Austen Landscape Architects

An Exciting New Chapter for Keith!

After 6 years with our team, Keith is moving on to a new chapter.

Joining the practice just before the pandemic, he quickly became a reliable and steady part of the team through a challenging and uncertain period.

Over the years, Keith has been involved in designing and delivering a wide variety of projects from housing developments and private gardens to site surveys, planting plans, inspections of design builds, motorways and key road networks , and major public realm projects including the Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway.

Thoughtful, hard working, and always a gentleman, Keith has been a pleasure to work alongside.

We thank him for all of his work and wish him every success in his next adventure!

🌿 Portarlington Park🌿 

We were delighted to attend the official opening of the People’s Park in Portarlington, Co. Laois, a bright spring day and a fantastic community event, brought to life by a live brass band and thoughtful contributions from local leaders and stakeholders.

The event featured an address from Minister Dara Calleary TD (Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht), a welcome from Angela McEvoy (Director of Services: Planning, Regeneration & Economic Development, Laois County Council), and a passionate contribution from Caroline Whitelegg (Acting Chairperson, People’s Park Committee & Tidy Towns Committee), reflecting decades of dedication and true community spirit. Mark Sheeran, local business owner and Chairperson of the Mountrath Town Team, also shared remarks, alongside a community representative who spoke to the importance of ongoing stewardship.

ALA were commissioned by and coordinated with Laois County Council to deliver the enhancement of this important public space. We are proud to have contributed to a project that places community, accessibility, and biodiversity at its core. Our approach focused on creating a more inclusive and engaging environment which included:

🌿 A new plaza designed to support arts and community events
🌿 A highly interactive sensory garden with a strong emphasis on accessibility, education, and biodiversity whilst also showcasing local artists with unique and creative sculptures
🌿 The enhancement of the existing Mountrath River Walk – reimagined as more accessible and rich with native Irish species and featuring a ‘Tree Trail’. Also strengthening existing connections to key heritage spaces such as the Quaker Graveyard.

We also wish to acknowledge Brian Gaynor for his early work on biodiversity strategies in Mountrath, which helped inform the direction of the project.
Projects such as these demonstrate how thoughtful, well-considered landscape design can meaningfully support biodiversity, enhance community wellbeing, and strengthen lasting connections between people and place.