Landscape Architect & Project Manager Intern Coen Design International
Master of Landscape Architecture
University of Western Australia
Bachelor of Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture
University of Western Australia
Diploma in Landscape Design and Horticulture Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
https://issuu.com/lenod +65 81387696
https://www.instagram.com/lenod_see/ leonard8988@gmail.com
Masters of Landscape Architecture
University of Western Australia
2022-Current
Multiple High Distinctions
Bachelors in Environmental Design
University of Western Australia
2021-2022
Multiple High Distinctions
Diploma in Landscape Design and Horticulture
Ngee Ann Polytechnic Singapore 2015-2018
Green Pinnacle Award & Gardens By The Bay Award Winner
Landscape Architect & Project Manager Intern
COEN Design International
Assisted conceptualization, sketch design and detailed design with HDB, Commercial, Mixed Use, and Competition projects
Managed projects from Kickoff Meetings -DesignSubmission
Liaise with clients and government bodies proposals.
Landscape Design Intern
Ecoscape
Worked on numerous private residential, condominium projects and Singapore Garden Festival Displays.
Responsible to liase with clients and coordinate on landscape designs to meet their expectations.
Worked on planting concepts and graphic design for project proposals.
Erin Yong
Senior Project Manager Coen Design International +65 9640 5333
Rosie Halsmith Lecturer at UWA rosie.halsmith@uwa.edu.au
Eco Natura
Urban Masterplan for a BiophilicTownship
2024 This international project in Kuala Lumpur required me to createa urban masterplan for a township with a unifying theme. Situated next to the iconic Broga Hills of KL, I utilised the heritage and views of the hills and its local markets to create a nature inspired design for the township’s residential and commercial areas.
Urban Echoes
Neighborhood reminiscent of the past
2024 This HDB project located in commonwealth posed an incredible challenge with a 21m steep hill. Through elevated platforms, heritage planting and nature inspired play areas, I celebrate the natural geography and history of the site, providing users with a memorable experience.
From Land to Sea
Softscaping a wellness attraction
2024 This project was in collaboration with Storyland from the US, requiring me to design an extensive planting scheme suited for each zone of the wellness attraction proposed. Recreating the four seasons and proximity of the site to the coast, I devised a planting scheme that reflected the architect’s intentions and the site’s coastal significance.
Sky Terrariums
Exquisite Biophilic Vertical Greenery
2023
This client for this project requested for the hotel to be covered in greenery but with a twist to the common theme. In this project, I used the 20m headspace on certain major levels to incorporate terrarium-like planter boxes to frame major entrances to the hotel, providing visitors with a sense of mystery when entering the hotel.
This project aimed to rejuvenate a derelict skate park in the heart of the city. For this project, I proposed a design for the skate park that utilised vivid colors for both hardscape and softscape to bring energy to the site and encourage activity. I also proposed butterfly gardens and a pollinator trail connecting the site to the surrounding larger network.
In this section, I show a few projects and competitions which I’ve conceptualised and designed during my internship at COEN Design International. In these, projects, I’ve had to attend kick off meetings, follow up meetings and final presentations with clients, architects and other subconsultants.
They showcase a range of projects from hotel landscape projects in he herat of the city to large international township urban masterplan designs and the different issues I’ve had to tackle in the working environment.
COEN Design International
‘Where nature frames every moment’
As Penelope Hobhouse wisely noted, “No matter how panoramic its scope, a view of surrounding countryside becomes a genuine garden picture only when it has been framed.” At Eco Natura, this philosophy inspired my design. By thoughtfully framing the views of Broga Hills, I created moments of connection between residents and their surroundings, curating vistas that highlight nature’s beauty and significance in everyday living.
This sustainable township integrates Broga Hills’ rolling terrain, preserving natural slopes and curves to create dynamic spaces and a cooler microclimate. Native greenery enhances the landscape’s authenticity, ensuring a seamless blend of modern living with nature’s untouched beauty. Tree-lined pathways, walking trails, and pocket parks bring residents closer to tranquil green spaces, framing every moment with the majesty of Broga Hills.
Eco Natura celebrates the balance between indoor and outdoor living. Open layouts and verandas ensure that nature is always part of daily life. Community features like serene ponds, playful bridges, and activity nodes encourage engagement with the natural surroundings, creating a sanctuary where residents can live, play, and rest in harmony with nature.
