Designing Sculpture That Works in a Landscape | The Front Garden EP153

The Front Garden

The Front Garden
Designing Sculpture That Works in a Landscape | The Front Garden EP153
Sep 30, 2026 Season 15 Episode 153 Lump Sculture

In this episode…

Have a sculptural feature in mind, but aren’t sure how it will work on site? Bringing a fabricator into the conversation early can help shape the design and resolve practical questions before construction begins.

Host Adam Hompas speaks with Timothea Jewell and Chris Vassallo of Lump Sculpture Studio. What began with water features made in a garage has grown into a studio creating outdoor sculptures, decorative screens, planters, and public art. Their work has kept them closely connected to the landscaping industry, from show gardens to projects designed with landscape architects and contractors. 

Timothea and Chris explain the different ways a project can arrive at their studio: as a detailed specification, a rough sketch, or a request for an existing piece. They discuss how conversations about levels, weight, fixing, engineering, and installation help turn an idea into something that works in its setting. A large public commission in Papua New Guinea shows how those decisions extend to transport and assembly.

The conversation also looks at the demands of public spaces, where sightlines, climbability, reflections, and maintenance can affect a design. For anyone designing, specifying, or building landscapes, it’s a useful reminder that creative work gets stronger when the people making and installing it can contribute early.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • When to involve a fabricator in a landscape design.
  • How a rough sketch can develop into a workable feature.
  • Why levels, weight, and fixing methods matter before installation.
  • What transport and assembly can add to a large sculpture brief.
  • Which public space considerations may affect a sculptural feature.
  • How new fabrication tools have expanded Lump Sculpture Studio’s work.

 

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👁️‍🗨️ About Lump Sculpture Studio

Lump Sculpture Studio was founded by Timothea Jewell and Chris Vassallo in 2000. The studio designs and fabricates outdoor sculptures, decorative screens, planters, water features, and public art, working with landscape designers, architects, and contractors.

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The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

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