Playgrounds are a major part of our lives as children, but as we get older we tend to leave them behind. While this is the case for most people, it’s a different story for landscape architects, namely Spiire’s Design and Construction Lead, Sustainable Architecture, Steve Forrest.
Forrest is involved in delivering contemporary play equipment, shelters, furniture and bridges. He says he imagines his role as being slightly different to that of a quintessential landscape architect.
“I like to see myself as a 3D artist that works on practical, usable elements. The combination of sculpture and manufacturability is a really exciting space to work in,” he says.
“You can draw or 3D model anything you want, but if you're not taking into account the physics, manufacturing costs, user experience, playground standards, stakeholders and requirements, then it's nothing more than a nice image.
Forrest is mindful of mediating between uniquely shaped items and enjoyable spaces for families.
“I love that each of my designs are one-off concepts that integrate and work with the topography, theme and story of each project.”
“I think there's something really special about working on such unique and exciting designs that are open for use by everyone. It’s an honour to be involved in shaping the environment to engage the community and bring people together.”
Forrest was recently involved in the delivery of the Tributary Street Park at The Grove in Tarneit. Frasers Property Development Director, Kranish Reddy, says the park is a place of connectivity for residents.
“The position of this park is essentially the front door to the western part of The Grove, so we wanted to create a beacon for residents to gather and form a community,” he says.
“We’re so pleased with what was delivered. It looks fantastic, with the sculptural elements and variation in height creating a real talking point among the community.”
Forrest believes the spaces encourage children to push boundaries.
“We want to build visually engaging playgrounds that our clients are proud to see in their communities. But what I love about my work is knowing the end customer is the general public, and these products are for everyone to enjoy.
“There’s that old saying, ‘If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life’, and that's certainly what I've found in my career. To work on such unique and exciting projects, is such a joy, to open up the computer every day and shape dynamic spaces the community can use for many years to come.
“Your career is quite long after uni, so if you start off with that passion, then, in my experience, your career’s a lot more fulfilling and enjoyable.”
