Work Underway On Jacobs Creek Productive Garden

Orlando Wines engaged WAX to consider a large scale productive garden adjoining Jacobs Creek Heritage Cottage. The concept was to create a rewarding experience for VIP visitors to the Cottage, whilst providing locally grown, organic food to supplement and inspire the menu at the Visitors Centre Restaurant. The productive garden aims to offset food costs for the restaurant and fits into Jacobs Creek ethos on sustainability, reflecting the wineries strong affiliation and respect for the natural environment.

The garden utilises citrus tree avenues, a native and mixed species orchard, an Australian ‘bush tucker’ garden, herb garden and vegetable garden plots. The design adopts a holistic approach incorporating bee hives, a composting area and poultry to complete a balanced productive garden.

Drawing upon historical cues from the heritage cottage, red brick paving and a hardwood pergola further enhance the cultural and historical aesthetics of the cottage. The red brick paving continues through the productive garden, where, lined with pleached fruit trees it creates an opportunity for a unique long table dining experience.

Office Agriculture

Local food production is the flavour of the month in the WAX office. In collaboration with Roger Goss of Bullseye Creative and UPRS, co-office-inhabitants, the WAX team initiated the design development and eventual fabrication of an interior herb wall helping bring a touch of freshness to lunch times.

A boring sandwich or last night’s left over’s can now be reinvigorated with the addition of fresh handpicked herbs and greens. Including basil, thyme, mint, coriander, lettuce, baby spinach and rocket the wall not only brings a culinary lift to lunches but aids in creating a more pleasant working environment for the URPS and WAX teams.

Looking not only to freshen up fellow staff member’s lunch boxes, the intention of the herb wall also aims to influence and educate them on the importance of growing and eating locally produced food as we head into a future with food scarcity and climate change amongst the most significant issues we as designers are going to face.

 Over the coming months, through a trial and error process, WAX will learn the intricacies of growing herbs inside and continue to look forward to fresh herbs and a healthier office environment.

Urban Design Framework Strengthens Regional Community

WAX Design's Warwick Keates and JPE’s David Gregory returned to Dysart, QLD, last week to present their Urban Design Framework (UDF) back to the community, Council and reference group. This was a great opportunity for the design team to present their findings and receive feedback as to whether they grasped the unique needs of the community, and town after the initial visit and planning for real consultation program.

The response was a positive one, with all three engagement sessions of the UDF consultation being well received by both Council and community. The key to success now is the implementation of the projects outlined in the UDF. Through a strategic and long term strategy for the town, enthusiasm is starting to build around the future of Dysart and its community. It will not be long before Dysart is once again on the path to becoming a resilient, adaptable and a thriving community.

For a downloadable PDF version of the entire Draft UDF Report, simply follow the lines from the main page of the Council website

www.isaac.qld.gov.au

or visit:
www.isaac.qld.gov.au/web/guest/have-your-say

If you want a quicker snapshot of the project, then check out the Dysart UDF videoclip on youtube, by searching for Dysart UDF, or by clicking on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd3J-wzEj2w&feature=youtu.be

Berri Barmera Playspace

WAX Design have continued their successful collaboration with playspace specialist Ric McConaghy. This recently saw the completion of the Bamera Playspace, a community hub for playful activity and engagement. It achieves a diversity of imaginative and active play, in a comfortable and engaging environment that is sympathetic to the surrounding landscape. The playspace provides a range of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities with a grade of challenges. With enviornmental awareness in mind, additional trees have been planted to create natural shade and plant selection utilises low maintenance, drought tolerant species. WAX would also like to acknowledge the extraordinary work of the Barmera Playspace Committee with assistance from Berri Barmera Council in completing this project.

Following the success of the playspace, WAX Design in collaboration with AWE (Australian Water Environments) have been re-engaged to look at the provision of a stormwater quality management system within Sedunary Park to improve stormwater quality prior to discharge to Lake Bonney. With the implementation of sediment forebays, a bio-retention basin and swales, the proposed design will not only help mitigate stormwater runoff in large rain events but will see a reduction in up to 95% of pollutants from the runoff.

North Adelaide Residence

As owners of Best Pavers, the Client was interested in show casing the Best range of natural stone and pavers in the renovation of their home in North Adelaide.

The strong minimalist lines of the building were transitioned into the landscape with a series of off form concrete walls. These walls contrast with the feature sawn cut granite, providing a backdrop to the pool and also a concealed pump house.

