Incidental play opportunities are combined with custom and proprietary elements. ©John Platt

JMD Design were commissioned by Stockland to design document and provide construction quality advice for a feature park within a new subdivision project at Glenmore Ridge, Penrith.  The eastern edge of the new park had been designed and built some ten years ago, hence the name Jacaranda Park. It was decided that the new park should break with the gardenesque image of the eastern half and create a new strong identity to the new suburb dropping away to the west.

Plan ©JMD Design

Special attention was paid to the existing topography, the character of the site in the western Sydney context and the future residential pattern. The post subdivision landscape provided the designers with a number of challenges in designing this park, most notably the large level change resulting from the construction of new roads and benched lots.

Careful attention was given to detailing. Glazed brick infill is used as the dominant visual key. ©John Platt

Nestled into the hill on the north side provides optimal microclimate conditions. ©John Platt

The major level changes incurred by the civil design were embraced as a means to accentuate the topographic beauty of the site, retain two significant trees and reshape the land to maximise the playgrounds sense of groundedness. A small children’s playground and bespoke shade structures were included along the most activated edge of the park ensuring passive surveillance.

The lookout and associated coloured wall is the dominant element in the park and future neighbourhood’s visual character. ©John Platt

Existing Eucalyptus moluccana (Grey Box) on top of the hill. ©John Platt

Jacaranda Park

Landscape Architect:  JMD Design

Client:  Stockland

Location:   Rosecera Circuit, Glenmore Park, Penrith, Sydney

Size: 9739m2

Project Cost:  Approx $2 million AUD

Structural Engineer: Northrop Engineers

Civil Engineer: J Wyndham Prince

Project Manager: Stocklands

Landscape Contractor: Design Landscapes

Planner: Byrnes PDM

Access:   Assess Associates Sydney