The landscape design for Eco Natura focuses on sustainability and creating a healthier living environment by incorporating abundant greenery. Aiming to create a dense forest canopy around the town, the township’s landscape design is structured in three growth periods—Year 1, Year 5, and Year 10—mimicking the layered growth of a rainforest, with increasing tree canopy size and green coverage over time.
Concept Diagram
Commercial Area Plan
The commercial area park features, multiple lakes, nature play elements and a slide down Broga Hill, helping lower the ambient temperature and provide interesting play elements for the residents while paying homage to the site’s natural terrain.
COEN Design International
Urban Echoes aims to reconnect urban dwellers with the rich ecological and cultural heritage of long-lost swamps. Situated in the heart of the city, this project aims to create a contemporary urban space that pays homage to historical wetlands that once flourished in the area. Through thoughtful design, this project will bridge the past and present, fostering a deeper appreciation for the region’s natural history while providing a dynamic and engaging public space.
Urban Echoes will serve as a living tribute to the historical swamps, offering a space that celebrates ecological heritage and enriches the urban environment. By integrating historical education with immersive design, this project will foster a renewed appreciation for the natural world and its significance within the city. It will provide a restorative retreat for residents, an engaging destination for visitors, and a valuable educational resource for future generations.
Through the revival of historical swamps in an urban context, Urban Echoes aims to inspire a deeper connection to the natural world and to champion the preservation of ecological heritage in the modern cityscape.
Masterplan
This was my first HDB project in COEN and I learned about the requirements by HDB and URA regarding LRA, GnPR and other elemetns such as playgrounds, community gardens, pavillions and roof gardens that are commonplace in today’s HDBs.
Concept Diagram
Design Principles
COEN Design International
“From Land to Sea” invites visitors on an immersive journey through a series of interconnected zones, each reflecting a unique phase of the natural world’s transition from solid ground to the sea and their seasons.The design is inspired by the fluidity of nature, where land merges seamlessly into coastal ecosystems, offering a sensory experience that mirrors the ever-changing landscape between earth and water.
From lush gardens to sandy boardwalks, and finally to the gentle embrace of the ocean, this concept captures the beauty of gradual transitions, allowing visitors to explore the delicate interplay between land, sea, and the rhythms of nature.
Each zone is carefully designed to evoke the spirit of the environment, encouraging visitors to connect deeply with the natural world through visual, tactile, and sensory experiences. Whether through the vibrant, cascading plants of Cascading Sunset or the calm, wave-like grasses of Seagrass Sanctums, this journey offers a pathway to balance, wellness, and a renewed appreciation for the interconnectedness of land and ocean.
Wellness Design Principles
In addition to the planting palette, the proposal required a coastal park design adjacent to the main wellness attraction. I came up with additional zones that fir the theme and extended the landscape to the coastline. This area featured nature play areas, resting areas and an open plaza.
Bee Integration Design Principles
COEN Design International
Sky Terrariums offers a modern, advanced interpretation of urban green spaces as serene sanctuaries suspended in the sky. These elevated terrariums integrate nature with cutting-edge architecture. Divided into zones, The Roof Terrace provides panoramic views and lush high-altitude sanctuaries, while the Office offers cozy, nature-infused pockets with intimate seating. The Office and Conference features terraced waterfalls and cascading plants, creating a dynamic connection between levels, and the Ground Floor blends urban spaces with natural environments, offering interaction with nature while maintaining city connectivity. Sky Terrariums redefines urban nature, merging timeless allure with contemporary design, creating a sky-bound sanctuary for the modern world.
A floating landscape concept, inspired by Hanging Gardens of Babylon involves integrating lush, elevated greenery into the architectural design, creating a seamless connection between nature and built environments. This approach uses extensive sky gardens, green terraces, and vertical planting to form a verdant oasis that “floats” around and within the building. The greenery cascades down the structure, softening its form while improving air quality and providing natural insulation. This design blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, offering a tranquil, immersive experience in an urban setting.
