Location: Springvale, Melbourne, Victoria

Client: City of Greater Dandenong

This small nature reserve in Springvale, within the City of Greater Dandenong, was established during the early 1970s and has formerly been managed by community groups, overseen by the local council.

The site originally contained a fibro shed which was used for student education and a meeting space for local bird and nature groups.

A new building was designed by Cohen Leigh Architects and constructed in in 2018 and Landsite was appointed by Council to provide site planning and landscape design associated with the new building and its proximity and connection to the adjacent nature reserve.

Landsite undertook the design of initial concept plan and once approved by Council we documented it for construction. The idea was to create an outdoor education setting for school groups and local environmental groups to conduct talks within the new open plan building, spilling out into a natural landscape setting.

Our design elements included a series of large-scale timber log seats, in an amphitheatre arrangement, use of indigenous grasses, gravel paths and tree protection measures and gravel pathways providing connection to the nature reserve.