Lindfield Village Green

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Ku-ring-Gai Council's Lindfield Village Green design competition called for architects and landscape architects to create a concept plan for a new $20 million green space in the centre of Lindfield, a suburb on Sydney's North Shore. The Tyron Road car park will be shifted underground to make way for the park. JMD Design (of which Anton James is a director), Tonkin Zulaikha Green Architects and engineering firm Northrop were one of three shortlisted entries from a competition open to registered architects and landscape architects. The three entries were exhibited from 21 March - 14 May 2015. In August, JMD team won. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: The concept plan is for a flexible green space that will be a public front garden, one that mimicks the horiticultural and built heritage of the suburb. It will look like a garden in a Lindfield house, one rich with flowering trees and vines like wisteria, jacarandas, fire wheel trees, flame trees and silky oaks that are emblematic there. The garden is divided into four zones and inlcudes a flat trapezoidal lawn, misting fountain and arbour, a sloping lawn with outdoor cinema screen, a plaza and kiosk, and play areas. The hard landscaping design replicates the heritage ornamental patterns found in Lindfield's California bungalow and Federation houses. This plan extends Anton James' research into landscape architecture that works with the history of a site, creating subtle, sensitive, playful new public spaces. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: The Green Garden concept won the Lindfield Village Green Design Compeititon. It was publically exhibitied and it will form the basis for a $20 million development of new public space in Sydney.