2025 Landscape of the Year – Victorian Landscape Industry Awards

COS Design’s Peninsula Project

Awarded Landscape of the Year at the 2025 Victorian Landscape Industry Awards, COS Design’s Peninsula Project is a masterclass in coastal restraint, technical excellence, and deeply personal design.

Lauren Bianchi | 16 Jan 2026 | 5 min read | Photography: Erik Holt

Some landscapes have a way of stopping you in your tracks, not because they demand attention, but because they feel instantly, unmistakably right. COS Design’s Peninsula Project is one of those spaces.

Calm, coastal, and deeply considered, this award-winning landscape blends architecture, materiality, and atmosphere to create an outdoor environment that feels more like a retreat than a residential garden. From the sweeping lines of the pool to the layered transitions between alfresco living, recreation, and quiet reflection, every element has been carefully crafted to support restoration, connection, and ease.

Built on ambition and trust, the project was shaped by a high-pressure brief, a tight timeline, and a shared commitment to delivering something deeply personal. The result is a landscape that speaks softly but confidently, where technical excellence recedes into the experience of simply being there.

It’s no surprise, then, that the Peninsula Project was awarded Landscape of the Year at the Victorian Landscape Industry Awards 2025.

Award Recognition

At the 2025 Victorian Landscape Industry Awards, the Peninsula Project received multiple honours, including:

• Landscape of the Year

• Gold - Best Pool in the Landscape

• Gold - Best Landscape Design over 250m²

• Silver – Softscaping in the Landscape

For Steve Taylor, Managing Director of COS Design, the recognition marked a deeply personal milestone.

“This project required me to draw on every one of my 30 years in the industry; the blood, the sweat, and yes, the occasional tear. To see it recognised at this level is quite simply the proudest moment of my career.”

The Brief

The client approached COS Design after unsuccessful attempts with previous designers, searching for what he described as “the missing piece of the puzzle.”

His expectations were exacting. He wanted a design that would blow him away on every level and integrate seamlessly with the home, the barn, and the surrounding coastal environment. The brief included a hero pool, alfresco entertaining areas, sun decks, a fire pit, an outdoor bath and shower, and full amenities to support year-round use.

While the scope allowed for creativity, it also demanded rigorous attention to detail and layered planning. COS Design Managing Director Steve Taylor developed a strong concept early on and consistently carried it through to town planning approvals, engineering, 3D design development, and complex construction coordination.

Scope of Works

The project involved a comprehensive redesign of the property’s external spaces. It brought together landscape architecture, pool design, structural elements, civil considerations, and lifestyle amenities into one cohesive vision.

COS Design managed full building permit documentation in-house, delivered extensive design detailing, and coordinated across multiple trade disciplines, from pool specialists and structural builders to landscape contractors.

A Pool as the Emotional Anchor

Central to the design was the pool, not simply as a feature, but as the emotional and visual anchor of the entire landscape.

Surrounding elements were carefully planned to support this focal point, ensuring movement, sightlines, and materials worked together in harmony with the coastal setting. Behind the scenes, the success of the design relied heavily on technical precision. Steve Taylor reflects, 

“The hidden hero of this project is the level of technical knowledge, precision documentation, innovation, problem solving, and infinite attention to detail. Design is one thing, execution is another.” 

Challenges

The project presented challenges from the outset. The client’s background in large-scale development introduced a fast-paced, high-pressure mindset, while the bespoke nature of the design demanded sensitivity and precision.

A six-month timeline, capped by a firm “swim by Christmas” deadline, added complexity. Ongoing design refinements, site conditions, and the integration of new technologies required adaptability and clear communication across all parties involved.

Collaboration and Construction Excellence

While the design vision was strong, its success relied on exceptional execution.

Coastal Builders acted as the overarching builder, coordinating a high-performing team through a demanding and weather-affected construction program. TJ Pool Constructions and Hathaway Landscape delivered outstanding workmanship, ensuring every design detail was realised to the highest standard.

Despite significant time pressure, the project became what COS Design later described as a “masterclass in precision building, communication, and teamwork.”

The Result

The completed landscape is a refined, modern coastal sanctuary. Luxurious yet deeply personal, and designed to endure.

Spaces flow effortlessly between architecture, pool, planting zones, and lifestyle areas, delivering the “missing piece” the client had been seeking. With the garden now established, the property exudes calm, warmth, and a strong sense of belonging.

“From my very first sketch on site through to stacking firewood with the client on Christmas Eve, this project has been incredibly humbling. The garden has a soul. It’s a space that genuinely improves wellbeing. Creating that for our clients makes the last 30 years of hard work entirely worthwhile.”

The client describes the space as their “forever happy place,” a powerful measure of the project’s emotional success.

For COS Design, being named Landscape of the Year represents the culmination of 30 years of experience, innovation, and refinement. The Peninsula Project stands as the proudest achievement in the company’s journey to date.

About the Victorian Landscape Industry Awards

The Victorian Landscape Industry Awards celebrate excellence across design, construction, horticulture, and innovation, recognising the state’s most skilled and committed landscaping professionals.

Winning Landscape of the Year represents one of the industry’s highest honours, acknowledging exceptional project delivery, leadership, and professionalism.

Thinking about entering the awards?

Entries for the Victorian Landscape Industry Awards are open exclusively to Landscaping Victoria members. It's one of the many benefits of being part of Victoria’s peak landscaping body.

If the 2025 Landscape of the Year winner has sparked ideas, now is the perfect time to start documenting your projects and thinking about a submission for the 2026 awards. Entries will open in July, and winners will be announced at the gala awards in November. 

From residential gardens to large-scale landscapes, the awards celebrate excellence across design, construction, horticulture, and innovation.

Not a member yet? There’s no better time to join. Membership gives you access to awards entry, industry recognition, professional support, and a connected community that champions quality, professionalism, and pride in our industry.

👉 Learn more about becoming a member of Landscaping Victoria.