Public landscapes are pivotal in the way communities, towns and cities are stitched together. They form both the container of our shared lives, and the threads that bind us as we live. It is, however, very important that such landscapes are owned by the people who inhabit them. More often than not, designers try and satisfy everyone, thereby satisfying no-one. Duncan's approach is to find a 'hook' specific to the site and design around it, rather than develop a design using a style/aesthetic that is replicated elsewhere. Plus each site presents its own set of challenges to work with.
Husk Farm Distillery, North Tumbulgum, New South Wales
Husk Farm Distillery on Goodjinburra Land of the Bundjalung Nation has now well established gardens, lawn terraces and a forecourt with a lovely ambiance. The distillery makes the beautiful @ink_gin and Husk Cultivated Rum that is Australia’s only ‘agricole’ (or cane juice, paddock to bottle) rum.
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There’s a carefully orchestrated sequence of spaces to move through that simultaneously hide and reveal views across what is a largely unchanged rural landscape including a view down to a beautiful fig tree is framed by the distillery buildings and courtyard structures visible at the end of the opening video off to the right of the long terrace from the distillery buildings. The gazebos are designed to disappear as much as possible against the buildings’ façade, but also further define the forecourt and look out to the main axis and down to the Tweed River. Over 6,000m3 of earth was moved around to create the large terraformed lawn square out the front and reveal the long view down to the fig along the newly made long terrace. The entry signage and retaining walls were created using left over bricks from the main building and the boulders pulled from the earthworks. The critically endangered #markscassia or #cassiamarksiana one of several specimens planted in the new rainforest patches. Only a small cluster still stands in the wild on Stott’s Island a kilometre or so down the Tweed River from the site.
Buildings by @redshedarchitects
2016-19 (Duncan Gibbs for @huskdistillery) First 15 photographs by @byaaronchapman
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There’s a carefully orchestrated sequence of spaces to move through that simultaneously hide and reveal views across what is a largely unchanged rural landscape including a view down to a beautiful fig tree is framed by the distillery buildings and courtyard structures visible at the end of the opening video off to the right of the long terrace from the distillery buildings. The gazebos are designed to disappear as much as possible against the buildings’ façade, but also further define the forecourt and look out to the main axis and down to the Tweed River. Over 6,000m3 of earth was moved around to create the large terraformed lawn square out the front and reveal the long view down to the fig along the newly made long terrace. The entry signage and retaining walls were created using left over bricks from the main building and the boulders pulled from the earthworks. The critically endangered #markscassia or #cassiamarksiana one of several specimens planted in the new rainforest patches. Only a small cluster still stands in the wild on Stott’s Island a kilometre or so down the Tweed River from the site.
Buildings by @redshedarchitects
2016-19 (Duncan Gibbs for @huskdistillery) First 15 photographs by @byaaronchapman
Point Danger Light, Tweed Heads/Coolangatta
The refurbishment of the Point Danger Light /Captain Cook Memorial Lighthouse, built to a design drawn up by the first Gold Coast City Council architect, Les Nyerges in 1971, was carried out by Fulton Trotter Architects Cozens Regan Group and Duncan Gibbs. Works were completed in 2023 after a long project timeline, complicated by straddling the Queensland/New South Wales border during hard lockdowns, with hard state borders during the pandemic.
In 2018 our team won the commission to refurbish the heritage listed parts, add a new marine radio base & associated landscape with ramps, planters & a vent tower for the new commercial kitchen & WC facilities. Now there is extended & accessible viewing platforms on top & in front, a new gallery/kiosk and new public amenities. The project was jointly funded by Tweed Shire Council and the Goldcoast City Council, with some additional NSW State Government funding.
A real honour to work on such an iconic structure located on such an iconic site with @fultontrotter & other consultants from @cozens_regan_group, EMF Griffiths, Compass Consulting and WRC Quantity Surveying, and others.
The counter the colonial theme of the original name & the cast iron capstan created from original canon dumped onto the Great Barrier Reef by Cook when the Endeavour ran aground, laser cut corten panels & paving inlay have been designed by Bundjalung/Yugambeh artist & graphic designer Christine Slabb Designs. As well the planting reflects the original species of the pre-European landscape along with acknowledging the original 1971 planting design, which also had indigenous plantings within it.
