Landscape Architect Spotlight: Luke Baldwin
With a focus on creating responsive, considered landscapes that encourage abundant ecosystems and ultimate enjoyment, Formed Gardens has cemented its place in the top tier of Australian landscape design companies. Here, Luke shares some wisdom from his time in the industry.
What ethos drives the Formed Gardens practice as well as your own personal relationship to the landscapes you create?
We believe in creating landscapes that are sustainably built, using as much locally sourced materials as possible, that sit well within their environment or location, respond to the client’s brief and architecture, and that ultimately enhance the lifestyle and wellbeing of the occupants.
How, if at all, has your practice changed as a response to climate change?
Climate change is a very real and important factor in what we do. The changing climate has meant that some plants and materials are no longer suitable or available for use in current situations. Plants for example are microclimatic, therefore slight changes in their environment can often be unfavorable to their success. Natural and locally sourced materials that we love to use, such as timber, have been subject to flooding and fires and are now in short supply. So we are constantly changing and adapting to the current situation with climate-responsive solutions.
Where do you find inspiration?
Above all else, I find inspiration in nature and in place. In Australia, we are very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful landscapes, beaches, and different types of vegetation. This drives my desire to create gardens that reflect and draw on the specific character of a location and/or surrounding natural landscape, all of which are all very different from the next.
Have you witnessed a shift in what homeowners are looking for in their outdoor areas following the pandemic?
Yes absolutely, in response to the changing global environment and prolonged periods of time in lockdown at home (often just with the family unit), there has been a refocus of what is important to wellbeing and lifestyle, of which having your own private garden oasis, sheltered from all these global issues, is proving to be (for a lot of people) a fundamental part of life.
What have been some of your most memorable projects to date?
It’s hard to select just a few! We have worked on some special projects in some amazing locations here on the Northern Beaches/North Shore of Sydney and on the NSW South Coast. For me, the location has a lot to do with it. We have just completed a pool and garden perched on the headland looking over Whale Beach that features a ‘rock pool’ dug into the rock escarpment, set within an expansive almost parkland-like garden with open lawns, productive gardens, a pizza oven and private outdoor entraining areas, all with their own unique vistas to the beach and ocean beyond. This was a mammoth effort from our team.
Where do you see landscape design heading in 2023 and beyond? What would you like to see more widely implemented across the industry?
With the changing climate, impacts of the pandemic and resources in short supply, I think there will be some key considerations that will shape the way we design and build landscapes here in Australia such as but not limited to; Using more locally available materials; Being creative with the application of such materials to provide a point of difference; Using low maintenance, native indigenous plants where possible to accommodate the changing environment; Designing more practical and self-sufficient gardens for people to live a good portion of the lives in and finally, water management – whether this is providing solutions to deal with potential flooding or harvesting water for periods of drought, an effective water management design is fundamental to the success of landscapes in the future.
“In Australia, we are very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful landscapes, beaches, and different types of vegetation. This drives my desire to create gardens that reflect and draw on the specific character of a location and/or surrounding natural landscape, all of which are all very different from the next. ”
“In Australia, we are very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful landscapes, beaches, and different types of vegetation. This drives my desire to create gardens that reflect and draw on the specific character of a location and/or surrounding natural landscape, all of which are all very different from the next. ”
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