The Australian Open 2020

The Background

Every year, NBLA are engaged by Tennis Australia to provide landscape design and construction services for the Australian Open. In 2020, we created ten designs for spaces within some of The Australian Open’s most premium hospitality offerings, including Rockpool and Nobu restaurants, and The Founders Club to name a few.

The Creative Team

We have worked closely with the same team of creative professionals at the Australian Open for six years and a special bond has formed between us. It’s an event we look forward to as we get to come together and feed off each other’s creative energy, experience and talent.

We work especially closely with Tennis Australia’s Creative Director, Gary Chard of Chard International to design outdoor spaces that complement both the environment we’re working with and the brands represented at Australian Open.

With each space, we’re given a theme to work with. As a creative collective, we explore the possibilities from a design perspective and workshop ideas to develop design strategies and concepts.

The Challenge

Part of the challenge is creating temporary installations that give the appearance of being permanent, while also offering quick assembly and pack up. Some of the marquees have complex engineering requirements as they are positioned on scaffolding several metres above ground.

For each design, we must balance site conditions with sponsor requirements tailored to clientele and branding.

The AO 2020 Designs

Nobu Popup
One of the world’s most exclusive and well-known restaurant brands, Nobu wanted a contemporary Japanese-inspired garden design. We incorporated natural unpolished wood, raked pebble garden beds with beautiful Japanese moss mounds and sculptured planting for an informal yet elegant design.

Rockpool Popup
Eucalypt trees and ornamental grass species were introduced to sculptural elevated garden beds. The design concept was inspired by the unique form of an Australian Gorge. The garden was situated in the forecourt of the restaurant, defining the restaurant from the thousands of people that walk along the Berm of Melbourne Park during the Australian Open.

Founders Club
The most exclusive dining experience at the Australian Open, we set out to create a luxury space on the top level of the Tennis Australia building that would exceed guests’ high expectations while offering refuge from the heat and crowds. The space was transformed from an office to an exclusive restaurant in a matter of weeks.

We used a blend of advanced tropical and shade tolerant plants, such as Giant Bird of Paradise, Elephant Ear and several different species of Cacti and foliage plants, to create a cool oasis.

It’s a pleasure to be involved with the Australian Open each year – bring on 2021!

See more of our garden design projects, or call the studio to discuss a project – 03 9095 8344.