemeral qualities of the materials to breathe life into the space. The spatially simple design creates outdoor living spaces with a sense of privacy, while the interplay of the materials – light, foliage, and grain – creates a rich layer of experience that shifts over time.
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