The concrete coping is extended down into the pool in a series of wide steps, broken up with the delicate mosaic tile of the pool interior.

The elevated pool adds an element of interest with a blade wall negating the need for a pool fence and creating a greater sense of connection to the central lawn area below.

The existing Ivy along the red brick facade was retained with a new granite raised garden bed beneath. A concrete wrap to the granite edge creates a series of seating walls along the length of the lawn and connects the lower garden with the design intent of the pool.

Tranmere Residence

Five existing significant Eucalypts encircle the perimeter of this corner property, providing a strong structure and boundary definition to the site.
Working with the closely with the client, WAX has designed a low impact mass planted garden that creates a green carpet of vegetation, with the existing trees providing an architecture to balance the two storey building facade.
A sense of arrival was created with an exposed aggregate entrance path, with slate banding to compliment the feature stone surrounding the front door. A meandering compacted quarry rubble path provides an organic intervention through the garden and a permable surface, sympathetic to the trees root structure.

Dysart, Boom or Bust?

Dysart, a purpose built mining town of 3200 people is located 240km northwest of Rockhampton, Queensland. Constructed in 1973 to service Saraji and Norwich Park open cut coal mines. Once a town with a strong and thriving community, the introduction of a drive-in drive-out work force and 12 hour shifts has seen Dysart’s community begin to break down. As a unwanted consequence this is now being reflected in the town’s character. Dysart now faces its biggest challenge: rebuilding the community and social fabric that had made the town so successful and desirable to live.

WAX Design, in collaboration with JPE, were engaged by ISACC Regional Council and BMA’s (BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance) community development program to generate a strategic and long term planning direction for the Town of Dysart. The aim of the project is to create an urban design framework to help the community focus on a future for the town by increasing tourism and economic development, attracting new residents and improving the quality of life for the local community.

WAX team members Warwick Keates and Matt Baida, along with JPE’s David Gregory visited Dysart late last year to undertake a planning for real consultation program. The intensive nature of the consultation process involved the establishment of a 4 day studio in Dysart and was designed to enable the team to develop a detailed understanding of Dysart as a place and a community. The consultation approach for the urban design framework focused on engaging the community early in the project process, with the strong intent of building a community ownership of the project and ensuring that the strategic directions of the framework were directly linked to the unique needs of Dysart’s community.

45 Park will set the new standard for urban living in Adelaide. Located opposite parkland and backing onto Linear Park in sought-after Gilberton, 45 Park will deliver superior design, quality and lifestyle amenities in a premium location. Working in conjunction with Tectvs, WAX has recently undertaken the landscape design for the 45 Park Display Suite. This resort styled landscape has been designed to enhance and reflect the surrounding built form and appeal to the aspirational values of the residents. Drawing on the design influences of water and fluid motion, an organic landscape spreads out from the building and draws inspiration and reference to the surrounding architecture and the riverine setting of the River Torrens..

WAX TURNS FIVE!

WAX directors Warwick Keates and Amanda Balmer commemorated their five year anniversary milestone last night with clients, friends and family at the Flinders University Gallery. It was a chance for WAX team members new and old to say a big thank you to those that have influenced and helped along the way, whilst continuing to forge the successful relationships that have seen WAX develop as one of Adelaide’s leading Landscape Architect practices.

The venue supplied the perfect synergy for WAX’s desire to connect art and landscape, with an exhibition titled ‘Received Moments’ that shared the work of Adelaide born photographer, Robert McFarlane. The photographs throughout the gallery highlighted some of Australia’s most memorable photographic images allowing all present a chance to quietly reflect their past collaborations with WAX. As alluded to by Warwick during a short speech, WAX has enjoyed the past challenges set upon them and the night was not only about reflection and memories but also a reminder of WAX’s enthusiastic and whole hearted approach to its future and the challenges that lay ahead.

From the team at WAX a huge thank you goes to those people who have made the journey so far possible, memorable, challenging, exciting and fun.

Community Garden Bus Tour

Following WAX Design’s engagement with Orlando Wines for their productive garden at Jacobs creek as well as the City of Burnsides Community Garden at Chapel Street, they felt the need to further their awareness on the subject of productive gardens. Timing could not have been better with October being the inaugural Kitchen Garden month, celebrating edible gardening in South Australia and a community gardens bus tour organised by the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources).

