We do Play Space Design, Landscape Architecture, Garden Design, Educational Environments, Playgrounds
Get Outside provides a specialist landscape architecture service for children's play spaces in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our designs respond to the unique environment and kaupapa of each place and community we work with including early childhood centres, schools, local authorities, local iwi and whānau, creating landscapes and gardens for people of all ages to enjoy living and playing in. We offer a f
ull landscape design service from concept design to detailed documents to overseeing the implementation of our plans.
03/02/2026
Much as I loved teaching, my students and my peers at Wintec, its great to be back transforming spaces again!
Enjoying the creative process, from brainstorming and sketching, to CADing and detailing, to guiding the build and the planting...very satisfying, working with others to turn this drab, dark, chewing gum-plastered “barn” at Papakura High School into a cheerful and colourful social space where the students can enjoy their kai.
Our design evokes the portage this area once was, for the exchange of supplies between hapū of the Manukau Harbour and the Hunuas through river and wetland. Here the fertile soil also enabled the growing of crops for iwi, providing nourishment to the early settlers of Auckland.
Appropriate for this to be a dining area, a source of ora and inspiration for the young tauira of this fabulous kura/school!
01/02/2026
Haere mai, staff and students of 2026! Welcome to your beautiful kura!
01/02/2026
Fun time last week being gardener for a couple of days in the garden we designed for Papakura High School, getting it all ready for the start of the new term. Plants are flourishing from all that summer rain! Reckon every designer should get their hands in the dirt and spend time at the local plant nurseries on a regular basis. Good for the soul....
16/11/2025
Just lovely to see my own grandkids exploring and enjoying this garden i designed for the Auckland Botanic Gardens over 15 years ago. It's still being loved and cared for and looking good!
21/03/2025
Must say I have thoroughly enjoyed this season of teaching landscape design to the wonderful Diploma in Landscape Design students of Wintec, Te Putenga. (Such a shame that this government had to step in and muck things up - we are finishing up at the end of this year - but our time as a nation for a strong focus on protecting and nurturing our environment will come again - hopefully before we do any more really serious damage to it). Have loved passing on my skills and passion for this kaupapa, showing the students some cool projects including some of mine, learning alongside my students and other staff who all bring their own wisdom and knowledge to add to the kete. Time is coming to re-focus on my own business of design through Get Outside Ltd, working with those who work with children to make spaces that inspire their love of nature. The future is in good hands.
24/08/2023
Part 2, Papakura High School new entry garden!
Can always trust the team at Sturt Landscapes to do a fine job of laying out our curves and finding the plants we suggest to make the magic happen.
Ardmore Nurseries came to the party too with some freebies for the school.
Good team effort and makes such a difference to the school!
24/08/2023
Great turn out of the school hāpori on this beautiful morning for the blessing by Matua Haare Williams of the new front entry path and planting at Papakura High.
06/04/2023
Blessed and almost ready for the tamariki to explore when term starts again after the Easter hols! Quite a transformation from the sad old multi-coloured / plastic play structures and fenced off sandpit that was here before (see last pic). Gotta love all those curves :)
02/04/2023
Nailed it! Such fun interpreting nature's ways onto the ground. Nature always does it better though...
26/03/2023
Sometimes it takes years for our concept designs to take shape on the ground. This water play/bank area was conceived in 2015 and is finally nearly done! Love working with Playcentres who really "get" the need for environments that support self-directed play
28/02/2023
Pretty neat when a client sends you pics, two years on, of the garden you envisaged for them and their tamariki to enjoy. I'm not usually a fan of artificial turf in the backyard but this one was for a professional golfer, his wife and two young daughters! Had to be multi-purpose - pitch, putt and play!
Thanks Tara Hendry ☺️
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Get Outside Ltd posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Get Outside is all about providing nature-rich, wonder-filled play gardens and play spaces where children will want to be. We believe children of all abilities need the opportunity to explore natural environments and encounter acceptable risk in order to develop fully as humans. The environments we provide for children hugely impact the quality of their play and learning experiences, and their delight in and connection with the world around them.
All of our designs respond thoughtfully to the unique attributes of a space and the aspirations of our clients in order to achieve the best outcomes for our tamariki. We work closely with play providers and educators in early childhood and school settings, with local authorities, businesses and private clients, designing landscapes for people of all ages to enjoy living and playing in including council parks and residential design. What is good for children is good for all of us!
We offer a full landscape architectural service from concept design through detailed documentation to contract management and overseeing the implementation of our plans.
Jill Rice, Principal Landscape Architect and Director of Get Outside, is also a sought after presenter regarding the provision of natural play and learning environments for children of all abilities. Jill is current chairperson of the International Play Association Aotearoa/ New Zealand branch, represents accredited members of the Garden Design Society of NZ on the GDSNZ Accreditation Board, is an experienced landscape design lecturer and mentor and is a long-term member of both the NZ Institute of Landscape Architects and the Recreation Aotearoa.
Get Outside has offices in Mangatawhiri, Waikato District and in Hauraki Corner, North Shore, Auckland. Contact us via our website www.getoutside.co.nz, or [email protected], +64 211825002.
