ASPECT Studios

Landscape is universal. While environments may differ dramatically in some places, they often share surprising similarities with others. Ayeh Azarbashi, Senior Landscape Architect at ASPECT Studios, shared her journey with Terren Jiatong Shi in a recent interview, alongside two others, about applying their knowledge and international experience to the Australian built environment. Drawing from her studies in architecture and landscape architecture in Iran, Ayeh discusses how her diverse background can contribute to the Australian landscape industry. "Landscape practice in Iran is deeply rooted in the Persian garden tradition," she notes. "Design principles that focus on water efficiency, shade provision, and aesthetic harmony have the potential to inspire sustainable landscape design in Australia." The full interview can be found in the latest issue of Landscape Australia.

Transport infrastructure can be about more than moving people: it can shape our connection with our cities and each other. The newly opened Sydney Metro has already become part of the daily lives of millions of Sydneysiders, and ASPECT Studios is proud to be helping to deliver the precincts surrounding Waterloo, Martin Place and Victoria Cross stations. Designing these places means considering the experiences of the users and their interactions with the different layers which make a successful place. They are for strolling, for lingering, for people watching, and for relaxing. This early sketch of Victoria Cross Metro movement and place by Design Director Sacha Coles illustrates how multiple layers come together to create memorable and successful transport environments. Congratulations to our collaborators on what is already an undeniable success. Project collaborators: Bates Smart Cox Architecture Lendlease Transport for NSW

Setting a new benchmark for commercial towers, 83 Pirie Street in Adelaide has been awarded the Property Council of Australia’s State and Territory Development of the Year in South Australia. The awards recognise outstanding innovations in the country’s property industry. Our collaboration with Woods Bagot on developing the public realm design, thoughtfully reinforces connections to Pirie Street and Freemasons Lane, enhancing the pedestrian experience and improving the flow to Flinders Street along Freemasons Lane. Integrated planting within the street furniture elements enriches the amenity, activating the building’s edges, while tranquil breakout spaces on levels 3 and 21 foster a deeper connection to the environment. The project now moves forward to national judging which will be announced in September. Congratulations to Cbus Property, Woods Bagot and Multiplex. Photography: Sweet Lime Photo

The National Gallery of Victoria's newest exhibition, Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070, presents us with a not-so-distant future for the Birrarung/Yarra River from the minds of eight landscape architecture practices. This is quite possible the first exhibition to feature landscape architects in a significant cultural institute in Australia. Global Design Director, Kirsten Bauer was interviewed for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)’s Radio National Blueprint For Living by host Jonathan Green. She said each of the futures presented is driven by the desire to do the right thing by the Birrarung: “We as designers are listening to the river and listening to Traditional owners, and to use that to understand how we can better design for our waterways.”   ASPECT’s vision for the Birrarung transforms a 4km stretch of South Yarra and Richmond into a vision of the Great Birrarung Parkland. By reclaiming lands within the old flood line, regenerating wetlands and billabongs, and creating a north-south parkland and pedestrian bridge to connect Como Park with Herring Island. Reimagining Birrarung is open at the NGV Australia until Sunday, 2 February 2025. You can listen to the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eJgUQndT Exhibition photography: Eugene Hyland and Sean Fennessy

Designed by ASPECT Studios in collaboration with IPH Architects, lighting designers ETC Solutions, and the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the transformation of Kalgoorlie’s city centre has created a vibrant, civic-minded destination for both locals and visitors. The space unfolds as a series of interconnected public areas that cater to daily life—fostering social interaction, play, outdoor dining, and entertainment. At the heart of this transformation is a striking canopy structure, animated by light, colour, and water misters. These elements not only cool and activate the space but also add layers of storytelling. “There’s a narrative of the daily explosions from the mine site and the natural lightning from the weather patterns experienced in those areas. So, in the square, you get this explosion of mist and lighting and sound that trigger off at the same time, just like in nature.” says Tom Griffiths, Studio Director. With its vibrant colours, open spaces, and inviting pathways, the redesign has inspired a renewed optimism about Kalgoorlie’s future.   Read more in Australian Design Review: https://lnkd.in/gQVmJwqp Photography: Peter Bennetts