2018-2023 (Duncan Gibbs for Tweed Shire Council)
In 2018 our team won the commission to refurbish the heritage listed parts, add a new marine radio base & associated landscape with ramps, planters & a vent tower for the new commercial kitchen & WC facilities. Now there is extended & accessible viewing platforms on top & in front, a new gallery/kiosk and new public amenities. The project was jointly funded by Tweed Shire Council and the Goldcoast City Council, with some additional NSW State Government funding.
A real honour to work on such an iconic structure located on such an iconic site with @fultontrotter & other consultants from @cozens_regan_group, EMF Griffiths, Compass Consulting and WRC Quantity Surveying, and others.
The counter the colonial theme of the original name & the cast iron capstan created from original canon dumped onto the Great Barrier Reef by Cook when the Endeavour ran aground, laser cut corten panels & paving inlay have been designed by Bundjalung/Yugambeh artist & graphic designer Christine Slabb Designs. As well the planting reflects the original species of the pre-European landscape along with acknowledging the original 1971 planting design, which also had indigenous plantings within it.
2018-2023 (Duncan Gibbs for Tweed Shire Council)
Sugarmill Park, Riverstone Crossing, Upper Coomera
Sugarmill Park sits at and represents the confluence of the site’s history from the 1870s and its storm-water capture and treatment network. These two themes are made manifest in the concrete pipe artwork and the landform of the park which marks the major hidden component of the park: The one megalitre storm-water treatment and catchment facility which sits four and half metres below the surface. Each side of the structure is imprinted with pictures and stories cast into the surface using form liners. These are either from the site's historical links to an early Queensland mill that stood there, or that of the site's important role to the water use and conservation within the estate. The excavated and surveyed ruins of the mill are reconstructed to the south of the pipe.
2011 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
2011 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
Magna Carta Place, Canberra
Duncan's pen and ink drawings on film for his entry in the #magnacarta design competition for Canberra, and inspired by Geoffrey Jellicoe’s own work on the #jfkmemorialrunnymede . The design is based around the central plinth which has a reproduction of of the Great Charter, whilst the outside plinths tell the story of its influence on the development of democracy and the rule of law since the original agreement between King John and rebel barons at Runnymede in 1215. The ground plane would have been a combination of low water requirement grassed areas using native species, and an indigenous meadow of ground covers and small shrubs.
1999 (Duncan Gibbs)
1999 (Duncan Gibbs)
Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool Competition Entry
The site of the pool occupies ground and shoreline that has only ever had one use in the history of Australia (including pre-settlement): Swimming. This makes the site somewhat unique in the context of post 1788 land use in urban Australia. This entry attempted to ascribe three new conditions (physical and phenomonological) to the site:
1. Consolidate the building mass to a much smaller envelope.
2. Open up the shoreline and landscape allowing a diversity of environments and textures to be experienced by the visitor, in turn revealing many of the fragments from previous and existing pools.
3. Present these fragments as the historical material of the site, juxtaposed against, as well as framed by the new structure.
1998 (Duncan Gibbs)
1. Consolidate the building mass to a much smaller envelope.
2. Open up the shoreline and landscape allowing a diversity of environments and textures to be experienced by the visitor, in turn revealing many of the fragments from previous and existing pools.
3. Present these fragments as the historical material of the site, juxtaposed against, as well as framed by the new structure.
1998 (Duncan Gibbs)
Shire Hall Beach Bluff, Mornington
A rough beach access track is recast as a staircase in the local red oxide sandstone and steel, stone and concrete lookout and seats form an asymmetric compass rose. The gait of the steps and landings are planned for maximum user comfort.
1993 (Duncan Gibbs for Mornington Shire Council)
1993 (Duncan Gibbs for Mornington Shire Council)
Otmoor Green, Riverstone Crossing, Upper Coomera
Equal parts drainage reserve, park, landform in plants. A rigid grid of planting (rows of trees, blocks of groundcover and grass), eroded in parts and strong in others divides and organises a long, thin, dished landscape.
2012 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
2012 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
Tempe Wetlands/Land Reclamation, Tempe
Detention ponds next to an old rubbish tip. A series of roughly hewn geometries created a circulation system and a series of pocket parks and gravel plazas with the space. Revegetation works had to take into account the site's remediation including a two metre thick sandstone capping. Irrigation systems were designed to utilise waste water from a leachate treatment plant constructed as part of the site remediation.
