The Art of Craft – the centre of Fleming’s Parks
Fleming’s Landscapes has done away with the fast and furious model of building new urban parks and replaced it with one that reiterates the 100-year old company credo of ‘quality takes time’.
Employing craftmanship to create parks of true quality with stunning wood features that have been hand worked, taking days of painstaking carpentry – as opposed to installing plastic manufactured play features, is taking their parks into the future with a link to the past.
Fleming’s Riverdale Park in Melbourne’s new community development, Riverdale Village in Tarneit, will stand the test of time. Featuring chunky ex-wharf pylons that have been recycled and reimagined as walking beams, architectural swings, pole features throughout, as well as a whopping skyscraper fort - carefully worked for the fun and enjoyment of generations of children to come.
Other striking features of the Fleming’s Riverdale Park is the natural work play equipment including three tractors and trailers carved by renowned Australian wood carver, Brandon Kroon.
The Fleming’s Parks are presenting an earthy approach to parks that will re-engage children with the beauty and fun of natural materials and using as little man-made play materials as possible – and the results are speaking for themselves.
While many developers are willing to see large garish plastic features dominate their parks, APD Projects have engaged with Fleming’s belief that natural is better, even if it means craftsmen spend days working and plying wood features, hand varnishing and carefully installing these massively heavy pieces.
Riverdale Village also features recycled timbers such as the ironbark sleepers that feature in the circular pavilion which – in true Fleming’s style – is built around a stunning super-advanced tree.
While still under construction, the park is already showing the promise of a place designed and built by those that care.
Plants feature en-masse. The park surrounds, avenues and play park itself are forested by large advanced trees and present the promise of a mature landscape sooner than later, while bark replaces soft fall plastics and large natural boulders double as features and climbing objects.
The Fleming’s Group is celebrating its 100th year in operation shortly and stand by their belief that anything worth doing takes time and patience - and their parks are certainly becoming renowned for their detailed workmanship and focus on canopy cover and greenery.
