Norman Gardens Village
Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Providing relevant services, facilities, recreational activities and a genuine community is important in any successful retirement village and the landscape plays an important role.
With Mt Archer as a backdrop, Norman Gardens Retirement Village provides purpose-built villas in a peaceful setting. Providing services, facilities, recreational activities and a genuine community is important in any successful retirement village and the landscape is integral to its success.
A design brief outlined the client’s specific design standards for this development which were critical.
Landscape elements across the site aimed to provide a cohesive approach integrating the village management’s operation and maintenance requirements, while ensuring buildability was appropriate and practical.
Canopy trees enhance the streetscapes and provide shade as well as softening of built form. Species are indigenous to the area to ensure survivability and longevity while meeting appropriate maintenance requirements.
The Importance of Landscape
The landscape impacts on the micro and macro of the urban fabric
Provision of Privacy
Well-designed landscape and appropriately selected species provides privacy for residents. Careful positioning of upper and mid-storey planting assists in screening windows and providing privacy breaks between residences.
Reduction of the Heat Island Effect
Reducing the mass of hard surfaces and providing canopy cover to any hard surfaces assists in reducing the impacts of climate change on a global scale.
Practical to Maintain and Cost Effective
A landscape can be maintenance intensive. Appropriate selection of species, correct positioning and selection of species based on their characteristics at maturity makes a difference to the level of maintenance required for the long term.
Consideration of Services and Infrastructure
Landscape is just one part of a project and infrastructure needs to be protected, considered and integrated with for a successful development.