Matt Baida visited five community gardens across Adelaide’s CDB, gaining a wealth of knowledge along the way. Gardens he visited included Lochiel Park, Wynn Vale, Walyo, Glandore and Fern Avenue all of which are at varying stages in their development and productivity. No matter what stage the gardens were in all shared an enthusiastic group of members whose passion and commitment to gardening helped to create special places offering something to people of all ages. Tour organiser, Jo Staniforth, summed things up perfectly in saying “there is so much enthusiasm and excitement around community gardens. It’s good for your health and wellbeing, and community gardens provide a space for everyone to share and learn.”

South Australia has more than 40 community gardens around the state, to learn more visit,
www.communitygarden.org.au

Knowing, Growing and Eating Edible Native Plants

WAX team members Matt Baida and Corey Brown recently participated in a three part workshop based on knowing, growing and eating edible native plants. With less the 2% of pre-European vegetation remaining across the Adelaide Plains, the workshop, run by the South Australian Native Food Association (SANFA), aimed to promote and educate on the importance and cultural significance of native plant species in our landscape. With talks from Neville Bonny (former president of SANFA) and numerous local growers, Matt and Corey began to realise that native foods are making a slow climb up the dietary ladder of many Australians.
With local growers harbouring a passion for the benefits of growing and eating native plants and helping us to reconsider our food choices. There is a battle to introduce these products into the mainstream with a slow and steady approach seeing the public opinion on edible wild foods begin to shift to one of acceptance as they discover their uses in tasty recipes. Our growers, however, are not only aware of their great flavours but are also privy to their nutritional value. Whilst there is still a lot of research to be done into species such as Lemon Myrtle, Muntrie, Wattle Seed and the Quandong, the aboriginal people have known for some time the superior vitamin and mineral content. With edible native plants being adapted to our growing conditions and providing important links to South Australia’s remaining fragmented remnant vegetation, the future for our growers looks positive. Matt and Corey both unanimously agreed the highlight for the workshops were the tasting sessions, where they got to dig into dishes that included wattle seed pavlova with quandong topping, muntries berry jelly slice and lemon myrtle sausages, giving them a glimpse into the culinary possibilities of native plants. For further information please visit, http://www.sanativefoods.org.au/.

NAG Design Festival 2011

The New Architects and Graduates Group (NAG) and the Adelaide City Council have partnered to help rethink the way public space is used in Adelaide, through a design competition to design a shade structure in Bonython Park. WAX and sculptor Rick Clise, approached the project as a chance to generate and share ideas, in a collaborative, explorational process.

WAX Design's concept, XYLEM, was a celebration of the natural and the constructed. It was also an exploration of how light can be crafted to create shade, prospect and shelter. A stainless steel support structure appears to emerge from the ground plane with an artifical root system, which creates sculpted earth mounds and forms congregation areas. Rising up from the support system is the canopy and a series of inclined laser cut leaves that partially open, creating dramatic contrast of light and shade, whilst ensuring shelter is maintained. During rainfall the water captured from the canopy is funnelled down the structure and cascades through the structure, over the earth mounds and into a wetlands system. XYLEM is allegorical, representing the resilience of nature in the wake of industrial intervention. It combines the poetic and the functional, through light and structural elegance, to create beauty whilst satisfying basic human necessity for shade, prospect and shelter.

Congratulations to the winning design 'Flock', which can be seen along with all the other entries on the NAG Design Festival website.

http://nagdesignfestival.tumblr.com/

Mellor Park pencil forest playspace complete

In Adelaide's eastern suburbs nestled amongst the existing Eucalyptus trees, an organic and winding series of connected spaces provide opportunities for dynamic, interactive, passive and reflective play. WAX Design in conjunction with the City of Burnside utilise the key principles, adventure and naturalistic play in the upgrade of Mellor Park.
Play opportunities are created from a feature raised mound of artificial turf with talking tubes allowing communication and sound to be a part of play. Kids can weave amongst the pencil forest set within a pebble mulch, encouraging natural exploration, or get tangled in the climbing net that provides opportunities for more adventurous interaction.

WAX Design Play Space Wins International Accolade

Leading landscape architecture and garden design firm, WAX Design, has won a coveted International Play Association (IPA) Right to play Award of Excellence at the recent IPA World Conference. The award, one of eight given internationally and the only one awarded to an Australian entrant, was presented for their Hazelwood Park play space project, known as 'Wombat Waterhole', which was completed in August 2011.

