about – Landsite

Landsite is a Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Site Planning and Environmental Project Management company, providing consultant services to a range of public and private clients including developers, local government, public utility, community and environmental groups.

Landsite’s award winning Principal, Darren Taitoko, brings over three decades of experience in the design, implementation and project management of landscape architecture, urban design and environmental rehabilitation projects at state and national level.

Darren and the rest of our team thrive on working across a varied range of projects. From high density urban, medium and standard density suburban and low density rural and rural residential projects, commercial estates, water sensitive urban design, preparation and implementation of urban design guidelines, through to the rehabilitation of degraded rural and urban waterways and wetlands.

While our head office is based in the beautiful surrounds of Byron Bay, current Landsite projects cover the eastern states of Australia, including Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

Darren Taitoko RLA

Director

Darren brings over thirty years of award-winning experience in the design, implementation and project management of urban design, landscape architecture and environmental rehabilitation projects at state and national level.

His expertise ranges from high density urban, medium and standard density suburban and low density rural and rural residential projects, water sensitive urban design, preparation and implementation of urban design guidelines (Residential and commercial settings), public art strategies and the rehabilitation of degraded rural and urban waterways and wetlands.

In 2017 Darren was the recipient of a “National Parks and Wildlife Service Award - NSW” in recognition and appreciation of his contribution to the Northern Rivers Regional Advisory Committee and National Parks & Wildlife Service.

Darren is also a Project Director with Creative Road (Public Art Curators and Consultants), drawing upon his experience in the planning and implementation of public art strategies as well as extensive experience in the commissioning of public art as part of large-scale landscape and urban design projects.

Qualifications: Master of Landscape Architecture - University of Melbourne. 1992 Bachelor of Applied Science (Horticulture) - Victorian College of Agriculture & Horticulture (Burnley) 1987 Registered Landscape Architect - AILA. (No. 749)

Blanka Sparovec RLA

Associate

After spending four years in North Queensland and six years in Canberra, Blanka brings to Landsite her wide-ranging experience across Australia, Papua New Guinea and Slovenia. Blanka’s unique multicultural perspective informs her designs to be intrinsically enmeshed within their environmental context.

As an associate, Blanka has extensive experience in stakeholder management, as well as the production of Landscape Design and Documentation, Landscape Construction, Landscape Detailing, Urban Design, Urban Development, Master Planning, Landscape Planning, Landscape Management Plans, Vegetation Assessment and Tree Management Plans.

Blanka has considerable experience in the master planning, design and environmental rehabilitation plans for tourism projects in Townsville, Palm Island and the Whitsunday Region.

Qualifications:

Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (2008)

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (2004)

Advanced Diploma in Industrial Design, School for Design & Photography, Slovenia (1996)

Registered Landscape Architect AILA

Farnoush Poursafavi

Senior Landscape Architect

Farnoush brings 17 years of professional experience from across Australia, Iran and Portugal. With backgrounds in architecture and landscape architecture, compromising extensive experience in design, planning and project management across both disciplines, she has developed a diverse portfolio spanning urban landscapes, streetscapes, parks and open spaces, as well as high-end residential and commercial projects and private gardens across a range of environmental and cultural contexts.

Through her project experience and close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, Farnoush brings a holistic and integrated approach to the design of built and natural environments.

She has considerable experience across all project stages, from concept design and detailed documentation through to contract administration and project delivery. She is deeply committed to the role of landscape architecture in shaping sustainable and meaningful environments.

Qualifications Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Tehran (2009) Bachelor of Architecture, Iran University of Science and Technology (2005)

Shadi Milanchi

Landscape Architect

Experienced, with five years of professional experience, Shadi is a dedicated Landscape Architect with a strong passion for planning and designing a wide range of outdoor spaces, including eco-tourism parks, residential developments, commercial sites, and resort complexes. Her portfolio spans projects of various scales, including single residential dwellings through to expansive larger-scale residential and urban developments.

In addition to her expertise in landscape architecture, Shadi also has a background in architecture, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of design principles and a strong sense of spatial awareness.

In previous projects, Shadi was responsible for site analysis, conceptual design, and the development of master plans and site plans aligned with the region’s topography and ecosystem. She has a habit of creating physical scale models and freehand sketches, which has allowed her to communicate design ideas clearly and bring concepts to life.

Shadi is passionate about thoughtful landscape design and is particularly interested in projects that respond to environmental and social context. She likes connecting all the design elements in her process and aims to tell a story that guides visitors through the space, ensuring that every detail contributes to the overall narrative.

Qualifications Master’s degree in landscape architecture, Shahid Beheshti University | Tehran, Iran, Bachelor’s degree in architecture, Shariati University | Tehran, Iran

Benji Gilbert-Kaplan

Landscape Architect

Benji is a Landscape Architect that brings a strong curiosity for place, people and how landscapes are experienced on the ground to his projects and design responsibilities. He maintains a thoughtful and design-led approach to his work, with an interest in how public spaces support everyday life while responding to their environmental and cultural context.

Having travelled extensively across the US, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Benji draws inspiration from a wide range of public realms, from dense urban landscapes and civic spaces to coastal and nature-driven environments. These experiences continue to inform his appreciation for legibility, movement, and atmosphere in the built environment.

With a background in both landscape architecture and design, Benji enjoys bridging big-picture thinking with on-the-ground realities. He is particularly interested in public domain and master planned precincts, and values learning through site visits, collaboration and seeing ideas translated from design intent into built outcomes.

Qualifications Bachelor of Design (University of New South Wales) 2018-2020, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) (University of New South Wales) 2021-2024

Mila Medeiros

Architect, Landscape Design

Milagros (Mila) is a highly dedicated professional architect, originally from Montevideo, Uruguay, with experience in residential architecture, landscape and interior design.

Her well-rounded skillset and passion for the natural environment brings a valuable balance to the Landsite team with experince in both commercial and residential projects in Australia and overseas. Her attention to detail is an asset when creating plans, detailed design and construction drawings.

In every stage of her work, Mila constantly strives to bring a creative and thorough approach to her work, resulting in high quality design outcomes, that benefit both the environment and community.

Qualifications Project Management - IHBC Australia 2020, Landscaping Certificate - Lorena Ponce de Leon, Urguguay 2018, Architecture Degree, Universidad ORT, Uruguay 2016.