As visitors travel through the tower, they are exposed to a myriad of experiences, a secluded mysterious entry at the ground floor into a lush vegetated terrarium forest on the 2nd floor, then a peaceful forest environment with alcoves of peace on the 16th floor and finally the open sky terrace with stunning views of the city.
COEN Design International
Kaleido-scape merges the vibrancy of a kaleidoscope with landscape design, celebrating youth and diversity through color, art, and interaction. This immersive concept is divided into four unique zones—Urban Seedbed, Energized Flow, Terraced Exploration, and Collective Canopy—each embodying core themes of Creativity, Freedom, Exploration, and Belonging.
Flowering plantings infuse the landscape with ever-changing hues, reflecting the evolving spirit of youth, while butterfly-attracting flora and varied textures emulate the playful fragmentation of a kaleidoscope, merging ecology with youthful energy. Interactive lighting enhances this dynamic environment, casting shifting shadows and patterns that create a “living painting” effect throughout the day and night. Kaleidoscopic pathways weave through micro-environments designed to inspire curiosity, self-expression, and a deeper connection to nature.
Opening up sightlines from outside the park, the design invites the surrounding community to view and experience the precinct, creating a welcoming and accessible space that flows seamlessly into its urban surroundings. Mature Trees are integrated into the built structures, Kaleido-scape allows users to interact meaningfully with the natural environment, creating canopy-level lookouts and shaded spaces for gathering below. A butterfly garden trail weaves through each zone, symbolizing transformation and exploration, and reinforcing the precinct’s dedication to self-expression, creativity, and community connection. Kaleido-scape is a vibrant, evolving landscape where youth and nature come together, empowering young people to shape, explore, and grow within an environment that reflects their collective spirit.
Masterplan
The design features a kaleidoscope of colours, aimed at rejuvenating the derelict area, adding brightness and vibrancy to the skate park. This helps to promote energy and encourgae activity for the youths.
Bright, warm colours in activity areas to promote energy for the youth.
Cool, calming colours at passive rest areas to provide visitors with a space for respite.
More than Human Design
The Suburban Shingleback
Design for Non-Human Inhabitant (Shingleback Lizard)
2023 This studio focused around more than human design which challenged conventional human-oriented design. This studio taught me how to rewire my thinking about traditional landscape architecture and think about how design affects the natural environment.
New Fire Station Arcade Passage Through Place
Restore and Rehabilitate
Wellness and Biodiversity
2022
This studio focused on turning a hot, barren carpark in the middle of the CBD into a lively activity center. This design challenged the norm of using architecture to frame landscape and instead use landscape architecture to frame the spaces for buildings.
This studio focused on redesigning an industrial area surrounding a patch of remnent vegetation. This studio required me to figure out how to utilize a patch of remnant vegetation to enhance the surrounding community and biodiversity.
Public Open Space
one with nature
Urban Square Rejuvenation
This studio focused on rejuvenating Russell Square as a public open space in Northbrudge. This was my first studio in university which taught me the basics of the design process at the Bachelor’s level.
Academic Papers
Flying Foxes’ losing battle against overwhelming heat.
A literature review of urban ecology and climate change.
2023
Grading Assignments
Reconfiguring Terrains
Fundamentals of grading and related documentation.
2023
Detailed Documentation
Landscape Professional Documents
Landscape related documentation including drawings, contracts, etc.
2023
In this section, I show a few projects from newest to oldest done during my Bachelors and Masters Degree of Landscape Architecture in The University of Western Australia. They showcase a range of projects from small aboriginal backyard gardens to large surburban scale ecologically focused designs and the different issues I’ve had to tackle.
QR Codes and Links are provided to the full versions of these projects. All drawings and schemes shown have been made by myself.
University of Western Australia
LACH5425 Landscape as System (Sem 2 2023)
Studio Coordinator: Rosemary Halsmith (rosie.halsmith@uwa.edu.au)
Perth has an infamous reputation for being one of the longest cities in the world with the largest urban sprawl and lowest infill. This paired with urban development has caused loss of habitat and the introduction of threats such as vehicles, domestic pets and deep water for local biodiversity. What once used to be a large area of bushland has been reduced to suburb with patches of remnant vegetation disconnected by car-filled roads and housing. Tiliqua rugosa, or the Shingleback Lizard is a slow moving reptile which relies on basking in the sun to regulate its temperature now risk their lives by basking on dangerous roads. Due to their monogamic nature, they also have to travel through pet infested backyards year round to meet up with their partner to mate before splitting up again to meet the next year.
