Birdwood Master Plan & Development Strategy

New South Wales

Client | Orca Partners

This project represented a unique situation, the potential to provide a high quality residential development on a consolidated site within the setting of Lane Cove village centre. The masterplan proposal was developed after a detailed analysis of the site and its surrounding context in relation to physical constraints, development potential, and urban design opportunities.  

The main ideas of the masterplan were focused around:  

• The concept of creating an attractive, familiar streetscape which is characterised by lower scale housing, front doors and gardens on the street, amongst the existing setting of street trees.
• The creation of a new pedestrian mews which would activate the space and provide natural surveillance.

The plan responded to Council’s Rosenthal project site in a way that supported the vision for that site, with an extended public domain network, a residential neighbourhood and population to support the viability of the businesses and public spaces envisaged in Council’s plan. In addition, the consolidation of plots avoided remnant sites that formed “missing teeth” in the development pattern. It allowed for highly efficient vehicular access with fewer vehicle cross-overs, reduced ramping and reduced excavation within the site.