2003 -2004 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Marrickville City Council, first four pictures by Simeon King)
2003 -2004 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Marrickville City Council, first four pictures by Simeon King)
Sportsfields, Riverstone Crossing, Upper Coomera
Two AFL ovals on an excavated soil profile in a newly created flood detention basin.
2009 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
2009 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
Blue Hills Wetland, Penrith
Rectilinear and serpentine geometries wind their way around a detention basin one thousand by six hundred metres in size forming blocks of restored ecology, paths through them and outdoor rooms with views.
2000 - 2001 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Lensworth)
2000 - 2001 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Lensworth)
Natural Areas, Coomera River, Riverstone Crossing
Duncan’s approach to design includes making natural systems and ecologies a significant part of the basis of a project where possible. He has completed a number of projects where even formal plantings have the possibility of habitat provision. All projects involving waterfront and riparian corridors have a strong component of natural area design and management.
Careful research into the local and regional ecosystems, plant communities and habitat potentials, along with appropriate methodologies for weed removal are developed to enhance the natural qualities of each site that requires natural area management.
The steeply graded 5 hectare Stage 14B Phase One of Riverstone Crossing is illustrated here. It was heavily infested with almost all the major noxious and environmental weeds all the way down to the Coomera River. The Open Space Management Plan delivered an approach that saw all the weeds treated and the site and the Gold Coast City Council, who took posession of the land, nominate the works as a new benchmark standard for revegetation and rehabilitation. This was one of ten areas on the development subject to the same treatment.
Careful research into the local and regional ecosystems, plant communities and habitat potentials, along with appropriate methodologies for weed removal are developed to enhance the natural qualities of each site that requires natural area management.
The steeply graded 5 hectare Stage 14B Phase One of Riverstone Crossing is illustrated here. It was heavily infested with almost all the major noxious and environmental weeds all the way down to the Coomera River. The Open Space Management Plan delivered an approach that saw all the weeds treated and the site and the Gold Coast City Council, who took posession of the land, nominate the works as a new benchmark standard for revegetation and rehabilitation. This was one of ten areas on the development subject to the same treatment.
Elizabeth Healey Rest Area, Pyrmont
Flyout steps in stone and steel from a very old colonial sandstone wall.
1998 (Duncan Gibbs @ Oculus for Sydney City Council)
1998 (Duncan Gibbs @ Oculus for Sydney City Council)
Soundwall, Liverpool
Stationary movement at the appex of the intersection.
2000 - 2001 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Liverpool City Council)
2000 - 2001 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Liverpool City Council)
Interpretive Signage Richardson’s Lookout, Warren Park Redevelopment Cooks River, Marrickville
A figure waiting to be read.
1998 (Duncan Gibbs @ Oculus for Marrickville City Council)
1998 (Duncan Gibbs @ Oculus for Marrickville City Council)
Drainage Reserve Stanhope Gardens, Newbury
Parts of a series of maps mesh to each other, legible individually on the ground, together form a linear park with its ancestry going back to the Boston Fens drainage system by Olmstead in the Nineteenth Century, itself a hybrid of engineering, landscape design and natural systems.
1998 (Duncan Gibbs @ Oculus for Landcom)
1998 (Duncan Gibbs @ Oculus for Landcom)
Estate Wall Riverstone Crossing, Upper Coomera
The estate abbreviation "RSX" spelt out in Morse using timber and machinery from an old arrowroot mill that once stood on the estate. The same Morse is again spelt out in the colour sequence of the wall panels and in coloured masonry of a few blockwork sections.
2010 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
2010 (Duncan Gibbs @ Cardno for Stockland)
Laxton Reserve, Dulwich Hill
Patterns , connections and programme in an old park reworked, remade and re-sequenced.
2001 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Marrickville City Council)
2001 (Duncan Gibbs @ Sturt Associates for Marrickville City Council)
Interstitial Space Yarra River, Richmond
A tilt slab terrazzo shared cycle corridor with big windows and raised views out onto the water is inserted in the thin strip of ground between the South Eastern Freeway and the river.
2002 (Duncan Gibbs)
2002 (Duncan Gibbs)
