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
Overview
The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Masterplan is the first comprehensive re-appraisal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens since 1886. This has occurred at a critical moment in the Gardens history as they celebrate their 150th anniversary and embark on meeting the environmental challenges of the 21st century.
The masterplan was prepared by a diverse multi-disciplinary team lead by landscape architects who not only developed a design based approach to the project, but undertook and documented the strategic planning which underpins the masterplan.
The masterplan defines a vision for the Gardens which respects the exceptional cultural significance of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens in particular, while providing clear direction for redevelopment to meet contemporary and future environmental and social needs. Striking the appropriate balance in this aspect of the project was a major requirement successfully addressed by the masterplan
The plans are intended to be executed over a 20 year period. Work executed during and since the master plan or currently in the design stages is in the order of $10m.
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 master plan for the garden was prepared in 1965 by landscape architect Allan Correy.
Working over a three year period from 2003-006 Taylor Cullity Lethlean lead a diverse team of consultants in developing the masterplan for both the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens. These plans represent a comprehensive appraisal of the gardens and the development of objectives, strategic responses and actions to guide the gardens into the future. Site plans with precinct plans and the identification of priority projects and programs summarise the recommended actions. The masterplan provides direction for long-term planning of the Gardens future and a framework for day-to-day operational decision-making. The plans consolidate the many significant assets held on behalf of the community within the Gardens, and demonstrate how the Gardens can be enhanced to meet the challenges of contemporary environmental conditions and community needs and expectations.
In undertaking the important task of master planning South Australia’s two principal public gardens Taylor Cullity Lethlean developed a project methodology and consultation strategy, custom designed for the task.
As principal consultants the landscape architects lead a multi-disciplinary team while also interfacing with a wide range of specialist consultants who were preparing complimentary studies, the results of which were integrated into the final master plan.
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.
The masterplan represents three years close collaboration with Botanic Gardens of Adelaide staff at all levels, the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Board, Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Friend’s Group, a diverse project reference group, as well as many other government departments and interest groups.
The master plan report is a comprehensive analysis of the existing Gardens with the identification of key issues and objectives, strategic responses and actions, precinct plans and priority projects.
The plans are designed to guide long-term planning as well as provide a framework for day-to-day actions.
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.
The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Masterplan takes as a fundamental premise the critical role the Gardens will play in developing a regionally sustainable environment.
The Environmental Sustainability Objective of the master plan states that the Gardens will:
“Provide leadership to the broader community on sustainable environmental issues and initiatives, and practise sustainable horticulture appropriate to the regional context through on-going enhancement of service delivery”.
Subsequent Strategic Responses and Actions address areas of:
- Indigenous flora conservation
- Weed eradication
- The establishment of internal best practice benchmarks for sustainable horticulture practice
- The use of passive and active solar technologies, water conservation,
- public education regarding the above
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.
The masterplan was prepared over a three year period with extensive stakeholder and reference group input through consultant run workshops which facilitated review and feedback at each critical milestone of the process. A draft of the plans was available on the Garden’s website and widely publicise for comment for a three month period. Community comment was incorporated into the final document.
Since its completion and adoption by the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide Board in June 2006, the Masterplan has guided a number of significant developments within the Gardens. These include:
- Completion of the Mediterranean Garden
- Progression of the First Creek Wetlands project
- The Western Entrance
- Physic Garden development
- Cacti and Succulent Garden redevelopment.
Staff workshops were held during the early stages of the project and later when draft plans were prepared. These were rigorous full-day reviews which allowed staff from management to gardeners to digest proposals and provide meaningful comment.
The high degree of participation by staff at all levels has ensured that the Masterplan is accepted as the principal guiding document in the future development of the Gardens.
For many staff and board members the process was their first contact with landscape architects at the strategic and masterplanning level. They came to appreciate the interface and overlap between strategic planning, masterplanning and design in creating a framework for the future of the gardens.
introduction / overview / slides / SA-Projects
2008