Sense of community created for medium density housing residents

May saw the completion of the landscaping for Melrose Park aged housing development. WAX Design in conjunction with Energy Architecture looked to provide a design solution that created a sense of community, engagement and pride for the residents of this medium density SA Housing development.
Open semi private courtyards, shaded seating alcoves and communal areas offer the individual an opportunity to pause, converse and interact.
A native, low maintenance garden with an organic materials palate provides a durable and enduring landscape which links through to the mixed use car park and pedestrian access, bounded by swales and rain water storage.

State Recognition of Hazelwood Park Play Space

WAX Design and Ric McConaghy were the recipients of a LASA Award of Excellence for the Hazelwood Park Play Space. LASA (Landscape Association of South Australia) presented Warwick Keates and Amanda Balmer (pictured below) with the award in the Design of a Commercial Landscape ($100,000 - $500,000 Category) for 2011.
LCS (Landscape Construction Services) also received an award for the construction of the Hazelwood Park Play Space at the same awards ceremony signifying the broad success of the project.

Marryatville Primary School kids get their hands dirty.

‘The best and cheapest food is that which you grow in your own patch of dirt’ - Lolo Houbein. With rising food prices, concerns about food security and a push towards a more sustainable future, there has never been a better time to start growing your own food. Who better to instil this belief in than the future custodians of this planet, our children. WAX Design has been working in a volunteer capacity with Marryatville Primary School for the past eighteen months to produce a landscape master plan. The master plan aims to enhance amenity, aesthetic pleasure, and play value and teach the concept of sustainability.

Works undertaken so far include, the construction of the productive garden in collaboration with GRUBS, the school’s volunteers committee and the creation of the butterfly garden surrounding several class rooms, which is currently being planted out by the children.

WAX would like to acknowledge and thank Yates and Heynes Nursery for their support and generous donations.

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WAXtweets brings you up to date information on WAX Design projects and interesting quotes/links.

Better than (re)new

Readers of the Adelaide Review will have seen an interview with Matt Baida of WAX Design this April, entitled 'Better than (re)new'. His Master's project 'Time's Arrow' dealt with a number of issues around the impact of mining projects and the potential for creative output. Matt noted:

“Land art should not cost more if it is planned for from the start. The time for mining companies to measure their success by profit alone is past. They need to answer their responsibility to the environment as well.”

http://www.adelaidereview.com.au/article/672

Stunning Wall Revealed

The recent completion of a Pine Street garden design in Stirling has yielded come stunning results. WAX Design, Summit Landscape and Prospect Contractors combined to achieve the successful design and installation of the project. Most notably, the implementation of a gabion wall of basket range sandstone along the fringe of an existing rock outcrop has seen some striking results.

Courtyard Collaborative

WAX Design has successfully collaborated with the University of South Australia Match Studios and the Women and Children's Hospital Foundation for the design resolution of a hospital courtyard. Orchestrated by Studio Director Jane Andrews and WCHF Art's Coordinator Jill Newman, students beckoned from a variety of courses to focus on the design of the courtyard space with inspiration from WAX.

Rodney Owen Beames Award Success

Matt Baida of WAX Design has received the Rodney Owen Beames Award for his ‘Times Arrow’ project whilst at the University of Adelaide.


In presenting the award the judges made the following citation:

‘Matt's design for the rehabilitation of a copper mine at Kanmantoo in the Adelaide Hills demonstrated a sound knowledge of the principles of landscape remediation of ex-mining sites whilst also emphasising the ‘social’ remediation of the area.

His design philosophy was focused on entropy and the tension between culture and nature, with the title of his project The Arrow of Time reflecting the processes of thermodynamics.

Matt’s design embraced the remediation process of the site by visually showing and referencing the mining processes in different elements, acknowledging that mining did occur rather than trying to disguise it. This then allowed for the creative re use of the tailings and the mine pits for community and educational uses – something he termed social remediation.

The integration of land art, natural systems and technical ability in his design reflected a true understanding of landscape architecture as being a process of science versus art.

He also displayed how his design could be staged and implemented over many years to align with the long term remediation process, and any financial budgets that may drive the remediation’.

The citation was referenced from the AILA website:
http://www.aila.org.au/sa/beames/default.htm

Welcome Matt!

WAX Design would like to welcome Matt Baida to the company.
Matt is an award winning graduate in Landscape Architecture from the University of Adelaide having recently completed his Masters.
Welcome aboard!

Walkerville Terrace Upgrade Completed

Works have been completed on the upgrade of the Walkerville Terrace streetscape.WAX Design successfully collaborated with a number of parties including JPE Architects, the Town of Walkerville, Tonkin, Watpac and Dig It to achieve the goal of improving the overall appearance of Walkerville Terrace.