This design, The Suburban Shingleback aims to
1) Provide a connection from the Kensington Bushland to the Swan River through a backyard trail (Shingleback-Yard Trail)
2) Generate human empathy through an educational trail around the suburb (BobTrail)
3) Provide recommendations for Shingleback friendly backyard designs.
Life Cycle Diagram
One of the addditional steps to more than human design is the research and analysis of the non-human’s needs and behaviour. This diagram shows their life cycle around the year and the threats to the bobtails in their most vulnerable period.
Concept Diagram
Area 1
Area 2
Section showing a boardwalk over a Bobtail corrridor
Section showing the bushland viewing platform
Section showing sheltered seating with educational signage
Some of the challenges I faced during this project include:
1) Understanding the Non-Human perspective of site analysis and design
2) Designing for non-humans in a way that also benefits humans
3) Balancing between designing for non-humans and humans
Throughout this project, I’ve learned methods to analyse non-human’s umwelts and combining different layers of site analysis and mapping to infer the Bobtail’s behaviours and habitats. The methods of analysis used also help to deepen my understanding of the site from both a human and non-human perspective.
I further evolved my personal graphic style by improving the clarity of the representations and also elevated the layouts of my folio pages.
University of Western Australia
LACH5422 Design Studio - Making (Sem 1 2023)
Studio Coordinator: Gillian Rodoreda (gillian.rodoreda@uwa.edu.au)
The site is currently a carpark that is also used as a thoroughfare between Hay Street and Murray Street but it alsohas the opportunity to be more than a passage. This design takes inspiration from the arcades in the city whichnot only act as passage but also as place.Through the introduction of aesthethic hangout spaces and providing a reason for users to stay, this design aims to create a public open space that is attractive and inviting to users. While mantaining its function as a thoroughfare, this design recreates Fire Station Carpark as the distinct premier public open space of the East End of the City of Perth through facilitating nightlife and daytime activity. By increasing street interaction and introducing spaces that can be used by the variety of users, the increase in activity will also help to improve safety through passive surveillance. Some of these spaces will also have direct views of the surrounding heritage buildings.
Fire Station Carpark is located in the East end of Perth which has few green public open spaces. The vicinity of the site is dull, lifeless and thus uncomfortable to be around. The site itself is utilized as an open air carpark. Glaring sunlight in the summer and strong winds in the winter makes the site and uninviting area to beat all year round. Being a large asphalt area with low biodiversity, it contributes greatly to the Urban Heat Island. The site is in a prime location for a public open space, being adjacent to the Royal Perth Hospital and within walking distance of numerous hotels, offices and commercial areas.
Section showing the topography of the site and design
Section showing the view when you enter the site and the surrounding context
Some of the challenges I faced during this project include:
1) Understanding the relationship between the surrounding built form and the landscape
2) Designing on a site with a steep contour
3) Designing with the site’s cultural and functional context in mind
Throughout this project, I’ve learned methods to design a site according to Australian Standards and the detailing of certain hardscape elements. I also learned to design with a site’s cultural heritage in mind.
In this project, I experimented with a realistic graphic style and I think it turned out alright but still needs more work. I also tried out the contrast between night and day but I probably need to work on the lighting further.
University of Western Australia
LACH3000 Landscape Synthesis Studio (Sem 2 2022)
Studio Coordinator: Sarah May (sarah.may@uwa.edu.au)
Cities all over the world are facing the challenge of balancing urban developement and conservation. Perth is no exception. As a city located in one of the worlds few diversity hotspots, this issue must not be taken lightly. Over the past few decades, Banksia Woodlands have undergone a decline of around 60% and most of the ecological community that remains occur as highly fragmented patches less than 10 ha in size.In the near future, these patches and the Banksias in them will continue deteriorating due to many different factors such as, decline in rainfall, increases in temperature, as well as the ‘urban heat island effect’.There is a wide variety of birds, reptiles and insects which live and gather resources in these bushlands. If we continue losing these bushlands, not only will it lead to the extinction of native fauna, Australia will also lose an important part of its natural heritage.
