In 2004, verge URBAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE was provided the opportunity to contribute to two stages ( 3 & 4 ) of the Cutters Landing of the successful Mirvac/HPA residential development at New Farm.

Cutters Landing’s previous stages have set a precedence for residential living within the highly sought after New Farm Park/ river precinct. Stage 3 & 4 consists of 34 single lot houses on small lots, it is bordered by the ever busy Lamington Street (the direct route to the Powerhouse complex) and Brisbane’s most loved New Farm Park. Our commission resulted in the evolution of the residential precinct using elements of landscape design which complemented the housing and its context whilst dealing with the ‘issues’ of small lot housing.

The development provides the experience of inner city living, which has come to mean living in close proximity to entertainment, dining, shopping and recreational opportunities.

The brief for the project was considered to address the functional issues associated with a small lot housing precinct surrounded by extremely busy public destinations, namely privacy for the residents from the street and from each other.

things worth noting :

design : environment : responsiveness to brief : expression of concept : context : innovation : appropriateness to function : sustainable practices
The key factors which lead to the arrival of the final design approach were:-
• Recognition of the precinct as a busy public place and the privacy issues private residences require.
• Realisation that the context of New Farm is not suburban in the modern sense, but a dense and highly populated urban precinct of Brisbane which happens to have a significant amount of small lot housing.
• Recognition of New Farms cultural landscape consists of a palimpsest of eras making the identifying cultural plantings a schizophrenic palette of Brisbane’s dearly loved favourites ( Jacarandas, frangipanis, and roses!) A contextual planting philosophy is fraught with danger, our approach was to express through planting the Brisbane of the now, the sub tropical.
• Sustainable practices in small lot housing landscapes: it’s the details which make the contribution ie. Choice of turf type was Sir Walter palmetto – a drought resistant variety, and Plantation certified timber for the fencing.
• The use of the local Piccabean palm as sculptural elements with a functional and aesthetic quality.
• A creative and lateral thinking Client and Project Team.

The public/private interface to the front of the houses was dealt with through the device of the contemporary ‘letterbox’ wall which acts as a ‘beacon’ to the entrance. Instead of entering in a direct line to the door, entering from the street is to the side which promotes the perception of privacy. In time the hedges will grow and both public and private will benefit from this green edge.

The Private ‘back yard’ avoides over viewing from adjoining houses with the use of the Piccabean palm ‘en mass’ to create a ‘palm gallery’ through the canyon of closely fitting houses. The palms were planted at different heights with great attention to view lines from neighbouring windows, this device works as a green ribbon which runs through the rear yards and provides a consistent and different approach to privacy.