Hindmarsh Island Auction Home

WAX Design recently donated their time and expertise in garden design for a Charity Auction Home having been invited by the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation. The Auction home is located on the Marina, Hindmarsh Island and the hammer is set to fall on the 26th of February 2011.
Further Details on the property can be found at:

http://www.toop.com.au/fulldetails.asp?refid=LOT206HIN0A

2010 PIA Award Success for WAX Design

WAX Design, in conjunction with URPS, was the recipient of an award for planning excellence in the category of Rural and Regional Planning Achievement for the Georgetown Urban Design Framework.
The ‘Georgetown into the Future’ UDF was commissioned to provide a vision for the future development for the small rural township in the mid north of the State. Its approach demonstrated how planning can positively impact on small struggling communities with realistic outcomes that can be implemented over a long period of time. The judges considered it an excellent example of recognising opportunities to build on the existing township qualities, to provide positive outcomes for a small community and improve its overall pride.

For more information on the award follow the link:
http://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/2240

Hazelwood Playspace Radio Interview 5AA

Warwick Keates and Amanda Balmer were recently interviewed on 5AA Radio by Amanda Blair, to talk about the success of the Hazelwood Park Playspace at Burnside.
Light discussion revealed the triumph of a collaborative approach to the playspace design, and the necessity for variation in play opportunities.

Amanda Balmer “The success was down to a collaborative effort with Play space designer Ric Mcconaghy and Burnside Council. We combined the natural play and the constructive play to appeal to all ages and all level of abilities. The ideal is for parents to allow children to make their own assessment as to what they’re capable of rather than prescribing”.

Green Roofs Conference

WAX Design’s Mark Jackson recently attended the Green Roofs Conference in October at the Adelaide Zoo. There were interesting contributions with representatives coming from around the world, including keynote speaker Raphael Garcia (Rana Creek, USA), who noted ‘The education of Landscape Architects on Green Roofs is key’


WAX Design understands and supports sustainable green infrastructure initiatives, due to the opportunities for reduction in the Urban Heat Island effect, reduction in stormwater run off, improvement of air quality, improvement in urban biodiversity, creation of urban food production, and desirable enhancement of the urban aesthetic.

WAX Design are now registered members of Green Roof's Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that draws together the governmental, organisational and businesses groups and individuals interested in being kept informed about green roof science, technology, practice, regulations and specifications. GRA promote green roofs as an effective response to climate change and city heat island effects, and to reduce buildings’ carbon footprints.


http://greenroofs.wordpress.com/

Trio of Awards for Beaumont Garden

WAX Design have recently received two LASA awards for excellence for residential design in Beaumont, inlcuding an overall award from ABC Gardening Talkback for its sustainablity. This highly acclaimed project also gained an a third award that evening, for excellence in Constuction, going to Summit Landscape who helped to create the landscape.

Short Story Success

WAX Design's Mark Jackson was a finalist in the Career Transition short story competition run by the WorkLifeGroup. His story 'A Graduates Retrospect' looks at the experiences of a Landscape Architect following graduation from University.

The story can be viewed at:

http://career.worklifegroup.com/career-stories/graduates-retrospect-mark-lewis-jackson-66.html

Welcome Mark!

WAX Design would like to welcome Mark Jackson to the company. Mark is a Landscape Architect who has experience working in Australia, and also the UK where he recently returned from in January 2010. He has lived and and worked in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester. Welcome aboard!

WAX featured in SA Gardens Magazine

A garden designed by WAX at a Beaumont redsidency has been a feature of the recent SA Gardens magazine. The article entitled 'Water Works' focuses on the sustainable use of water and its incorporation into a functioning modern day garden. Having overcome the challenges of water retention and irrigation on such a steep site, the platform was created for superb growing conditons for both native planting and fruit baring trees. The planting soaks up much of the stormwater successfully captured in swales and stored in several retention basins.
P.23-25 Volume 1

Hazelwood Park nearing completion

A successful collaboration between WAX Design, play space designer Ric Mcconhagy, Burnside Council and LCS has seen the creation of an ambitious new playground in the remenant eucalypt setting of Hazelwood Park. Not only does the design actively promote the notion of natural play, but also the greater benefits of social interaction amongst all age groups. The largely open plan design also accomodates disabled users through accessible pathways and disabled dedicated play equipment. The park will be opening shortly.