Palmview Forest
The estate entrance is pronounced by the monolithic natural stone walls adjoining the Bruce Highway. Conceived to symbolise a grand entry threshold like an ancient walled city, it separates the ‘busy’ world and constant movement on the highway with the serene and relaxing ambience amongst the natural surroundings within the estate.
The preservation of significant vegetation and the embellishment of these with new plantings, particularly within drainage corridors creates smaller community neighbourhoods and provides an intimate feel to the development. Planting of native species to the road edge in locations adjoining naturalised areas extends the environmental zones and reduces the on-going maintenance through the strategies employed to limit turf.
This project demonstrates a commitment in implementing high level sustainability outcomes and our passion in embracing the natural environment which has been recognised by our peers at the 2016 AILA Queensland Awards of Excellence.
Date
2012 – on going
Location
Palmview Forest, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Status
Last remaining stages under construction
Personnel
Greg Thomas – project director
Sophie Fossey – project lead
Project Phase
Concept (including street tree master plan) through to Construction Services.
Client
Palmview Enterprises
Collaborators
Subdivisions QLD – Project Managers and Engineers
Greenway Architects – Architectural
Hortus Group – Soil Consultant
Sustainability & Innovation
• Timber harvesting and on-site milling to provide timber fencing and bollards for use in the construction.
• Production of site organic compost by screening decomposed site mulch to separate fine material.
• Live topsoil storage.
• Mostly endemic plant species used.
• Strategies to limit turf use adjacent to environmental zones and where residents are unlikely to maintain.
Awards & Recognition
2016 AILA Queensland Award for Landscape Architecture (Category – Land Conservation)
Photograph Credit
Scott Burrows Photography
Greg Thomas (Slides 4, 7 & 10)