POSTED 11/2025

2025 Winner – Medium Installation

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Advance Plant Services

Project Brief and Vision

QT Gold Coast wanted a cohesive plantscape that could unify multiple hospitality spaces—restaurants,
spa, café and pool terrace—yet remain flexible for seasonal re-styling and events. The brief called for bold,
tropical planting that matched the hotel’s five-star character, while also being practical for high guest
traffic and easy to reposition. Lightweight, durable containers were non-negotiable to allow mobility
without sacrificing plant health.

This vision guided every design decision: containers were chosen as both sculptural anchors and portable
elements, while plant species were selected for their dramatic silhouettes, durability and adaptability to
varied light conditions. The outcome is a living design language that ties together the hotel’s many venues,
supports guest flow, and evolves seamlessly with the client’s changing needs.

Impact on the Space

The design elevates the hotel by using plants and containers as more than decoration—they guide
movement, frame views and shape atmosphere. Sculptural pots act as visual anchors, subtly directing guests from lobby to lifts, spa and pool terrace. A layered palette of tropical foliage softens architectural
volumes, adds lush texture, and creates natural backdrops for photography without blocking circulation.

At Yamagen, the planting shifts to Japanese garden cues, using tractor-seat plants, azaleas and clipped
evergreens to signal the dining experience before guests even enter. Across all venues, the greenery
enhances comfort, reinforces a sense of luxury, and establishes a cohesive visual rhythm that links
diverse spaces while maintaining flexibility for seasonal styling.

Longevity of Design

The plantscape was built for durability, with species matched to real light levels and proven resilience in
high-traffic interiors. Large, long-lived foliage plants provide lasting scale, while adaptable selections—
such as swapping Peace Lilies for Green Congo Philodendrons in brighter lobbies—ensure horticultural
health over time. Containers from cohesive, high-quality collections (Cassero, Garden Life, Graceville) offer
both structural integrity and timeless aesthetics that complement the building’s architecture.

Maintenance is streamlined through double-potting, stone reservoirs and hardy species that extend
watering cycles. Together, these choices create a calm, adaptable design vocabulary that will evolve with
the hotel while retaining its lush, five-star atmosphere.

Plant Selection

Species were chosen for resilience, scale and sustainability. Proven performers such as Fiddle Leaf Fig,
Monstera, Bird of Paradise, Peace Lily, Bamboo Palm and Green Congo Philodendron thrive in indoor hotel
conditions. Their bold silhouettes and layered textures deliver five-star impact while tolerating air
conditioning, relocation and guest traffic. Hardier species extend watering cycles, reducing replacements
and supporting sustainable maintenance.

Containers

Yes—containers were pristine, lightweight and durable. Collections such as Cassero, Garden Life and
Graceville were selected for visual coherence across venues, complementing 1980s architecture while
allowing mobility for seasonal re-styling. Their finish and form reinforced the indoor–outdoor connection
and ensured safety, durability and design continuity.

Top Dressing

Pine bark mulch was used throughout. It complements the neutral container palette, buffers root
temperatures, reduces evaporation, and gradually contributes organic matter—supporting plant health
while presenting a clean, natural finish.

Access and Work Area Obstacles

Hotel loading dock logistics required staged deliveries and rapid movement. Pre-paired plants and
containers minimised time on site. Unfamiliar pot internals were solved with a pop-up bench trial, ensuring
secure double-potting and a safe, efficient installation in public spaces.

Unique Materials

Innovation came through restraint: instead of novelty for its own sake, durable container collections like
Cassero and 87 Degrees were used as storytelling elements. Their sculptural forms provided visual
anchors and wayfinding cues, uniting functionality with design impact.

New Plant Varieties

In Yamagen, tractor-seat plants, azaleas, Buxus and Juniper reinterpreted Japanese garden traditions
indoors. This unusual combination in a hotel setting created narrative-driven planting that evoked water,
blossom and clipped form while remaining practical and low-maintenance.

Innovative Design Features

Colour-coded 87 Degrees pots formed a subtle wayfinding system—calm tones for spa zones, vibrant
hues at restaurants, light shades near glazing. This unconventional approach merged orientation, mood
and aesthetics, making plants central to guest navigation as well as atmosphere.

Maintenance Schedule

The site is serviced fortnightly with recorded water plans for each container. Double-potting with stone
reservoirs extends watering cycles, prevents root stress and enables fast, safe change-outs. Stones are
reused from prior projects, minimising waste while reducing labour and plant stress.

Disease and Pest Control

Plants are inspected on every visit, with natural pesticides and fungicides used wherever possible. Severe
cases are treated off-site before reintroduction, protecting guest areas and nearby stock. Early intervention
ensures high presentation standards and reduces replacement demand.

Environmental Conditions

Light, temperature and humidity were assessed zone by zone and matched to species. Adjustments were
made post-install, such as replacing Peace Lilies with Green Congo Philodendrons in brighter lift lobbies,
ensuring resilience and long-term success.

Use of Sub-Irrigation Technology

A low-tech sub-irrigation buffer was created through stone-reservoir double-potting. This passive system
extends watering intervals, reduces over-watering risk, and conserves water without relying on mechanical
parts prone to failure in 24/7 hospitality environments.

Pruning Practices

Pruning is selective and discreet, focusing on silhouette, airflow and signage clearance. Dead tissue is
removed promptly, crowns are thinned for light penetration, and plants are rotated seasonally. Regular
polishing keeps foliage vibrant and guest-ready.

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