Buildings, streets, parks and spaces that complement and enhance the natural environment and celebrated Sunshine Coast lifestyle are among the designs captured in a new book produced to inspire and guide great design across the region.
Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson and Place Development and Design Portfolio Councillor Peter Cox joined with University of the Sunshine Coast Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill to launch the Sunshine Coast Design book.
Mayor Jamieson said the book is an invaluable resource for anyone designing or renovating houses, buildings, streets, parks, public spaces and neighbourhoods, so that the end result is appropriate for the Sunshine Coast and our sub-tropical climate.
“Developed following extensive community engagement and collaboration, the book features over 150 photographs showcasing a selection of our special places and examples of well-designed buildings, streets and spaces on the Sunshine Coast,” Mayor Jamieson said.
Mary Cairncross Rainforest Discovery Centre and Two Tree House in Buderim are among the great building designs showcased in the book.
“A selection of inspiring imagery is accompanied by descriptions to help communicate what our community values and what should be considered during the design process.
“As more people are attracted to live on our Sunshine Coast, we need to encourage design that reflects our region’s values and characteristics and guide a design process that enhances and protects what we love about this place.
“We don’t want the character of the Sunshine Coast to be lost with an abundance of building designs that are more suitable for other locations.”
Cr Peter Cox said building design can fall short of the mark when the place and its context are not properly considered.
“A house designed to suit the climate in the southern states is unlikely to be suitable for the Sunshine Coast and vice versa,” Cr Cox said.
“Our climate requires different design responses, which is why it’s so important to adopt an approach which considers local environmental factors and their context.
“A place-based approach ensures our buildings, streets and spaces look and feel like they truly belong on the Sunshine Coast.
“We want to raise awareness of the importance of place-based design, so our buildings, streets and spaces will best suit our healthy, smart and creative Sunshine Coast community.”
Professor Greg Hill said the Sunshine Coast Design book is a welcome resource for the university’s town planning and urban design students that focuses on the local setting and the opportunities and challenges it presents.
“We want our students to play a role in shaping the future of this region, and the values and design principles presented in the book provide them with the regional context to succeed in doing just that,” Professor Hill said.
“USC is an engaged, place-based university and I was delighted to see this important work come together under council’s leadership in collaboration with community stakeholders, industry experts, and university representatives.”
A free copy of the Sunshine Coast Design book is available on council’s website.
For those wanting a fabulous new addition to their office bookcase, home library or coffee table, a hardcover copy of the book can be purchased for $50 plus postage from Monday 3 February.
Copies are also coming soon to all Sunshine Coast Council libraries, the Paul Thomas Library at the University of the Sunshine Coast and to high schools across the Sunshine Coast Council area.
Proceeds of the book will be used to offset printing costs. Please see council’s website for all the detais.
About the Sunshine Coast Design Strategy and Book:
• The Strategy and book were developed through a collaboration between residents, design professionals, planners, professional associations and community groups of the Sunshine Coast who shared what they loved and valued about the region.
• Feedback was provided between September 2018 and February 2019 through workshops, online surveys and at pop-up events.
• The design book encapsulates four key values and 10 design principles.
Four key values:
1. We love our climate
2. We live within and cherish our landscape
3. We treasure our ocean, beaches and waterways
4. We are a community of communities.
10 design principles were developed to protect and promote the values:
1. Work with the local climate
2. Create places that respect and incorporate landscape
3. Bring our cultures, arts and heritage to life
4. Capture and frame views and create vistas
5. Strengthen and extend a network of green corridors
6. Be inspired by the natural and built environment
7. Create shady streets that put people first
8. Create welcoming places that can be enjoyed by everyone
9. Design places to be resilient and ready for change
10. Create and add value.
Visit council’s website to download a copy of the Sunshine Coast Design Strategy.
Image: Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson and Place Development and Design Portfolio Councillor Peter Cox launched the Sunshine Coast Design book.
