Over 5600m² of planting, 566m² of artificial turf, water features and hard landscaping will be laid at the Star Mountain Plaza in Port Moresby where construction is expected to be completed ahead of the 2018 APEC conference.

Landscape architect Louise Dunning said the project was designed to create a rainforest oasis in the nation’s capital.

“Our aim is to showcase the nation’s rich natural flora in the middle of Port Moresby to world leaders, business leaders and other international visitors for years to come.

“When completed, we will have created a landmark design which will showcase the rich, natural ecosystem of PNG to thousands of visitors who may not get a chance to venture beyond the city area,” says Dunning.

“The concept integrates local patterns and design into paving and concrete with PNG’s environment coming through in elements such as water features which take visitors on a journey through mountains out to sea.”

Dunning says months of research and planning went into choosing the plants with local nurseries growing thousands of shrubs and trees to fill their largest ever order.

“We travelled to areas such as Lake Kutubu to seek inspiration from locals on natural landscapes, endemic species and traditional methods of building and craftsmanship.

“We also spent several days consulting with a representative from the World Wildlife Fund to better understand PNG ecosystems,” she says.

Dunning says one of the biggest challenges will be to ensure the plants receive sufficient water
during establishment, in a country where water is at a premium.

The landscaping project begins this week with ten stages of planting expected to take over a year to complete.

Appeared in Post Courier:
http://postcourier.com.pg/revolutionary-landscaping-project-begins-png

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