With such high population growth, high quality public realm is required to create strong amenity. New neighbourhoods need to incorporate a green focal point as an identifiable community space, to allow for social interaction and a public and private connections. As identified through the recent lock downs, parks and open space have become the pressure relief valve where people can maintain some semblance of normality.
The creation of great parks and open space is one of the key factors in the success of the Aura development by Stockland, which has become one of the fastest growing residential communities across Australia. The flourishing community has been designed for every facet of life, to enhance the unique lifestyle that the Sunshine Coast offers.
Place Design Group Director, Shaun Egan has been part of this evolving design journey. “Over the past five years, our work at Aura has enabled us to deliver significant public realm, along with some amazing parks which provide for all of the local residents. Working with the Stockland team, we utilised Aura’s City of Colour vision both through the physical and emotional translation of the concept design.”
This is evidenced in the award winning Baringa Town Square which provides youth activities with an urban skate park as well as community events space and a small civic square and has become the heart of this community.
Josh Sondergeld, Project Director at Stockland said, “we have been able to deliver on our vision of Aura – creating vibrancy, activity and the diversity. By focusing on our urban design and our public spaces has enabled us to find new ways for people to connect and bring them together.”
With the increasing population and growing diversity of the community within Aura there have already been built, 8 neighbourhood parks, 6km of linear parks 2 sports parks and the Baringa Town square, with a regional park also under construction. Throughout Aura these parks have become an interconnected web, providing shaded bike paths on adjoining streets, with abundant planting giving the neighbourhoods strong character and the added benefits of reduced heat.
Film by Nikolas Strugar/ Ravens At Odds
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