At the heart of the practice we aim to understand the site, evaluate the significance of the surrounding landscape and listen to the needs and desires of its owners. From this we establish a strategy that informs the brief and therefore the design.

There are many ways to listen. It may vary from a simple walk in the garden with the clients to a detailed survey and assessment of the site’s history. In both cases the past and present narratives of the project are acknowledged and understood. In other cases the listening process may require a carefully constructed program of community consultation and opinion gathering. Our involvement will vary with the scale and complexity of the project.

By understanding the cultural layers of a site we can place them in a structured and referenced design. What may then be called for is a subtle intervention or a more bold and decisive vision depending on how the brief and the site have been analysed. In either event, we articulate the historical layers whilst retaining a contemporary aesthetic.

Characteristically we enjoy using contrast to develop the personality of the design. This can take various forms whether by a variation of scale in the design of the horizontal or vertical plane or by the juxtaposition of contemporary sculpture within a historic site to give a contrast in cultural narrative. Experiencing contrast can provoke a range of emotions and we bring this attribute into our designs.

Our design and management concepts allow for an initial development followed by a period of evolution in the landscape and the client’s interest. As a project develops and the planting becomes evident interest often increases. Other factors that affect the evolution of a landscape include the availability of labor and finance and the enjoyment of seeing work in progress. All of these items inform the management strategy on a large or small scale.