Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre | Maroochy Australia | Guymer Bailey Landscape

Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre | Maroochy Australia | Guymer Bailey Landscape
IMAGE CREDIT | Scott Burrows

Guymer Bailey has designed the landscape of the Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts and Ecology Centre as both an educational experience and as a means for people to enjoy the natural features of the Botanic Gardens and surrounding bushland.

Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre | Maroochy Australia | Guymer Bailey Landscape
IMAGE CREDIT | Scott Burrows

The Centre has been created for all community members for social and cultural reasons; and all of this is attuned to the philosophy that ecology is at the heart of sustainability and is therefore crucial when cultivating such designs. The Sunshine Coast Regional Council, community and special interest groups now have the environment for workshops, education programs, meetings and artistic exhibitions.

Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre | Maroochy Australia | Guymer Bailey Landscape
IMAGE CREDIT | Guymer Bailey

The design foregrounds the abiding connection between architecture and landscape architecture; the building and landscape designs become one in responding to the site’s topographical parameters. For example, the building’s internal spaces ease out to landscape courtyards creating flexible activity spaces taking advantage of the verdant aesthetics of the surrounding environment.

Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre | Maroochy Australia | Guymer Bailey Landscape
IMAGE CREDIT | Scott Burrows

The landscape displays environmentally sustainable elements for visitor education. For example, overland flow paths simulate natural creek channels by using rocks and gravel surfaces, macrophytic plants and bioretention basins to control and filter stormwater runoff.

Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre | Maroochy Australia | Guymer Bailey Landscape
IMAGE CREDIT | Guymer Bailey

We have collaborated with Maroochy Botanic Garden staff to develop a native garden design that uses plants species endemic to the Sunshine Coast region and immediate bushland context. This flora promotes favourable micro-climatic conditions and ensures sustainable and healthy plant growth without the need for permanent irrigation.

 

Maroochy Botanic Gardens Arts & Ecology Centre – Queensland, Australia

Completed                        August 2011
Client                                  Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Cost                                     $AUD3m (total construction budget)

Landscape Architect | Guymer Bailey Landscape

Landscape Architecture Project Team |

Adrian Sheppard

Robert Waddell

Julia Dionysius

Ralph Bailey

 

Architect | Guymer Bailey Architects

Structural | Engineer  Tate Engineers

Civil Engineer | Callaghan and Toth

Electrical/Mechanical Engineer | Hawkins Jenkins Ross

Geotechnical Engineer |Golder Associates

Quantity Surveyor | Wilde and Woollard

Image Credit | Scott Burrows

About Damian Holmes 3245 Articles
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). He is a registered landscape architect (AILA) working in international design practice in Australia. Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. Connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianholmes/