Project Name: Enchanted Garden

Practice Name: City Parklands P/L

Project Address: The Enchanted Garden, Spectacle Garden in Colin Campbell Place

The Enchanted Garden was designed as a temporary lighting installation to transform the subtropical garden experience of the Spectacle Garden at Roma Street Parkland into an enchanted wonderland over 10 nights during the festive season in both 2016 and 2017. The event was developed to create a second signature event for the parkland, to raise its profile within a city visitor offer and to encourage new visitors to the parkland for the both event and future visits.

The lighting design was developed to specifically highlight the horticultural assets within the garden and during a time when the garden is usually closed to visitors (after dusk and before dawn). In attracting over 39,000 people through the garden over a period of 30 hours, it definitely achieved its key objectives.

The Enchanted Garden specifically invites visitors into the parkland after a dark. A time that many people perceive the parkland to be dark, unsafe and not a destination to bring their family and friends. In addition, by attracting visitors to the parkland for this nighttime experience, it encouraged them to return during the day to experience the wonderful horticulture of the garden.

The Roma Street Parkland electrical and events teams worked in partnership with Brisbane Concert Lighting (BCL Productions) to design a concept that would enthrall visitors. A series of mood boards were created to explain the team’s aspirations and in talking through the equipment available the lighting effects that were to be achieved. With limited existing lighting or power within the garden, the RSP electrical team worked with BCL to install new electrical nodes at key locations. In addition, the other main issue to consider during the planning and installation of the lighting display was how the garden would continue to operate during the day, meet the required horticultural standards with a considerable amount of infrastructure within it for up to three weeks and to not detract from the garden during daylight hours. In addition, issues such as placement of lights so that they were not shining in visitors eyes when they walked along the winding paths and management of the wildlife (water dragons and birds) were all resolved with careful plotting and testing prior to opening night.

The lighting was all low voltage LED lighting and was turned off at 9.30pm each evening. Placement of the lighting ensured overspill into other parts of the garden and event spaces where other activities were taking place were minimised.

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