The 4,500sqm courtyard at the heart of Pavilions is surrounded on four sides by four residential towers of varying heights, from nine to 35 storeys, scaled to ensure sunlight is able to penetrate into the interior and create a welcoming place for residents of the 696 apartments. Built on a podium level between the buildings, the courtyard required plantings that were drought resistant and able to flourish in high wind conditions.

Native species identified as robust and easy to maintain, particularly during drier months, were selected by Mirvac and the landscape architect, 360 Degrees. The plant selection has proven itself in the 18 months since planting, with trees and shrubs flourishing and providing year-round colour and interest.

The use of irrigation connected to the Sydney Olympic Park Authority Water Reclamation and Management Scheme (WRAMS) made it feasible to incorporate extensive landscaping into the design of Pavilions, fulfilling the aspiration to create buildings within the landscape. This approach reverses the traditional model of designing the built form around to which the landscape must accommodate.

The vision to create buildings within the landscape, the design ethos has been nature first, built form second. Therefore, residents are immersed in nature on their journey to and from home, providing on-going mental health benefits that may be hard to measure but no less real. The courtyard garden is used by residents in multiple ways; for gatherings of friends and family, community events, walking the dog, active play and the simple joy of being in nature.

Photography by Murray Fredericks