The layout of buildings and the external environment is designed to maximise the visual and physical benefit of the water bodies and provide an informal and natural setting for the building. As a contrast to this informality, the park entrance and central meeting square has a more formal character and is treated as a shared surface with pedestrian priority throughout.

The profile has been formed using vegetated steel gabions and coir blankets to enable an alternating treatment of shallow berm and steeper slopes along its length. Pre-grown fibre rolls help naturalise the embankment and create new habitats.