The Warriewood Valley is a rapidly changing urban release area full with residential subdivision. The sector contains typical examples of both design success and failures.<\/p>\n
Given our four current subdivision projects in the Warriewood Valley (and our office location) we felt it was time to really get to know the area in detail and the varying standards of development.<\/p>\n
On a hot 28 degree day the Sym team (complete with helmets and high visibility vests) started our cycle tour through the Warriewood Valley. We collated our observations from the day to produce 6 urban design considerations\u00a0that apply\u00a0to all\u00a0residential subdivision projects.<\/p>\n
Do<\/u> However small or large a development \u2013 Placemaking (including a vision statement) is a great tool to provide a clear design intent for all consultants to work towards. Placemaking establishes the unique \u2018essence of place\u2019 and \u2018x factor\u2019 of your site.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t <\/u>expect your consultants to seamlessly coordinate without a clear project vision.<\/p>\n
Value <\/u>A vision statement ensures continuity of design ideas across consultants as well as creating a strong community identity that buyers can relate to.<\/p>\n Do<\/u> Bring a professionally qualified Landscape Architect into the team from the very beginning. This is when our capabilities are best utilized. We provide Placemaking, Site Masterplanning, and Lot\/Building Location. Landscape Architects looks at the site as a whole \u2013 to consider the local and regional context, site constraints, grading & drainage (based on slope), vehicular \/cylceway \/pedestrian connections, entry sequence, identity signage and open space amenity planning.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t <\/u>have consultants working independently and in isolation. Don\u2019t finish the site design and employ a Landscape Architect at the end to \u201cshrub it up\u201d (or do \u2013 but you\u2019re missing out!)<\/p>\n Value <\/u>Early involvement of a Landscape Architect ensures quality urban design outcomes and a holistically well-considered development.<\/p>\n There is a fine balance required to ensure frontage consistency whilst still allowing for owner \u2018personalisation\u2019.<\/p>\n Do <\/u>ensure consistency of verge setback width, property levels & grading, wall and fencing locations, height and width as well as letterbox locations and dimensions. Individuality between properties should be created through materiality choice of the above elements and planting design.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t <\/u>Give complete design free reign to each property owner \u2013 the development will lack design cohesion and street appeal.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t <\/u>make all the design decisions for the owner \u2013 the development will lack character.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t <\/u>situate the properties too far from the road or too close to the road. Too far inhibits social engagement and too close isn\u2019t pedestrian friendly and doesn\u2019t make for an attractive streetscape.<\/p>\n Value<\/u> a well considered property frontage encourages social interaction between residents, enhances street appeal and salability and helps create a strong community identity.<\/p>\n Do<\/u> Employ a Landscape Architect to sensitively consider stormwater initiatives.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t <\/u>treat stormwater as purely an engineering exercise.<\/p>\n Value<\/u> A sensitively designed bioretention basin can serve as a much needed visual amenity, raingardens and swales can create unique and beautiful streetscapes whilst also working to improve water quality. Well considered WSUD practices can reduce the need for hard infrastructure as well as adding aesthetic value.<\/p>\n Do <\/u>consider garage access, garbage storage and collection points from and early stage.<\/p>\n Do<\/u> consider walkability and how to create pedestrian friendly streets<\/p>\n Don\u2019t <\/u>consider garbage collection and storage late in the piece \u2013 it will look like an afterthought and often results in an unattractive design outcome.<\/p>\n Value <\/u>Offline secondary streets at the rear of properties are a great way to hide garages, bin storage and \u2018back of house\u2019 street uses. This separation creates consistency in frontage appearance aswell as pedestrian friendly streets.<\/p>\n Do<\/u> consider both long-term growth as well as day one impact. Plant establishment takes time.<\/p>\n Dont<\/u> undervalue the impact of the landscape. We understand your budget\/design requirements and will strategically consider the placement and impact of the landscape \u2013 especially around entries and display suites.<\/p>\n Value<\/u> Well considered planting design can provide privacy screening, shade, create a sense of arrival, determine sightlines and views and create beautiful spaces that residents value and want to use.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Warriewood Valley is a rapidly changing urban release area full with residential subdivision. The sector contains typical examples of both design success and failures. Given our four current subdivision projects in the Warriewood Valley (and our office location) we felt it was time to really get to know the area in detail and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[38,33,53,40,41,57],"class_list":["post-2445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","hentry","category-sym-posium","tag-coastal-communities","tag-landscape-architect","tag-landscape-masterplan","tag-livibility","tag-urban-landscape-design","tag-water-sensitive-urban-design","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2445"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3358,"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445\/revisions\/3358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/symstudio.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Involve a Landscape Architect from the beginning<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Property Frontages <\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Treat storm water requirements as an opportunity rather than a constraint:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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\u2018Back of house\u2019 streets<\/u>:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Invest in the landscape:<\/u><\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n