Construkt was briefed to prepare a design guidelines document expected to provide expert guidance for the design of new houses and landscaping in Ara Hills. This will support a design review process that has been established to ensure each house and its landscape will support the vision of this new masterplanned community.

Ara Hills has been envisioned to have a village character that responds to its surrounding natural environment. Being a new greenfield housing development, it was established that there is a risk that this development will be realised into a typical suburban development with regimented houses that do not relate to each other or the surroundings.

The guidelines are a tool in the kit to achieve an outcome that inspires a sense of community and belonging. Initially envisioned as a non-prescriptive document, the guidelines have eventuated to provide a mixture of prescriptive and non-prescriptive guidance that respond to common issues with modern developments. It is an easy to read, simple to navigate document, which professionals have been able to refer to alongside their development proposals.