In September 2006, MANMA joined HBO+EMTB Urban and Landscape Design www.hboemtb.com
We continue to offer the same personalized service however our capability is expanded throughout the Asia Pacific region with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Auckland.
Our current projects include the Qinghe Bay Olympic Village Golf Course in Beijing and Xidan Park adjacent to the oldest catholic church in Beijing's financial district. Major infrastructure projects are also part of the portfolio with the Bonville upgrade of the Pacific Highway under construction and the Brunswick to Yelgun upgrade nearing completion.
The Xidan Park project required input from a Feng Shui master. We again turned to Rosalie Stollery who identified a need for metal within the park. For this we looked to the bell tower of the catholic church for inspiration, and have designed an interactive bell sculpture which also acts as a climbing frame for kids. Another large upturned bell is mechanically operated to strike on the hour. This park is a fusion of european and eastern cultural ideals with the undeniably modern styling of the park overlaid and ordered by according to the feng shui reading of the site. The bells also reference eastern and european traditions of bell-making.
2006 is here and we have been planning the year ahead. In March the China spring planting commences and we will be in Hefei for the final planting at Yuan Yi Golf Club. Following that it is north to Inner Mongolia for the entrance layout to Xanadu Ecological Resort Community. This project features an 18 hole golf course, 5 star hotel, ski-slopes, horse riding and ice skating within easy reach of Beijing.
A local project newly completed is a private garden literally a stonethrow from the MANMA studio. A series of Zen-inspired spaces have been created with a limited materials and planting pallete. The House, designed by architect Rosalie Stollery is comprised of a group of linked pavillions, for living and guests, based upon her Feng Shui analysis of the site.
Main entry pavillion showing the variety of paving and ground surface treatments-local river pebble set in mortar, reconstituted sandstone pavers, hardwood chip mulch and loose river pebbles.
Side entry view to main courtyard with the 8 bed rotation vegetable garden visible in the left foreground. Four beds are planted to oats in a chequerboard pattern, whilst the other four beds are under veges. The whole courtyard including the kitchen garden are enclosed by a Camellia hedge to prevent the incursion of swamp wallabies.
The whole layout is simple in the extreme with rigorous attention payed to the placement of planting and the area given over to the various surface treatments. However it is also a very practical garden with large level lawn areas for the children. The simplicity of the garden allows the view, of mountains to 1500m elevation and including a spectacular waterfall, to remain paramount.
A current project in China is the Shun Fung Golf course in Beijing, a twenty seven hole course designed by Les Watts and currently being renovated by Les. We have provided a masterplan for the landscape and commenced supervision of the installation in September '04. Each nine has a distinctive character due to the setting;
The first nine plays through peach and apple orchards;
The second nine plays alongside a lake which provides water to Beijing;
The final nine play through the foothills of the surrounding mountains.
We have generated a plan which amplifies these characteristics by seeing each through the lens of the established theories on why people prefer particular landscapes:
Biodiversity theory (holes1-9), Savannah/Habitat theory (holes 10-18), and Prospect/Refuge theory (holes 19-27).
This photo shows the first days planting. Separating the first hole on the 3rd nine from the driving range, this planting of local pines emulates the vegetation pattern of the mountain in the backdrop (and will also catch balls!). Each shrub was personally placed by Darren and constant checks were made from the tees to ensure a natural arrangement and that plants didn't interfere with the play of the ball.
Due to the short planting season in Beijing, we attempt to plant 9 holes per season (Spring or Autumn).
Yet another local project is a 150 acre farm in Dorrigo, Northern NSW, where we are establishing an organic tea plantation grown in association with the indigenous Dorrigo Pepper (Tasmannia stipitata). The pepper is insecticidal, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal, and will be intercropped and prepared for use as a spray on the tea. It also has culinary uses in its own right, and is harvested at the same time as tea.
The Agrarian landscape created by the rows of the plantation will project into the house garden, creating axes and vistas to the surrounding world heritage rainforest.
The garden embraces the agrarian pursuits to be carried out on the property. The near view takes in the plantation areas and is surrounded by them, and the whole property has been designed to fit in with the wider view as seen from the house site, of paddocks, windbreaks, hedgerows and rainforest remnants. See the plan below;
Dorrigo Waratah (Alloxylum pinnatum), a spectacular indigenous rainforest tree which will feature in the planting.
A large part of the project is strategic fencing to utilize cell grazed beef cattle to maintain paddock health, whislt excluding them from regenerating rainforest and creek banks.
