You began your career in landscape design. What was the initial spark?
I have always been interested in design, architecture [and] landscaping. I traveled a lot in my youth, and have been to many countries; I was the one who was always off taking photos of interesting buildings or visiting art galleries. I decided to take a course in horticulture and landscape design and have never looked back.
How did landscape design evolve into the interdisciplinary practice you enjoy today?
My brand was all about creating outdoor rooms. I believe that whatever we do inside – cooking, dining, entertaining, lounging, bathing, sleeping – is enhanced by ‘taking it outside.’ When we live in the city, we can’t climb a mountain, walk along a beach or wander through a forest every day, but we can retreat to an outdoor room, our own small slice of nature. This led to me to want to bring the outside into the interior world, so we coined the term ‘transterior’ to describe our philosophy of bringing nature indoors.
Why is sustainability an important part of your design philosophy?
Sustainability and treading lightly on the planet is very important to me. All my work is inspired by nature and leads to a greater connection to nature, thereby influencing people, I hope, to be better guardians of the planet.
In 2013, you were awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. What does it mean to you?
As an Australian, I’m incredibly proud of this achievement. I received the award not only for my work in the landscape industry, but also for my work within the areas of community and environment.
What’s the main concept behind ‘transterior’?
Transterior describes the space where the interior and exterior of a home merge. My aim has always been to create a seamless transition between the two. This transterior space is often the threshold where architecture meets nature, such as where a veranda or sliding doors open to a courtyard or garden. You can create the same feeling in a room without that physical threshold by bringing nature indoors through choice of natural, handmade organic materials, textures and colors.