The Art and Function of Walls in Landscape Design

Walls serve as essential landscape elements across cultures and eras. From ancient ruins to contemporary gardens, thoughtfully designed walls artfully define space, provide security, and engineer topography.

Walls speak about cultural heritage. The cyclopean stonework of Incan settlements and decorative brickwork of European industrial sites offer glimpses into building history. While not directly connected to adjacent structures, landscape walls independently influence cultural associations.

Beyond aesthetics, walls fulfil practical needs. They frame views, buffer winds, and delineate boundaries. Retaining walls structurally support changes in elevation. Choices of material and style further customize purpose and character.

Yet walls also carry complex symbolism. They suggest division even while fostering a sense of refuge. The balance between protection and isolation underpins their perceptual impact.

As landscape designers, we thoughtfully "curate boundaries." Well-placed walls conjure an archetypal sense of enclosure. But excessive barriers constrain growth and disconnect people. With artistry and empathy, we harmonise function and meaning to create welcoming, dynamic spaces.

The possibilities span structural dry-stacked stone walls, regional brick garden walls, decorative cemetery walls, to minimalist contemporary works integrating native rock.

Bespoke walls, tailored to the spatial narrative, can elevate form, function and meaning.