In this project, I gained a deeper understanding of Western Australia’s bushlands and wildlife. I faced the challenge of designing in a light industrial setting and how I could enhance the spaces and bushlands through landscape architecture. Reconnecting bushlands and ecological corridors is not an easy task and required me to figure out how I could restore native vegetation without impacting the surrounding industrial area. I was also allowed to develop my personal drawing and graphic style. I experimented with a combination of hand drawing and water color style as certain resources such as perfectly cropped trees and plants were not readily available. This challenged my resourcefulness and helped to evolve my graphic style.
Biodiveristy and Ecological Connections Diagram
This diagram shows the density of wildlife in relation to green spaces in Perth and the ecological connections between these green spaces.
Restore Rehabilitate
The first focus of this design is the restoration of these lost habitats to help reconnect the bushlands and slow down and reverse the loss of biodiversity in Shenton Park while reconnecting these areas to King’s Park and Bold Park.
The second focus of this design is to create natural spaces for the users of the site to rest and rehabilitate at through immersing themselves in nature either during their treatment or to take a break from work.
University of Western Australia
LACH2000 Landscape Context Studio (Sem 2 2021)
Studio Coordinator: Christina Nicholson (christina.nicholson@uwa.edu.au)
The brief of this studio is to rejuvenate and develop Russell Square into a place for everyone, meeting the needs of its users while taking into consideration the characteristics of the site. This project also pays special attention to the theory of ‘overlap’ using public life survey findings to help inform the design.
One with Nature aims to rejuvenate Russell Square as an urban parkthat allows interaction between the users and nature. This design adds both functional and aesthetic spaces to allow surrounding residents, businesses and their customers to share the space, creating an overlap between the space and its surroundings.
University of Western Australia
ARLA4506 Research Strategies in Landscape Architecture (Sem 1 2022)
Unit Coordinator: Julian Bolletor (julian.bolleter@uwa.edu.au)
Research Proposal
In this unit, we were tasked with identifying an issue related to our disciplines and to come up with a research question that we were to explore in the future. With my interest in urban ecology and climate change, I chose a topic that was relevant to the present and future that also fit the Australian context.
Climate change has led to many issues, one of them being the rise in frequencies of extreme weather events. One that plagues Australia is extreme heat events (EHEs) where temperatures rise to above 42’C and maintains there for a period of time. This phenomenon not only leads to illness and sometimes death in humans, but for wildlife who are unable to adapt to these changes, mortality is inevitable. Understanding these issues through a comprehensive literature review, my research question focuses on how landscape design strategies can help to mitigate the effect of extreme heat on mortaility rates of Flying Foxes in Brisbane.
University of Western Australia
LACH4505 Critical Theory: ‘isms’ and ‘oligies’ of Landscape Architecture (Sem 1 2023)
Unit Coordinator: Agata Cabanek (agata.cabanek@uwa.edu.au)
In this unit, we were tasked with identifying an influential figure in the field of landscape architecture and conduct a review of their contribution to the field. With urban design and wellness being my interests, I chose one of the pioneers of biophilic design as my subject, Stephen R. Kellert.
Stephen R. Kellert along with Edward O. Wilson were the pioneers of biophilic design. Stephen contributed significantly to the study of biophilic design, helping to promote it and raising awareness to its health and environmental benefits. This paper looked at some case studies of how biophilic design have helped to enhance spaces and their positive effects on human health and well-being.
University of Western Australia
LACH5506 Reconfiguring Terrains (Sem 1 2023)
Unit Coordinator: Asile Wong (asile.wongcheeweng@uwa.edu.au)
In this unit, we were tasked with several grading assignments over the semester followed by a final grading assignment covering the methods of grading learned throughout. These examples showcase my understanding and technical ability to do grading work.
University of Western Australia
LACH5414 Landscape Professional Documents (Sem 2 2023)
Unit Coordinator: Caine Holdsworth (caine.holdsworth@uwa.edu.au)
In this unit, we were tasked with preparing a set of landscape related documents including, detailed, drawings, plans and contracts. This unit exposed me to the standards of documents used in professional practice and helped familiarise me with the contents of a set of landscape documents.
