Living in Brisbane has its many benefits, one of which being the enjoyment of moderate temperatures that allow for outdoor living spaces to be utilised throughout the year. Striking a balance between natural elements and city life, there are plenty of ways in which Brisbane’s commercial landscapes are taking advantage of the natural surrounds to create innovative and captivating landscapes.
As interest in enhanced health and wellbeing in the workplace continues to skyrocket, more businesses, builders and councils are looking to create outdoor spaces that are experiential, interactive, and offer a reprieve from stifled work environments.
In this article we discuss some of the top commercial landscaping trends of today, and how these trends can be best utilised to create functional and stylish landscapes that have numerous tangible and intangible benefits.
Sustainable Landscape Solutions
A growing trend for quite some time, more and more businesses are choosing to focus on landscape solutions that are eco friendly, and easier to maintain over time. From initial design conception to construction, sustainability is a key factor that needs to be considered right from the initial planning stage.
There are plenty of ways in which landscapes are being built to become more sustainable, such as reduced water consumption through smarter watering and irrigation practices. Some of these techniques include:
- Planting native regional plants that require less water
- Replacing grass with artificial turf
- Smarter irrigation systems that conserve water
- Features such as rain gardens, green roofs and walls
Aside from water reduction, there are other methods being employed that support wildlife ecosystems, reuse materials, and better manage the elements, including:
- Ädded features to support native wildlife
- Environmentally-friendly pest control techniques
- Use of permeable concrete or other materials that absorb water, allowing for naturally replenished groundwater
- Sustainable soil management, such as using compost to create mulch
- Use of recycled materials to create landscape fencing, boundaries, stone pathways, or other features
- Solar powered lighting features
- And so much more
One thing’s for certain, the trend for innovative, sustainable landscape creations is not going anywhere any time soon!
Landscapes For Any Season
While in Queensland we are very fortunate to live in a climate where temperatures are moderate enough to enjoy the outdoors all year around, hot summer days, tropical storms, wind, and other elements can affect our enjoyment, and even damage outdoor spaces.
To combat this, landscapes are being upgraded in innovative ways to prevent damage from weather, and to ensure they can be enjoyed on hot and cold days. Some of the ways in which landscapers are “weather-proofing” their designs and builds is through the use of:
- Enhanced technology that responds to changing weather patterns, such as retractable canopies and shades
- The use of outdoor heating lamps during the winter season
- Smart placement of trees, pergolas and other features that offer wind protection and/or promote a natural breeze
- Shaded and covered areas using shade sails, canopies and/or trees
- Fast dry and porous pavement used for higher rain absorption
- Landscape surfaces engineered to allow for drainage and collection of rainwater
Interactive, Innovative Landscapes
More than just being something pretty to look at, today’s trends are focused on making landscapes a useful living space that are both functional, and thoughtfully created to delight all the senses.
This includes anything from the addition of community cooking areas, eating areas, and outdoor work areas, to visually appealing features such as colourful feature lighting, visually appealing native gardens and shrubbery, walking and bicycle paths, and so much more.
Today’s innovative landscapes are also focused on longevity. Rather than focusing on a quick solution that will look nice initially but will quickly wear overtime, more and more commercial landscapes are being crafted with a bigger vision in mind; to create landscapes that enhance the human experience for generations to come, and with little maintenance.
While trends do change, we are certain that most of these trends are not going anywhere anytime soon.
At InnovaScape, we focus on crafting quality landscape solutions that are both functional and attractive, built to last for generations to come.
We work seamlessly with our commercial clients, bringing designs to life through our streamlined processes, passion and work ethic.
Simply give us a call on 1300 1 466 682 to discuss the needs of your next commercial landscape project with InnovaScape founder David North.