Gold in Commercial Build (Up to $500,000) and Commercial Design (over 2000m²), Landscapes of Distinction Awards 2025. Takanini, Auckland. By Luijten Landscaping Ltd.

Kauri Flats School wanted authentic nature play rather than typical plastic, on a site built over a wetland. Luijten Landscaping answered with custom timber cube structures on laminated posts, one housing a sandpit, solid hardwood stepping logs over an artificial riverbed, a vertical railway-sleeper wall with a wavy kwila and Corten bench, interactive water play and native planting chosen to thrive in the wetland.

The school called it an amazing space that is built to last and brings joy every day.

Why it matters

Every Registered Master Landscaper has earned the right to carry the mark, so the professional you hire is current, accountable, and backed by a national association that stands behind its work. Find a Registered Master Landscaper at masterlandscapers.org.nz.

Project credits

Member: Luijten Landscaping Ltd (design and construction). Photography: Chris Cameron Photography. Landscapes of Distinction Awards 2025.