By Goom Landscapes
Goom Landscapes were approached by the project architects and lead designers, APG Architects, on behalf of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) to carry out the landscape architectural services for this project, from resource consent to completion. The construction of the project was tendered out and Goom Landscapes won the landscape construction aspect of the tender.
This project was especially special to both the community and FENZ as it was the first volunteer fire station to be rebuilt following the 2011 earthquakes of Christchurch. Being a volunteer station this space is very dear to the volunteers who are a tight-knit group who spend a lot of time, training and relaxing, in this space. We wanted to set a benchmark with this project that set the standard of design and delivery for the numerous other fire stations to be built in Canterbury following its completion.
Much of the identity of Lyttelton is tied up with the port. The fire station has a close relationship with the port also with many of its volunteers working for or in service to the port. The Port of Lyttelton generously opened the gates to their stock of timber piles and various material to our landscape architect to pick through for repurposing into the station design. This had an added benefit of allowing this public space to link well with Albion Square, a short walk up the road that uses the same wharf timbers.
This particular station was baptized by fire – it was officially opened on February 18th, 2017 however the week previous it was operating 24/7 to fight the major Port Hills fires that ignited on February 13th. The station proved itself to operate brilliantly right off the mark.
Unique Challenges
One issue we were very mindful of and put a lot of forethought into was the large forecourt concrete pour. Access to Lyttelton is through the Lyttelton Tunnel. The large concrete pour required thorough planning to ensure the concrete trucks could arrive on time without delays (sometimes the tunnel is closed to allow for port traffic movements). The pour commenced at 5:30 in the morning and was complete by around 8:30 am (we have a pretty cool timelapse on our Facebook page if you search back far enough).
The initial brief looked to fence off the grassed area – we proposed instead to open this up and to create an open inviting site. One could say that this has been a little too successful in fact with the public being drawn to this space daily. The client has since had to add no parking signs to make sure tourists don’t park in the volunteer car parks.
Final Outcome
The final space has revealed a stunning site that has opened up magnificent views over the Lyttelton Harbour for the public. There are great details throughout that could only have happened at this station and with the brigade’s relationship with the port, from the salvaged shipping bollards to the reworked timber piles that are now memorial seats, traffic barriers, bollards and walls.
We believe we have fulfilled our brief to ourselves in creating a benchmark for the rest of the fire station rebuilds to aim for. This is evident in the repeat work we have received from FENZ as we now work with them on fire station designs throughout the country (twelve and counting). Watch this space and you’ll be sure to see our next fire station landscape, designed and built by our team, out at Woolston featured in the near future.
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Crafting extraordinary spaces & experiences outside. When your landscaping reflects your tastes & lifestyle it allows you to get the most out of your home & property. Whether your project is urban or rural, large or small, get Goom involved. Our team are equally excited about constructing beautiful outdoor spaces for our clients in both the country & the city.
We are devoted to providing the perfect balance between beauty, functionality & personalisation for our clients.
Because of this, every step of our process has been put in place to ensure that you receive the highest level of customer service and finished standard on your project.
We understand that everyone’s ideal landscape and garden will look a little different. It could be a built-in BBQ to entertain with family & friends, a lush haven to retreat to at the end of a long workday, or a pool for your family to play and refresh in. For this reason, our landscapes are bespoke to you. They are created to draw you outside and give you a reason to relax and stay awhile.
Add value to your lifestyle & property, with timeless gardens and outdoor living spaces designed to compliment & enhance your home.
Inspired by our love of nature & power tools, we originally set out to create beautiful & functional landscapes for people that wanted nice gardens, but didn’t know where to start. However, along the way we realised that our clients needed more help & support during the build process to guide their project to a great finish – so our design, manage, construct process was born.
Since starting the process in 2014, we have helped over 300 people build 150 life spaces – individually tailored to their homes and tastes. And have many more exciting projects in the pipeline!
One of the things that sets us apart is our craftsmanship, built from over 40+ years in the landscaping industry. Because of this experience, there is rarely a problem that we haven’t encountered before – meaning we understand how to get things done – on time, on budget & to Goom standard.
You will always find us striving to better ourselves & provide the best possible customer service, as we believe that our brand is only as good as our last job.