The Anthropogenic Future
By Akas Landscape Architecture and in collaboration with Bespoke Landscapes.
Akas Landscape Architecture
The Anthropogenic Future garden repurposes waste and building materials to showcase a new type of garden, beautiful, robust, and representative of our future urban landscape.
The design references the Anthropocene; the new geological epoch in which humans have become the biggest geological force on the planet. With the increasing demands and pressure on the environment due to the rising population and consumption of resources, Akas believe gardens must be ecologically diverse, drought-tolerant, and vibrant spaces.
The design plays on the idea of the cross-section cut, using perspex along the front as a window under the ground. The strata lines are both revealed at the front face of the garden and again at the back of the pavilion. Just as a seam of gold would be exposed in quartz, the design will reveal the everyday plastics showcased as the newly deposited strata. This will make explicit societi’s current addiction to plastics by creating a confusingly beautiful form with a highly damaging material. This plastic was sourced from the Yarra River.
The planting palette selects species based on future resilience. This design aims to highlight how xeroscape planting can be rich with form, colour, texture and interest. The layout of the design is focused around a central pond, which is built in a naturalistic style but uses recycled concrete rubble instead of rock. Along the pond’s edge the concrete doubles as a stepping stone path, leading to the apex of the design; a ‘floating’ metal cube which becomes the main pavilion and destination point. The cube is cantilevered over the water and is made from recycled metal. The garden makes use of topography to embed different design elements and strategically uses materials and plants to create microclimates.
Words by Akas Landscapes & Architecture
Watch Akas interview on ABC News
We thoroughly enjoyed every process of creating and implementing Akas Landscapes Design for MIFGS, it was a great experience for the team of Bespoke and also a huge achievement as it has been a dream of ours to contribute and be involved with the festival. We learned a lot from this epic project and cannot wait for our next collaboration for future MIGFS festivals. Thanks again to Akas Landscapes and team for the wonderful opportunity & for setting the bar so high!
