Within architectural and urban landscapes, street furniture plays an important role in inviting communities to enjoy the public realm. Furniture selection can also contribute to establishing the character and identity of the locale. In a new book, ‘…creating a sense of place’ published by Piper Press, two architects, Darrel Conybeare and Bill Morrison, detail their lifelong mission to design and manufacture street furniture that brings a sense of belonging.
The duo created the archetypal Australian park bench in 1978 to furnish an urban design project: City Walk Public Domain in Canberra’s Civic, ACT. They explored universal design principles and durable materials to produce a seat to stand the test of time, with a design language attuned to the public space. The much-loved Classic Plaza Seat is still popular in the market and has been specified internationally.
Street Furniture Australia is now a thriving manufacturing business based in Western Sydney, Australia. The award-winning team continues to innovate with products that elevate the public space experience.
Launched today, ‘…creating a sense of place’, with a foreword by University of New South Wales former Dean of Built Environment Helen Lochhead, is a resource for architects, landscape architects, urban planners, industrial designers and design enthusiasts. Readers will find design guidelines within, illustrated with case studies and insights into the creative process.
Lochead writes, “This experimental Australian start-up generated a whole new industry, and has grown into a company with international reach. This would only have been possible with a range of quality furniture that responds to and enhances the local identity and character of each place.”
Australian architect Andrew Andersons AO said, “This excellent publication details the history of a company that has helped transform the public domain of Australian cities. Essential reading for architects, landscape architects and anyone interested in the public spaces of our cities.”
Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture former president, and Seoul National University professor Kyung Jin Zoh said, “As a landscape architect, I believe the perfection of public space design is in the detail of street furniture. The story of two master designers and their colleagues is informative, compelling and even touching.”
University of New South Wales industrial design senior lecturer Dr Mariano Ramirez said, “Their commitment to creating furniture that enhances the aesthetics, functionality and identity of public spaces is truly inspiring.”
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 …
Landscape architects are coming together around Australia in 2023 to celebrate Tract, one of Australia’s most seasoned leading firms. Established in 1973 by founders David Yencken and John Ridge, at a time when few landscape practices were on the scene, Tract looked to bring landscape architecture, planning and urban design under the one roof. As one of the early players it has fostered the careers of some of Australia’s most respected practitioners. Linda Corkery, founding director of the Landscape Foundation of Australia, and former Australian Institute of Landscape Architects president, worked with the Sydney office from 1988-1990. “At the time Tract already had an acknowledged signature and style,” she says. “I learned from Julie Lee, Director of Landscape, the precise combinations and layering techniques to achieve the quality of Tract’s …
Street Furniture Australia has now gamified our presentations, which were well-received by Brisbane firms who booked Studio Workshops in June. Adam Grant, Organisational Psychologist, once said: “Play is not a frivolous activity. It’s a path to connection and creativity.” Street Furniture Australia therefore offered teams a hands-on experience to learn about new products and bond with colleagues. A fun – and fast – rapid ideation game brought new products to life in the meeting room. Designers had just 10 minutes to create a playground experience to bring enjoyment to a user persona, which were selected from our human-centred design research into the education market. Prizes for the winning team raised the stakes and brought out a fun competitive spirit. Presenter Tiffany Hoy, Content and Presentations Manager with Street Furniture Australia, …
Sydney landscape architects and friends gathered at The Mint in the CBD on May 10, 2023 to celebrate the launch of new products and a design book with Street Furniture Australia and AILA NSW. A highlight of the evening was introducing ‘… creating a sense of place,’ a book by founding directors Darrel Conybeare and Bill Morrison, which tells the story of two young architects successfully launching their public furniture design and manufacturing business. The book will be available from July 2023 on Book Depository, Amazon and select bookstores. The Linea VT collection and Linea Curved Seat were also unveiled, providing dynamic options for curved aluminium and timber seating. The event was filled with live jazz music, delicious food and drinks, and lively conversations among our guests. We would like …