We're seeking a passionate Wayfinding & Interpretation Designer to join our Melbourne Studio. This role offers the chance for a natural visual communicator to contribute to meaningful projects that enhance community spaces and support environmental sustainability. You'll collaborate on projects across the globe as part of our integrated design team, dedicated to creating innovative and meaningful solutions. To learn more about this exciting opportunity and see how you can contribute to our dynamic team, visit our Careers page: https://lnkd.in/g4RbjgRq

The final designs for Bradfield Central Park reveal a thoughtful approach that honours Country, celebrates new and old knowledge, and reflects the natural beauty of western Sydney’s Cumberland Plain. Spanning two hectares, the park is the central public identity of Bradfield City Centre, offering a space for respite and recreation. "It will be the green heart, where people can breathe, re-energise, and immerse themselves in Country," says Sydney Studio Director Tamara Donnellan. The process has included in meaningful engagement with the long-term Dharug nation-building project – not just for today but with consideration of the next seven generations, focusing on three key values: recognition, connectivity and reciprocity. First Nations collaborators Emily McDaniel and Jayne Christian bring essential perspectives to the design. “We recognise that this place is connected to everything beyond its bounds and part of the bigger ecology,” says Christian. Bradfield Central Park will be a unique city park, striking a balance between nature, discovery, and authentic cultural practice amidst Sydney’s newest urban centre. Read more in Australian Design Review: https://lnkd.in/gG3ABVTa Project collaborators: Collins and Turner Architects, Eckersley O'Callaghan, Jayne Christian, Emily McDaniel, janet laurence, Steensen Varming and NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure

Practicing landscape architecture and urban design means thinking deeply about how cities work, and how to make life in them better. In this abridged version of a lecture given to students at the University of Sydney, Global Design Director and Sydney studio founder Sacha Coles explains that, for those working at ASPECT Studios, the fundamentals of public realm design are about responding to big problems. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g8nvfyQX

Can we imagine the Birrarung/Yarra River like this?   This is an exciting vision created by Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070, an exhibition opening at Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria Australia from next Friday, 23 August.   Ray Edgar in The Age has previewed the exhibition, which features eight landscape architecture practices invited by the NGV to reimagine the Birrarung, transforming it to a more natural pre-colonial state. Our vision for the Birrarung transforms a 4km stretch of South Yarra and Richmond into an urban forest along the river.   The exhibition’s timeline emphasises the profession’s long-term focus. Our Global Design Director, Kirsten Bauer, was among the designers to talk with Edgar and said “A landscape is not instant. You design a process that may go for hundreds of years, hopefully. It’s culture, science and art working together”.   Ewan McEoin, senior design curator at the NGV, says, “This exhibition is there to help people imagine what is possible…Then start asking for it.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/geqFFT6W Exhibition contributors: Bush Projects Landscape Architecture, McGregor Coxall, Office, Openwork, REALMstudios, SBLA Studio and Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

Covering 225 hectares with over 100,000 plants and a 26,000 m² green roof, the Victorian Desalination Plant and Ecological Reserve has thrived over the past decade. The before-and-after contrast is striking, reflecting a commitment to environmental stewardship and nature's ability to reclaim even the most challenging landscapes. Once stark and uninviting, the site now flourishes as a vibrant ecological reserve, showcasing the impact of sustainable design and restoration.   Project collaborators: ARM Architecture with peckvonhartel, Practical Ecology Ltd, WSP, Fytogreen Australia Pty Ltd, Australian Ecosystems, Aquasure (Thiess / Degremont) Photography: Victorian UAS, Peter Bennetts, John Gollings