Landscaping is a critical component to any environment. All new buildings are incomplete without proper landscape design. It’s like getting all dressed up to go out and forgetting to put on your shoes, or forgetting to consider what shoes you were going to wear and settling for whatever you already had that may not match. Your shoes are the last thing you normally put on before you head out and if you give them proper thought and credit you will have the perfect finishing touch. Landscaping is very similar to putting on shoes in the sense that it is the last component to be built. As a result it can often be neglected or considered as an afterthought. This is unfortunate since well designed outdoor spaces can truly compliment the buildings structure. At Wolf Architects we consider both the Landscape and interior simultaneously from the get go. How you approach the building from the street. The paths, views, sounds, smells and textures are all important landscaping considerations. We can even influence the speed of your journey from the street to the front door by designing a landscape that forces you to look before you step. We should always take in the surroundings, appreciate them and engage with them. Director Taras Wolf (Founder of Wolf Architects) has taught and lectured at the University of Melbourne for over a decade. Through various theory based subjects he has encouraged Chinese garden design principles that are very relevant to modern day landscaping. Ideas of playfulness, journey, and an overall sense of engagement are timeless qualities that can be applied to most contemporary outdoor spaces. The award-winning WOLF house has a front garden based on Chinese garden principles. While it’s not always necessary to engage a landscape architect specialist for smaller projects, an intelligent and sensitive approach to all outdoor spaces is important. That is why most reputable architectural practices understand the importance of landscape design. At Wolf architects we provide landscaping as an integral part of our design approaches from the onset. Many of our team members have been trained to understand architecture, interior design and landscape architecture. With an appreciation for nature we consider the views from every window and opening. How the interior space connects and engages with the outdoor space is explored at every opportunity. A window is a picture frame and the image within is very important. It’s also about connecting man and Mother Nature. We look at ways to blur the lines between what is outside and what is inside to connect us to the earth, encouraging us to respect nature and live more sustainably. Further to the generally planning of outdoor spaces the species of plants are equally important. The site and building orientation and quality of light will affect and determine how plants thrive and change over the years. As with the building itself a WOLF designed landscape needs to be both efficient for maintenance and enduring with a long-term vision. As with the right pair of shoes a well thought through landscape can form a significant part of the overall costs. 10% of the build costs is recommended as a starting point.