5 of our favourite things about the places we work

While we certainly love visiting and experiencing all that cities have to offer: the convenience of everything, the diverse mix of people, gastronomy, fun events and that feeling of being anonymous, our passion and practice lies in areas outside of bustling city centres and urban sprawl. This work and lifestyle is not for everyone and it doesn't mean we don't have the skills to work in inner-urban projects, but we don't really need to when there are many landscape architecture and planning companies doing fantastic work and our background and experience lies predominantly in projects and places outside of the city. As this is a point of difference from most of our competitors, we thought we'd share some of our favourite things about living and working in peri-urban settings, regional areas and remote sites.

1 / Nature is part of everyday life.

In many of the places we work, you don't have to go for a drive to experience 'nature'. Although sometimes that does mean there is a higher chance you'll encounter a dangerous creature, or you have to take extra care when driving at night. And when it comes to our work, that means we really need to think seriously about bushfire risk in the planning or think about the impact of plant selection on the surrounding ecosystems. It might be the sounds of birds, the hopping sounds into the distance when you open the back door, and the chance encounter of a cute animal crossing the road or climbing up a tree that, the splashes of yellow across the landscape of a change in the season are some of the things we enjoy experiencing regularly. While the jacarandas lining the streets of the city are a sight to be seen, nature doing its thing as part of a bigger ecosystem is even more impressive.

2 / People are (usually) friendlier.

It's some of the little things like saying hello to new faces, general interest by shopkeepers in what you're doing, sharing an uncrowded wave without the attitude or waving to strangers in the car. Whatever the reason, if it's appreciation of the simple things in life or the unpretentiousness, the generally laid back nature of small towns is something you miss when it's gone.

3 / People really are resilient.

Although experience tells us that people in regional areas are typically a little more resistant to change than their city counterparts, the toughness of some of the people who frequently tolerate rural life's inconveniences, natural disasters, climate extremes like severe drought, and tragic loss of life that can hit hard in small communities, country folk can be pretty tough and come together as a community to get on with things.

4 / Being stuck in traffic is not fun, ever.

Let's be honest, even if commuting is your moment of peace and quiet from the world or the kids, there are many better things you could be doing. While most people who do it daily are used to it, most people outside of main urban areas spend their time doing other things like working on their property or spending time with their family. For those who who do have to commute to the nearest town because the supermarket or workplace is not just around the corner, it is usually a time for a bit of social interaction and stocking up on supplies.

5 / Safer places make more enjoyable places.

While most places aren't what they used to be these days, community vigilance and trust in many places means you don't need to watch your belongings when you go for a swim, look over your shoulder when walking or visiting the beach at night or stress too much about hiding your valuables. Of course there are exceptions and things happen very occasionally, but generally the relaxed way of life means that crime is something you don't have to worry about.

We understand that rural life isn't for everyone! But while we love spending time in cities all around the world, our biggest passions are small towns, protected areas, islands and regional communities and we hope to continue working on projects in these kinds of places with like-minded clients. Talk to us about your project here.