Springwood Gawler East

New Communities

Client
Welco Group

Disciplines
Landscape Architecture
Media

Location
Gawler East, SA

Date
2017

Imagery
Robyn Oliver

Awards
2017 UDIA Award of Excellence – Residential Development (SA)

Springwood's innovative design approach transforms constraints into green corridors, enhancing biodiversity, connectivity, and community through regenerative principles.
Springwood highfield estate reserve - tract

Tract provided an end to end design consultancy service spanning preliminary urban design vision setting and analysis, detailed subdivision and yield layouts, through to detailed landscape architecture design and delivery.

It is through this integrated approach that Tract has been able to offer innovative and well considered solutions, maximising the economic and natural asset value of the site for the client to create an award-winning project.

An interdisciplinary approach has allowed the team to conceptualise constraints into positives for the site.

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The above ground water pipe now links each precinct of the overall masterplan in a single continuous pedestrian and cycle corridor, connecting each open space node, including the creek corridor and biodiversity corridor under the powerlines.

A major powerline easement has become a unique focal point, drawing long open space views down into the creek corridor, acting as a biodiversity and pedestrian corridor. The former sand quarry is set to be re-purposed as a potential future school site with active open space facilities, effectively utilising the only flat part of the site.

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The landscape design has required an innovative response to the existing topography, incorporating large stormwater detention basins and accommodating multi utility easement restrictions.

Tract led the design process through several workshops with the client, planners, engineers and council officers to arrive upon amenable design outcomes.

We have undertaken a leadership role within the context of a multi- disciplinary project team to adopt a ‘regenerative landscape’ philosophy by reimagining a post-productive landscape with a future capacity to restore ecosystems and biodiversity.

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These reserves have presented the opportunity to set a new benchmark and leave a legacy of green, interlinked spaces capable of balancing both the needs of a growing and thriving community while providing opportunities for increased biodiversity.