South Australian Sites
Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Masterplan
introduction / overview / slides / SA-Projects
Landscape Architect: Taylor Cullity Lethlean
Adelaide Botanic Gardens: North Terrace, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens, Lambert Road, Piccadilly
Introduction
The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide manages botanic gardens at Adelaide, Mount Lofty and Blackwood. The Adelaide Botanic Gardens dates from 1855 and their development has been guided by two previous plans; those of Francis (1864) and Schomburgk (1874 and 1886). Subsequent additions, deletions and modifications have resulted in a garden of exceptional overall cultural significance, and variable quality from precinct to precinct.
The Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens were opened to the public in 1977 on land acquired from 1952. The garden displays high rainfall temperate zone flora set within a framework of indigenous forest. The original masterplan for the garden was prepared in 1965 by landscape architect Allan Correy. While this had guided the gardens development for the last twenty-seven years, there had been significant diversions due to financial and other constraints. It was timely, therefore, to revisit the masterplan in order to reflect the existing garden layout and collections, and to review its direction relation to the BGA Strategic Plan.
In May 2003 a consortium lead by Taylor Cullity Lethlean were commissioned to prepare a Masterplan for Adelaide and Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens. The structure and format of the master plan documents were developed by the landscape architect and the final documents were designed, written and desk top published in-house by the landscape architect.
A key aspect of the plans is the recognition that the role of Botanic Gardens in our society is changing and that they are uniquely placed to guide the community toward a more sustainable future. The master plan is based on the premise that the Gardens will play a leadership role in educating the community about environmental values.
The master plan also shows leadership in the integration of contemporary needs and design with a place of exceptional cultural significance. A major challenge of the plan was to balance conservation with innovation and best practice design to create an exemplar of site management and institutional change to meet contemporary and future challenges.
The masterplan combines in-depth analysis with strategic planning and design based site planning. The landscape architects sought to combine critical analysis with thorough research and creative problem solving and design to create a thorough and inspiring document that will guide the Gardens for many years into the future.
A critical aspect of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens Masterplan is the redevelopment of First Creek to showcase wetland, aquifer recharge, water re-use and riparian revegetation as a demonstration of how these processes can be implemented in highly urbanised locations.
At Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens the masterplan asserts the importance of the remnant woodland as a key element in the landscape structure and ecology of the Garden. Previously viewed as a neutral backdrop, the woodland is elevated to a role as one of the fundamental building blocks of the Garden, the management and conservation of which should be one of the highest priorities for the future.
Prepared at the time of the Garden’s 150 year celebrations the plans represent a turning point in the Garden’s history, as they prepare to take a leadership role as a peak scientific and cultural institution providing guidance in the sustainable design and management of South Australia’s landscapes.
introduction / overview / slides / SA-Projects
2008
