Andrew Thomas AILA Fellow

We are thrilled to announce that Andrew’s commitment to Landscape Architecture and AILA has been acknowledged with an AILA Fellowship. We are also particularly thrilled that the awards ceremony and associated photos will forever memorialise Andrew’s commitment to Movember 2025.

The award citation reads:

Andrew shows leadership & dedication to the profession, serving as AILA WA State President for two terms from 2017-2021. Where he successfully championed;

· An increasing representation of LAs at state government level and within the Office of Government Architect.

· Advocated to government bodies the appropriate mechanisms for the engagement of LAs.

· Advocated for more AILA involvement from local government LAs.

· Established a state Advocacy Committee.

· Championed the 2020/2021 AILA Festival being held in Perth.

For 5 years Andrew taught UWA LA unit Professional Documentation. He remains actively involved in taking guest lectures, hosts yearly student groups as part of the Professional Practice unit for both UWA and UNSW and has been the RLA mentor and seconder for numerous applicants.

Andrew brings 18 years' experience, with particular expertise and passion for education landscapes. Andrew has been the lead landscape architect on over 170 education facilities, recognised with multiple State and National Awards.

Andrew plays a pivotal role in the profession. He is generous with his time and knowledge and has a reliable and humble `can do attitude'. His appointment as the 2024 AILA National Awards Jury chair is testament to his standing in the industry and his previous and ongoing commitment to AILA is inspiring and worthy of acknowledgment.

Andrew recieving his fellowship from AILA WA

Rose, Sharon, Andrew, Tilly and Nic and the AILA 2025 Christmas party where Andrew recieved his Fellowship.

Scotch College Teaching and Learning Precinct wins Regional LEA award

We are beyond ecstatic to announce the Scotch College Teaching and Learning Precinct won the Landscape and Outdoor Space category at the 2021 Regional Learning Environments awards. The project was nominated for the Regional awards after being awarded in 2020 at the Learning Environments WA awards. Scotch was one of ten entries from across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

The jury citation reads:

Scotch College has enhanced its learning and teaching precinct by creating a landscape that is an extension to the buildings and takes the Mathematics and Music curriculum into the outdoors. Nineteen mathematical learning opportunities have been embedded in the environment overtly or with subtlety and the motifs of music have become part of the design. Music has a significant role in the school’s culture and history and this has been honoured in these spaces. Students engage with the outdoor spaces both as breakout rooms and presentation spaces for learning and teaching and for relaxing during breaks. The effectiveness of moving learning outdoors while retaining the opportunity for students to switch to non-classroom mode and socialise is clearly seen in the mix of semi-enclosed and open spaces plus casual corners with variable use seating. The implementation of “Learnscapes” has provided the opportunity for teacher and students to shift from traditional forms of delivery to engaging with 21stC notions of learning and teaching, well supported by the construction of the learning spaces. This is an outstanding project where the landscape design outcome demonstrates that the brief has been realised in an elegant, functional and pedagogically robust space for learning, teaching and socialising.

Photos: Silvertone Photography

New project: The Tivoli Theatre, Applecross

We are thrilled to be working on an upgrade to the Tivoli Theatre in Applecross for The City of Melville. This Art Deco theatre was built in 1934 and was designed by Eales, Cohen & Bennett Architects. The Building has many of the quintessential Art Deco elements including; sunburst motifs, sweeping curves, groupings of 3, stepped forms, bull nosing and repetition of patterning. Our design looks to rectify historical access issues, refresh the forecourt with new paving, planting and furniture, as well as creating a functional and enticing venue spillout for future performance intermission breaks.

Kat selected as part of the 2021 AILA Festival of Landscape Architecture Creative Directorate

We are beyond thrilled to announce our own Landscape Architect, Kat Stewart is 1 of the 5 Creative Directorate team for the 2021 AILA Festival of Landscape Architecture, to be held in Perth this October. The Creative Directorate pose the theme Spectacle and Collapse, changing landscapes. The 3 day festival will asks us – what is our role and how can we as landscape architects position ourselves to act beyond spectacle and through collapse? To find out more about the international and local speakers head to the AILA website.

The 2021 AILA Festival of Landscape Architecture Creative Directorate. Kat Stewart second from left.

Andrew finishes 4 year term as AILA WA Chapter President

June 30th marks the end of 2 full terms (4 years) of Four Landscape Studio Director Andrew Thomas as Australian Institute of Landscape Architects WA Chapter President. Andrew is looking forward to additional time working on his home renovations and playing sport. We know that AILA WA is in more than capable hands with Shea Hatch taking over as Chapter President, Congratulations Shea.

Andrew wearing “Famous Sharon’s” boa at the 2020 AILA WA Awards

Inglenooks recognised at the 2020 PIA WA awards (twice)

Ben and Damien from Inglewood of Beaufort Inc at the PIA WA 2020 Awards night

Inglenooks, a two-part verge intervention on Beaufort St is the result of a community-led project by the Inglewood on Beaufort Inc. community group. Four Landscape Studio undertook the design, contract administration and lead the Community Planting Day. We are proud to announce that Inglenooks has won the PIA WA President’s Award and The Great Place Award at the Planning Institute of Australia Awards for Planning Excellence, W.A. in 2020. Congratulations to Inglewood on Beaufort Inc. and all involved in the project which was officially opened in March 2020.

Inglenooks is a central social space with a strong local identity and community atmosphere. It is a safe and welcoming place for locals to spend time and plays host to community events. The Inglewood Monday Night Markets, run throughout the summer months and celebrates local businesses with food, beverage, service and gift vendors taking part each week. See you there!

Below is the citation from the President’s Award:

“Inglenooks is a tremendous example of a highly successful community-led intervention in place-making. This project has built upon previous street upgrade work by the City of Stirling, dealing with some of the drab private setback spaces along the Beaufort St frontage that have detracted from any attempt to lift the sense of place in the Inglewood Town Centre, and has contributed to transforming a busy traffic corridor into safer, more appealing and comfortable place for the community to use and enjoy. The project also aligns well with other community initiatives, particularly the regular food and artisan markets, with the new spaces adding to the overall experience of those events. The fact that these initiatives have come from within the local community has perhaps added to the sense of local pride and enjoyment evidenced by the testimonials from local stakeholders. It is considered an exemplar of practical and successful urban place-making, that will make a significant contribution to the social and economic well-being of the Inglewood Community.”