The Oratia Hall Reserve concept plan has been generated from a contextual overview of the Oratia community with a specifc focus on the seasonal, transitional and productive nature of the surrounding landscape. Focused on the context of community, the proposal references the space as a local ‘hub’ while prioritising the existing rural-ness of the site.

The framework of the proposal calls on the long-standing productive and horticultural history of the community to define three primary activity zones.

1. The Gateway. This space is the welcome and the gateway into Oratia Hall Reserve and serves as a highly visible and active edge to the site.

2. The Orchard. Incorporating the current play centre this space is prioritised as an enclosed high surveillance semi private environment. This space receives a levelling treatment and an assortment of appropriate orchard and amenity vegetation. Site wide fencing requirements to be dealt with in a permeable manner.

3. The Lawn. Active recreation is the focus of The Lawn, with rolling topography, selective planting and appropriate utilities. A family focused environment with edible vegetation, seating, cooking facilities and open grassed play areas.

Connecting each of these zones is a series of walking tracks, transitioning, linking and circulating visitors through the site. Each pathway is focused on a particular linkage to the surrounding landscape, culminating at The Lawn.

Decisions on vegetation are also linked to existing landscape cues, consisting primarily of a selection of natives, drift planted to enhance the rolling organic topography. Punctuating these native drifts are selectively placed exotic plant species, including both fruiting and deciduous trees. This selective placement protects the view shafts important to the character, integrity and usability of the site.