Mott MacDonald Co-Authors Industry-Led Nature Design Guide to Advance Nature-Positive Built Environments
Mott MacDonald, the global engineering, management, and development consultancy, has co-authored the newly launched Nature Design Guide, a landmark industry resource created by a diverse coalition of experts, researchers, designers, and practitioners across Australia’s built environment sector. Officially unveiled today, the Guide offers a transformative framework that encourages architects, developers, and planners to integrate nature-positive and country-centred approaches into every stage of design and development.
Available online and as a downloadable PDF, the Nature Design Guide is positioned as a comprehensive and practical reference for professionals shaping the future of urban environments. It includes a Country and Nature Design Tool—a decision-support system that helps project teams embed ecological and cultural considerations into their design process. The Guide’s core purpose is to empower the built environment sector to move beyond sustainability as a concept of harm reduction, and instead to actively regenerate ecosystems, restore biodiversity, and build climate-resilient, livable spaces that respect Australia’s unique landscapes and Indigenous knowledge systems.
A Practical, Industry-Led Framework
Developed collaboratively through extensive research, case studies, and professional dialogue, the Nature Design Guide combines traditional and scientific knowledge, design methodologies, and practical applications. The document features real-world examples and best-practice case studies that demonstrate the tangible benefits of embedding nature and Country values early in project planning. These examples show measurable improvements in community well-being, biodiversity outcomes, and climate resilience when environmental and cultural priorities are incorporated from the outset.
The Guide serves as both an educational and operational tool. It outlines key concepts, frameworks, and step-by-step processes to help practitioners apply nature-positive principles effectively. From early concept development to detailed design and delivery, the resource offers decision-making tools and checklists to guide teams in selecting solutions that restore ecological balance and strengthen cultural connections. Its practical approach ensures that environmental goals are not just aspirational but integrated into project outcomes and long-term management strategies.
Wide-Ranging Collaboration Across Sectors
The Nature Design Guide is the result of a collaborative partnership among leading organisations and experts across multiple disciplines. Contributors include Mott MacDonald, Lendlease, OCULUS, Nature & Climate, Fytogreen, Living Futures Institute Australia, Arcadis, Living Seawalls, Curtin University, Francisii Ecology, Harrington & Low Consulting, Mansfield Advisory, Global GreenTag International, Hollow Log Homes, and AECOM.
This coalition represents a cross-section of Australia’s environmental, architectural, and engineering communities, with expertise spanning urban ecology, environmental science, property development, sustainable construction, materials innovation, regenerative design, and higher education. The result is a guide informed by practical, scientific, and cultural perspectives that encourage a shared commitment to rethinking how built environments interact with natural systems.
Mott MacDonald’s Contribution: Regenerating Land and Restoring Connection
Mott MacDonald played a key authorship role in the Land section of the Nature Design Guide, which focuses on protecting and regenerating natural landforms, improving soil health, and integrating urban greening strategies that connect cities to surrounding natural landscapes. This section emphasises that every project, regardless of scale, presents an opportunity to restore ecological function, enhance land productivity, and reconnect people with nature.
The Guide highlights that regenerative land practices are not only vital for biodiversity but also for climate resilience and community well-being. They help mitigate the impacts of urban heat, improve air and water quality, and promote a sense of belonging through place-based design approaches that acknowledge Australia’s Indigenous heritage and knowledge.
Frances Badelow, Managing Director for Australia at Mott MacDonald, underscored the company’s commitment to nature-led innovation, saying:
“The future of the built environment depends on how well we learn from, design with, and care for nature. That’s integral to our approach at Mott MacDonald. The Nature Design Guide responds to growing calls from investors, clients, communities, and regulators for stronger nature outcomes in projects, and aligns with global and national biodiversity and sustainability goals. It positions Australia as a leader in nature-positive design.”
Inspiring the Next Generation of Leaders
The Nature Design Guide aims not only to inform current professionals but also to inspire new generations of leaders in environmental and design sectors. Abigail Heywood, Environmental Sustainability Expert and Climate Action & Nature Impact Advocate, who led the development of the Guide, emphasised its collaborative spirit and evolving nature.
“We hope that more leaders will emerge through interaction with the Nature Design Guide,” Heywood said. “It was important that this document be collaborative—sharing diverse knowledge and perspectives that readers can quickly engage with and apply to projects. It is our collective response to the growing call for stronger nature outcomes in the built environment.”
Heywood noted that the Guide was conceived as a living document, designed to evolve as new data, technologies, and design methodologies emerge. This adaptive framework ensures that future editions can reflect advancements in nature-based solutions, climate science, and sustainable construction.
She further explained that the team intentionally made the Guide practical and accessible, offering step-by-step support for every phase of design and delivery. The ultimate goal is to empower decision-makers to choose options that maximize benefits for people, planet, and prosperity simultaneously.
A Resource for a Regenerative Future
The Nature Design Guide is now available to support a broad range of stakeholders — from designers, developers, and planners to policymakers, communities, and industry leaders. It serves as both a call to action and a practical manual for reshaping the built environment with nature and Country at its core.
By providing actionable strategies and uniting diverse disciplines around shared goals, the Guide marks a significant milestone in Australia’s journey toward a regenerative, climate-resilient, and nature-positive future — one where the built and natural environments thrive together in harmony.