Landscape Architecture
Landscape Designer Christchurch
Landscape Design
Innovative design for the discerning
We at David Taylor Landscape Architecture (Est.1978) are extremely passionate and get very excited when we are involved in the planning process any project... there are always many new, stimulating and refreshing things emerging in our industry, both home grown and globally, trends and design ideas are ever changing and evolving, its' exciting and continually provides a platform for interesting design.
We operate in most sectors of the market:
Urban/residential... city and suburbs
Rural/country... gardens, farms and lifestyle blocks
Commercial... We can help with any commercial project: Schools, Subdivisions, Office and warehouse developments, Retirement complexes Motels and Apartments etc.
Urban/residential: We design both new gardens and revamp and add impact to existing ones.
At David Taylor Landscape Architecture we plan and design outdoor spaces, environments and gardens in the city and surrounding suburbs. Never before has there been such awareness, emphasis and importance placed on achieving a successful integration between the interior and exterior architectural components of the home. Landscaping is the thing that fuses, melds and anchors the built structure of your house/home with that of the land.
Residential design is an interesting area to work in; it has an intricate criterion given that many of the works in the urban environs are of smaller scale to that of rural spaces.
At David Taylor Landscape Architecture we believe design is more about illusion than design itself.
When working and creating within smaller spaces in the city or suburban environs the usual objective is to make a space appear larger the important key to this is to think of these spaces as being intimate not small. These spaces if worked well provide a great opportunity for the inhabitants to feel cosy and comfortable, not cramped, squashed or uncomfortable.
For example you're looking out from your house down the garden, it's a long narrow site, you know in reality it's an awkward narrow space we at David Taylor Landscape Architecture see this as a space with amazing potential. By semi dividing the space into two separate areas the one closest to you being the larger the other smaller in proportion.
You have now made the one closer feel wider thus creating the illusion of greater space the other space beyond appears distant playing and fooling the senses, making us believe the total combined area must be big to afford two distinct areas, the trick is to change the proportions and re scaling the space.
We can further reinforce this by the careful selection of the materials we choose. Lighter coloured and larger paving creates to feeling of spaciousness, combining and contrasting rough and smooth textures in the materials such as fencing, incorporating a vista beyond to create length to an area.
Choosing tall thin plants with blending or muted colours creates the illusion of distance, ones with brighter colour and bolder leaves make us believe they are close to us, by skilfully combining and contrasting these elements we distort and confuse our sense of reality tricking them into believing something exists when in reality it doesn't.
At David Taylor Landscape Architecture we understand the essential key design components:
- Spatial awareness
- Proportion
- Scale
- Shape
- Balance
To successfully design in any discipline it is important to understand these components to make any design work. It's primarily about successfully balancing these components.
Remember back to a time when you felt something just didn't look or feel right. You may not have grasped what was actually wrong but you sensed it wasn't right! That was probably because the components weren't aligned or balanced well or correctly.
This is often where there's significant disparity with the end result between something that's been put together by the unskilled/untrained and that of the professional you pay for what you get.
Design plans are a fantastic way to incorporate all the things you want and ultimately be able to afford. We at David Taylor Landscape Architecture plan your desired garden with the future in mind. Your plan can be implemented as your time and funds permit.
If you have the resources you can completed the entire garden, if however you want to work within a series of budgets that fantastic, because you simply cost out from the plan the area you want to complete then progress as time and funds are available.
The main thing when the landscaping is completed and comes together as a whole, you derive all the financial and personal benefits that a professionally designed garden provides.
I'm sure sometime in the past you can recall thinking I don't want to spend the money to employ a professional, only to find out that you should have. Hind sight is a wonderful thing as the saying goes.
Often the price of something will influence or dictate our decisions, however I can't stress strongly enough! If funds are limited what ever you do don't penny pinch on Investing in professional design, especially when it's your house, home, or any other real-estate on the line, presentation is paramount when investing or selling real-estate.
If a design professional is working with/for you in a genuine professional capacity, the fees charged or quoted will be money well invested, often saving you many thousands of dollars over and above the fees charged.
The problem for most of us is we lock on to an idea, have tunnel vision and can't see past what we are focussed on.
More times than I care to remember, we at David Taylor Landscape Architecture have saved clients thousands of dollars on their landscaping by providing alternative ideas which costs much less than the idea a client has been focused on, thus the fees charged have been well and truly paid for plus some!... Let alone how David Taylor Landscape Architecture can create improvement and add tremendous value to your property.
We can help:
With help with proportioning the correct amount of space for the patio/courtyard and garden area, determining the position and shape of driveway and parking areas. Advise on fencing/walls etc for shelter, division, containment and privacy.
Swimming pool, spa, tennis court positioning, patios and courtyards etc.
Special features e.g. water features ponds shade and overhead structures, raised and walled gardens and ornamentation e.g. pots sculptures garden seats and benches Outdoor fires and barbeques etc.
Plants selection:
Arranged for shelter and ornamental attribute, height, colour, texture and suitability to your specific geographic location and site.
Maybe you are wanting to put your property on the market and want that x Factor to help make it stand out, or maybe having some trouble with selling a property and require help; we can give you ideas on how to improve the presentation and marketability of a property. We at David Taylor Landscape architecture. Have solid expertise in this area.
Investing in professional design is very important, especially when there is real-estate involved.
When a design professional is working with/for you, the fees charged or quoted will be money well invested, often saving you many thousands of dollars over and above the fees charged.
David Taylor Landscape Architecture can create improvement and add tremendous value to most real-estate.
Landscaping is a creative investment tool and often in many cases is tax deductible.
Simply fill out our online enquiry form or call us on Ph: 03 3487555 to have a chat or make an appointment for us to come out and see you on site. (Incorporate my courtyard to illustrate small space design and any other interesting gardens).
Landscape Design Packages
Our landscape design plans and packages are sequenced and include the following:
- All travel to and from site.
- Site consultation - meet and discuss with client their requirements.
- Measure site if required.
Stage 1
- Preparation of preliminary landscape plan. This can include driveways, patios, courtyards, walls, fencing, special features e.g. water feature, raised garden beds.
- Designation of all garden areas and shaping, including lawn areas can include special features e.g. shade structures, spa pool, ponds, swimming pools, outdoor fires and BBQ's etc.
- To provide 2 copies of plans, 1 coloured, 1 black and white. Meet and deliver to explain plan to client. Changes that may be required are included.
Stage 2
- Completion of landscaping plan - this includes detailed planting and schedule, any construction specifications relevant to plan.
- Provide 2 copies of final plan, 1 coloured, 1 black and white. Meet and deliver to explan plan to client.
Other packages available
We also provide packages for Developers, Home Build Companies and Builders.
All enquiries welcome.