“Streetwise and sustainable” – review by Architecture & Design
Industry publication Architecture & Design reviewed Street Furniture Australia’s sustainability practices and “comprehensive approach to responsible design, waste minimisation and recyclability, repair and spare parts, and sustainable timber.”
Our team was thrilled to see the below article published on September 9, 2020.
All standard products are made-to-order at our Australian factory, under an environmental strategy centred around only bringing quality products into the urban environment.
Streetwise and sustainable
Public places are an essential space for so many different reasons and activities. They help to connect and refresh while often providing respite from the daily workplace routine. Public places are also highly accessible and evolve over time as communities and individuals enjoy the positive qualities of urban landscapes.
Yet these spaces involve more than sharply designed lawns, concrete or paving punctuated with vegetation. Street furniture in all its forms plays a vital role in rendering public places attractive, functional and user-friendly at human scale.
Street Furniture Australia is a noteworthy local manufacturer that understands the value and purpose of street furniture, and how it can help to animate public places. Led by directors Darrel Conybeare and William Morrison, Street Furniture Australia is a longstanding pioneer in the street furniture design movement in Australia. Their design partnership, spanning 40 plus years has significantly shaped public environments through their attention to how and where street furniture enhances urban and not so urban landscapes.
At a landmark moment, Conybeare and Morrison designed the Plaza Seat in 1978, and in response to growing demand for well-designed urban furniture products. In 1986 they established the brand Street Furniture to design and fabricate an emerging street furniture portfolio that would help to reflect a strong sense of place.
In their own words they talk about the need to “bring enjoyment to all those who create, build, maintain and use public places”.
Street Furniture Australia also talks about design quality and how this extends to environmental management and sustainability. Their measures and practices demonstrate a coherent and comprehensive approach to responsible design, waste minimisation and recyclability, repair and spare parts, and sustainable timber.
An indicator of formal company commitment to enhanced integrated management is in part reflected through Street Furniture Australia’s independently certified systems covering:
Quality Management ISO 9001:2015
Environmental Management ISO 14001:2015
OH&S Management ISO 45001:2018 and AS/NZS 4801:2001
Local production is at the core of maintaining quality control and delivering environmentally improved street furniture products. The core range of products is manufactured in Street Furniture Australia’s Western Sydney factory.
However it is the serious attention to thoughtful design that underscores the company’s approach to product development and manufacture that speaks to safety, ergonomics, functionality, low maintenance and extended product life.
If the intent of Street Furniture Australia is to improve the quality of daily life of public citizens using public spaces, then the company’s commitment to durable products that enhance shared landscapes is to be admired and commended.
The Street Furniture Australia factory, in Regents Park, Western Sydney, is both a manufacturing hub and R&D studio for our Australian-designed and made street furniture products. We run fun and informative group events for customers throughout the year, to share how products are designed, tested and built, and the latest products and projects. Director of Tract Julie Lee said: “It was a great opportunity for our team to look behind the scenes and understand the innovation, research and climate positive outcomes Street Furniture Australia is focusing on. Thank you for having us!” Place Design Group Associate, Liam Isaksen, said: “The factory tour is a fun experience to learn about the design and manufacturing process of public furniture we use in landscape architecture design. Seeing the work behind the scenes and …
Did you catch these most-read case studies, furnishing tips, new product announcements and special industry events in your StreetChat updates in 2023? Each month our StreetChat enewsletter publishes new projects, products and trends from the public domain; subscribe to receive it in your inbox. 10. Which design firm can see Longhorn Cattle from their office window? 2 countries. 9 cities. 300 landscape architects. Street Furniture Australia and USA partner Spruce & Gander visited offices in Australia and Texas. There were key similarities and some notable standouts. 9. Jazz at The Mint: Product and Book Launch Sydney landscape architects gathered at the iconic Mint Courtyard to launch a design book by our founding directors Darrel Conybeare and Bill Morrison, and expansions to the Linea collection. 8. 2023 Good Cause Giveaway goes to …
Street Furniture Australia has designed and built prototype charging stands as part of a Transport for NSW program to deliver free phone chargers at 15 Sydney train stations. Developed by Street Furniture Australia’s inhouse industrial designers in collaboration with Transport for NSW, the prototypes offer wireless, USB-A and USB-C charging, and can power 7 devices at once. They were built at the Street Furniture Australia factory in Western Sydney. Two Power Spots are now installed at Liverpool and Campbelltown stations. The $1 million Power Spots Project rollout to 15 transport hubs including Bankstown, Hurstville, Lidcombe, Penrith, Wynyard, Central, Town Hall and Bondi Junction will be completed by late 2024. NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the Power Spots provide peace of mind: “In the modern world, our phones are our …
A new 400-page strategic handbook has been released by World Bank Group to help cities unlock ‘hidden value’ by working with public and private partners and communities to invest in the co-creation of human-centered, sustainable, economically vibrant and socially inclusive public spaces. Smart and sustainable strategies implemented across public-space asset life cycles yield returns on investment far exceeding monetary costs, the authors say, and enhance city livability, resilience, and competitiveness. According to the report, while globally about a third of a city’s land area is covered by public spaces, the potential of public-space assets to transform cities and improve urban life is often overlooked. “The resulting degradation of public spaces into congested, vehicle-dominated, and polluted places often becomes a liability, creating a downward spiral that drains public resources and exacerbates …
The Australian fires have burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares, destroyed more than 2,800 homes and killed at least 34 people. An estimated one billion animals have been killed and some endangered species may face extinction. And they are still burning. Our team is especially thinking of the communities who have lost loved ones and homes, and of the volunteers still fighting bushfires in this national crisis. After some discussion about how we can do our bit to help, Street Furniture Australia has allocated funds to support the reconstruction of Batemans Bay in NSW. This south coast town became a disaster zone over the new year as residents and tourists fled to evacuation centres and the beach. Hundreds of buildings, including homes, have been lost. Fires still continue to threaten …
Street Furniture Australia, as a corporate partner of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), supports the declaration of a Climate and Biodiversity Loss Emergency. The company plans to set ambitious new targets, alongside ongoing environmental efforts. “Street Furniture Australia is wholeheartedly behind this visionary step from AILA, in taking a leadership role to accelerate action against climate change in our industry,” says Co-Founder and Director Bill Morrison. “We are putting together a list of strong targets, informed by sustainability experts, to ensure immediate and effective action. “We hope to collaborate with AILA, AILA members, our customers and suppliers, and other AILA corporate partners, to see where joint efforts can make large impacts.” Street Furniture Australia will continue to: Maintain an Integrated Management System including the ISO certification in Environmental …
