Design & architecture
Concept, detailed design and full documentation by our in-house architect — landscapes, alfresco structures and stand-alone building design, all drawn to comply with ACT planning frameworks.
Landscape · Building Design · Construction
Fractal is a design-led landscape studio in Canberra — taking new-build blocks and tired outdoor spaces and turning them into spaces of inspiration and relaxation.
Who we are
Most new homes in Canberra are handed over as a blank slate of compacted clay. We turn that ground into something lasting — designed by our in-house architect, compliant with regulation, conscious of climate and sympathetic to its environment.
What we do
Concept, detailed design and full documentation by our in-house architect — landscapes, alfresco structures and stand-alone building design, all drawn to comply with ACT planning frameworks.
Excavation, debris removal, topographic levelling, soil remediation and subsurface drainage — the structural groundwork that protects everything built on top of it.
Retaining walls, terracing and steps, paving, alfresco extensions, custom decking and pergolas — engineered to last.
Architect-grade plant selection — frost-hardy, drought-tolerant natives and exotics — instant turf, articulated boundary planting and living privacy screens.
Automated sub-surface drip irrigation, fire-pit and social zones, and feature lighting — the details that make a garden inviting from morning through to evening.
A maintenance package is offered alongside every build, so a young garden is established and kept at its best as it grows into the site.
Clay to oasis
On Canberra's rolling clay blocks, a beautiful garden begins underground — with the right levels, retention and drainage. Because we hold the whole project, the structure beneath your garden is designed and built to the same standard as the parts you see.
That single line of accountability — from the first drawing to the last plant — is the difference between a garden that photographs well and one that still performs in ten years.
Selected work
A mix of completed Canberra projects and design visualisations for gardens currently on the board.
How we work
We listen, survey the block and draw. Our architect develops a concept that fits the site, the budget and the way you want to live outdoors.
Engineering, compliance and the paperwork — Landscape Management & Protection Plans, setbacks and approvals — handled before we break ground.
Tight-access machinery and a small, skilled crew deliver the earthworks, retention, drainage and hardscaping with minimal disruption.
Climate-resilient planting, turf, irrigation and lighting, all designed to complement each other and deliver the original vision — then we help to nurture and maintain the design as it evolves into a living ecosystem with its own character and flare.
The studio
Fractal is owned and run by Farnaz Geramian and Jonathon Durden. Farnaz leads design and architecture — the drawings, the engineering and the approvals. Jonathon leads delivery — client communication and the physical management of every build, on site, start to finish.
Design & Architecture
Farnaz’s super power is her ability to listen and hear a client’s vision and translate that vision into an executable and practical design. Farnaz’s many years of experience both in Australia and overseas; her passion for design; and her empathy with light, space and living things always translates into stunning, unique, beautiful and practical environments.
Construction & Delivery
Runs the build — programme, crew and craft — so the finished landscape authentically delivers the design in a sustainable, durable and cost-conscious way.
Jonathan’s super power is his attention to detail, born, in part from his previous career in the military, but also a passion for replicating the intricate detail of the natural environment. He treats every project as if it was his own garden and prides himself on the quality, durability and detail of his work.
Start a project
New build or established home, a full clay-to-oasis package or a single retaining wall — we'd love to hear what you're planning. Send a few details and we'll be in touch to arrange a site visit.