Outdoor projects are inherently filled with risks and uncertainty - especially when the design is custom.

It’s why we recommended an up-front Design Scoping Package, or DSP, to Jeavons Landscape Architects for their stunning ‘Whelk Shell’ play structure at Sir Joseph Banks Park in Sydney’s south.

The result was a fantastic success for the project stakeholders and the local community. We recently sat down with Leong Khoo, Associate at Jeavons, to discuss the visionary project and the proprietary Fleetwood process that brought it all to life.

How do you create something that’s never been created before? That was the challenge that confronted Joshua Zoeller, Senior Associate at CHROFI, in the quest to deliver a kaleidoscopic, and hugely complex, hand-wound rope community arbour for Blacktown City Council at Dawson Mall in Mount Druitt, New South Wales. Having collaborated closely with Josh and the CHROFI team to make it all happen, we sat down with Josh to discuss the vision – and reality – of delivering this uniquely creative outdoor project.

Establishing active habits, especially when young, sets us on the path to leading happier and healthier lives – and the way our community spaces are designed can play a key role in making it happen. In this 30-minute podcast, we explore the concept of ‘Physical Literacy’ in the context of public infrastructure design. What it is. Why it matters. Who it helps. We also highlight a hugely relevant Australian example, the recently completed Blacktown Exercise Sports & Technology Hub in western Sydney, with its passionate Project Director, Dr Neil Gibson FBASES PhD, from Blacktown City Council.

The links between outdoor connection and wellbeing in Australian communities have never been clearer. In this podcast, we explore some of the reasons why with Associate Professor Jenny Veitch, from the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University and Fleetwood Pre-Construction Manager, Joel Watson. Jenny and Joel also discuss proven strategies for creating structures and experiences that encourage more Australians to get outside to enjoy the outdoors, more often.

The scrutiny on project safety in Australia has never been greater. Nor have the consequences when things go wrong. Quite simply, great projects must be safe projects – and achieving it often begins much sooner and runs far deeper than many stakeholders realise. To explore why, we sat down with Mark Jol, Creative & Technical Lead at Fleetwood and Chien Choong, Senior Project Manager at Walker Corporation to discuss the far-reaching issues and implications of project safety, including the critical roles of Safety in Design principles and Pre-Construction.

AS 5100 and AS 2156 are frequently misunderstood when it comes to the delivery of bridges and boardwalks. In our latest ThinkOutside podcast, an expert panel of designers, project managers and independent engineers explore the key differences (and opportunities) of both the Bridge Code and the Walking Track Standard.

Ian Firth is one of the world’s leading bridge designers. He has extensive experience in the conceptual and detailed design of bridges, including some of the world's longest spans, in a variety of environments and contexts.

In the first episode of our all-new podcast series, Think Outside, we ponder the fundamental question "What is the future of bridge design?" with acclaimed UK bridge designer and Structural Engineer Ian Firth.

From carbon minimisation, 3D printing and developing trends in materiality, to the critical role of context and the emergence of ‘enlightened clients’, it’s a fascinating chat.