Urban Design Landscape Architecture| Local and Central Government

Urban Design Landscape Architecture – Local and Central Government

Design Review & Advisory
Public Domain Design
Environmental Improvements

I have extensive and proven expertise in the design and development of public spaces, including large Council and Government managed projects, in New Zealand and in Australia. In my 25 years experience I have worked on a range of both small and large sized projects including transport infrastructure, mixed use developments, housing and community developments, recreational and civic infrastructure.

My current focus is to create attractive, functional public spaces. This covers public placemaking, parks and reserves, streets, vegetation restoration projects and waterfronts and waterways.

My passion includes the more specialist area of Water Sensitive Urban Design by managing storm water in nature-based ways and achieving water neutrality. This approach integrates stormwater management with a positive environmental, cultural and aesthetic benefit.

I now build on this background to focus on smaller urban design and landscape projects which:

Contribute to climate and biodiversity
Manage water in future friendly ways
Acknowledge cultural presence
Advance the public interest and social cohesion
Improve people’s wellbeing.

Delivering urban design and landscape architecture expertise to actively recognise and respond to our current changing climate.
Applying quality design to develop climate positive civic places and spaces.
I nurture our future use and conservation of natural resources.
And create enticing modern designs, that convey a welcome and warmth to all people across a cultures and abilities.

Key Areas of Expertise

Design Review and Advisory

I draw on my knowledge of urban environments and design skills to offer a design review and advisory service. Regardless of what stage that your project is at, I can provide an independent advisory service.

Options for engaging my service may include:

Participating on design review panels, as a guest or regular participant.
Undertaking a site audit and analysis in a culturally appropriate way.
Critically reviewing and evaluating design plans projects or policies.
Providing feedback to improve design quality and identify likely effects.

My Proven Expertise

I have worked on a wide range of urban projects with multi-disciplinary teams and multicultural content.

I currently sit on Christchurch City Council’s Urban Design Panel, Wellington City Council’s Waterfront Advisory TAG and Kapiti Coast District Council’s Public Art Panel. I was a founding member of the Nelson Tasman Urban Design Review Panel.

I work in a collaborative and supportive way, in with culturally responsive processes. My expertise is advising on an optimal design approach that’s l within legislative parameters, and improves the built environment.

Urban Design, Public Domain Design

My expertise goes well beyond advisory and consultancy services. I work with other professionals to provide a full urban design service, which encompasses both experiential, spatial and functional design of urban spaces.

Services Include:

Analysing the specific site, with consideration to location, attributes and users.
Developing project specific design plans. This includes concept plans, and/or full site designs.
Developing urban designs that are climate positive and convey inclusiveness
Liaising with designers, legislative authorities and local communities when necessary.
Developing appropriate design strategies.
Preparing informative, attractive design drawings and reports at key stages.
Developing RFP and tender documents, along with assessing submitted tenders.

My Collaborative Approach

I operate in a collaborative and consultative manner which includes engaging widely plus, identifying all social, economic, built and natural systems infrastructure. Throughout the design project, I provide regular, structured design feedback opportunities.

With my experience, I consider blue and green infrastructure important to accompany the cultural systems and built form infrastructure. My expertise lies with my ability to achieve successful results in complex situations.

Water Sensitive Urban Design

Water Sensitive Urban Design is essentially, designing places and systems which manage storm water in nature-based ways to deliver positive environmental, cultural and aesthetic benefits.

The process starts with context and site observation and evidence-based research, to deliver a customised and site-specific solution. This involves incorporating features such as raingardens, planted swales, reed beds and detention areas.

Customised Solutions

My services can be tailored to meet your specific requirements, including consultancy, design strategy, through to full site design.

Ecological Restoration

I provide specialist expertise to support small and large revegetation projects. Managed ecological restoration results in enhanced green spaces, offering nature and beauty a greater presence in urban, peri-urban and rural landscapes.

Tailored Services Include:

Site investigation and establishing requirements and desired outcomes.
Developing strategies either at a high or detailed level.
Full or part project design service.
Development of revegetation site plans with staged actions, to suit the project’s budget, and client’s implementation capacity.
Assist with overseeing and monitoring the project from its initial phase to full implementation.

Along with advanced design skills I have extensive horticultural knowledge. I work closely with technical experts as part of the overall project design.

Public Art Projects – Facilitation

I use my expertise as an urban and landscape designer to facilitate and deliver a range of public art projects. Along with working beside designers, artists, engineers, architects and community I also work collaboratively with mana whenua and diverse community members.

I operate with sensitivity and awareness of the complexity of cultures of Aotearoa. I see public art as a strong and valuable means of expression in the public domain.

Tailored Services

My services can be engaged in an advisory only manner or as a design team participant.