mcgregor+partners

Profile of mcgregor+partners

Business Name

mcgregor+partners

Location

Australia

Services

Architecture

Website

http://www.mcgregorpartners.com.au

Philosophy

Adopting an approach that aims to blur the boundaries between culture, design and ecology, we believe that quality in the built and natural environments is only achieved through a rigorous process of questioning, investigation and continuous design refinement.

mcgregor+partners are proponents of a new wave of environmentally focused landscape architecture which is framed within a modernist design approach. Drawing on a diverse inhouse team with expertise in urban design, architecture, planning, landscape architecture, horticulture and urban ecology we cross traditional design boundaries. Our clients engage us and the new technologies we embrace to solve complex urban planning and design problems.

Adrian McGregor established the firm in 1998 and was joined by Philip Coxall in 2000 after returning from ten years working in Europe and Asia. The two studied landscape architecture together at the Environmental Design School in Canberra. The practice has completed over 100 projects with built work in six countries. The partners jointly put projects through a rigorous process of contextual investigation and often challenge the client brief in order to find the best possible design and project outcomes.

The company prizes highly the social, civic and environmental responsibility inherent in landscape architecture and urban design. Not content to accept traditional design approaches we attempt to push the parameters of existing technologies and project systems to deliver designs that exceed current environmental objectives. Using computer technology as a tool, we translate early ideas into digital form and model 3D compositions to visualise and test concepts.

Our work aims to analyse and then utilise the cultural and environmental metabolisms of a site to animate spaces and create dynamic, ephemeral places that delight.

Our collaborative, problem-solving approach and commercial savvy allows us to work effectively with both government clients and the private sector. Wherever possible, our projects propose use of sustainable technologies and systems to reduce energy consumption, manage water cycling on site, reduce maintenance costs and minimise effects which damage the natural environment.

mcgregor+partners offer creativity and contemporary design thinking whilst achieving all the budgetary and programmatic requirements of our projects. The awards and competitions the firm has won over the past years is evidence of our commitment to design excellence and ecologically sustainable development.

Background

• Founded: 1998
• Offices: 1
• Design team: 14

Key projects

• Green Square Town Centre, Public Domain, Sydney , Australia, 2010
• Former BP Site Waverton, Public Parklands, Sydney, Australia, 2005
• Ballast Point Park, Public Parklands, Sydney, Australia, 2008
• National Gallery Australia, Cultural Institution, Canberra, Australia, 2009
• Taichung City Government and City Centre, Government, Taipei, Taiwan, 2009
• Chang Gung Hospital, Hospital Grounds, Linkou, Taiwan, 2005
• Nova, Apartments Courtyard, Sydney, Australia, 2003
• Airia Apartments, Apartments Courtyard, Sydney, Australia, 2003
• Eco 1 + 2, Apartments Courtyard, Sydney, Australia, 2002
• Atlas Apartments, Apartments Courtyard, 2001, Sydney, Australia, 2001

Key publications

• Landscape Design, Regeneration of Post-industrial sites on Sydney Harbour, May, 2008
• International New Landscape, Former BP Site Public Parkland, December, 2007
• Living Systems, Former BP Site Public Parkland, 2007
• Landscape Architecture Australia, Nova, August, 2007
• Topos, Valuing Environmental Eternalities, 2007
• Construire, 'Parco ex Bp di Sydney', October 2007
• Urban Landscape, Airia, 2007
• a+t: in common II collective spaces, Former BP Site Public Parkland, Autumn 2005
• Ultimate Landscape Design, Former BP Site Waverton, January 2006
• Architecture Review, Living on the Water, January 2006

Key awards

• International Design Competition for the Magok Waterfront (Prize Winner), Seoul, Korea, 2008
• Torsanlorenzo International Prize (2nd Prize for Atlas Apartments), Premio Internazionale Torsanlorenzo, Italy, 2008
• Back to the City Prize for Best Installation (1st prize for Trojan), s_Lab space Laboratory for Architectural Research & Design, Newcastle, Australia, 2008
• Telstra NSW small business awards (State Finalist), Telstra, Sydney, 2007
• AILA National Project Awards (Former BP Site Parklands), Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Canberra, 2006
• North Sydney Council Design Excellence Award (Former PB Site Parklands), North Sydney Council, Sydney, Australia, 2006
• Overall Award for Excellence (Former PB Site Parklands), Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Sydney, Australia, 2005
• Design Excellence Award (Former PB Site Parklands), Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Sydney, 2005
• Thakral Holdings Environmental Development Award (Former BP Site Parklands), The Australian Property Institute, Sydney, 2005
• National Commendation Award for excellence in precinct design of the public domain, The Cement Concrete & Aggregates, Sydney, Australia, 2005