A First Look at Georges River Council’s Prototype ChillOUT Hubs
Installing panels for prototype solar power option.
We’re pleased to share that the construction of our three ChillOUT Hubs is nearing completion, part of a pilot study for the Australian Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs Program.
ChillOUT Hubs are smart, open-air community spaces. The prototype installations offer people a free, comfortable place to meet, work and play. They also enable asset managers to monitor utilities, visitation and the microclimate.
The official launch will take place in February 2020. The collaborative team of Georges River Council, UNSW and Street Furniture Australia will also host a series of events including a Council Knowledge Exchange, industry hackathon and tours to site.
The data at the Kogarah hub is now live on UNSW’s smart asset management dashboard.
Street art is scheduled to go onto the ground plane, with cooling pavement paint.
This ChillOUT Hub offers a place to take a break along a busy thoroughfare, connecting the train station, hospital, library and offices. Office workers may choose to work outdoors, connecting to WiFi and plugging in laptops.
Visitors paused on their journey from station to hospital, or used the hub at lunch.Installing the smart tree prototypes. Aria connectors make a prototype seat around the smart tree.
A Town Centre – Mortdale
The ChillOUT Hub prototype in Mortdale tests a completely off-the-grid solar powered solution. The solar panels are now up and running. Cooling paint supergraphics are also scheduled for installation at this site.
Installed in the heart of a suburban town centre, it is a central meeting point for locals to dine, rest and catch up.
Mortdale’s ChillOUT features a long table and prototype solar power. Assembling the solar panels (prototype only) and smart tree shades.Installing the smart tree prototypes.
A Park – Timothy Reserve, Hurstville
This hub is now installed, with more greenery added to the planters. Data is live from the smart trees, and a weather station is set up. A smart fountain will also be installed to gather more data.
This ChillOUT prototype offers a place for picnics, parties and family gatherings. Plug in a speaker for music, and keep devices charged. The lookout table is designed for parents to comfortably supervise children in the playground.
The Timothy Reserve ChillOUT Hub. Assembling the prototype smart tree. Construction underway on the Timothy Reserve ChillOUT Hub.
To celebrate the unveiling of the Piatto Chair at our annual product launch party with AILA NSW in Sydney, Jazz at The Mint, clients were invited to enter this quirky contest. The competition called for teams to incorporate Piatto Chairs into an ‘Awkward Family Photo’ portrait, for a chance to win Piatto Chairs of their very own. Congratulations to the creative crew from Yerrabingin, who delivered the strongest awkward family vibes on the night. Highly commended goes to the entrants below, and the full photo gallery from the event is available for viewing. Please contact marketing@streetfurniture.com if you would like to request a high res file to print and frame for your best room.
Clients from Sydney, Adelaide, California and Texas joined Street Furniture Australia and AILA NSW to celebrate the unveiling of new products on March 14, 2024, with margaritas and live music. Jazz at The Mint is an annual product launch held at The Mint, an iconic site in the heart of the Sydney CBD. It is an elegant affair and a unique opportunity to connect with landscape architects and built environment professionals at a global scale. This year’s party featured the new Linea Planter System and upcoming Piatto Chair, a single-seater hybrid between cafe and robust public space furniture – available now for specifications. The gathering was opened by Uncle Allan Murray, representing the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, with speeches from: Ben Stockwin, AILA CEO, acknowledged the 10 year relationship with …
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. This tour is open to design specifiers such as landscape architects and architects, and place custodians including Councils, government agencies, developers and other place managers. 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 …
Configure Aria seats and benches with the new desktop Build Aria app – simply drag and drop the modules into place, change the colours and switch up the arms and legs. 1. Select your base Aria. Add 1, 2 or 3 seater sections, or connector panels. 2. Experiment with colours and materials for the frames and battens. Apply to the whole seat, or just one section – including the backrest. 3. Add arms. Change the legs between Post, Splay or a combination of both. 4. Take a photo of your masterpiece. Download the image, or email it to yourself. The email will include a code for ordering your Aria configuration. Build Aria is also available with augmented reality on iPhone and iPad, free to download on the App Store.
How might we increase community connectivity, enable knowledge exchange and provide flexible spaces to meet, work and play? ChillOUT, a collaborative project by Georges River Council, UNSW and Street Furniture Australia, seeks to answer this question. Cities are becoming compact. With this increase in high density living there is greater pressure on public space to provide opportunities to rest, connect with community and immerse in nature. What are ChillOUT Hubs? ChillOUT Hubs are prototype smart open-air community spaces. Each hub is configured using a modular system of Smart Tree shade structures, street furniture and integrated technology. They feature public WiFi, device charging, seats and tables, smart bins, smart drinking fountains, lighting, planter boxes and artwork. One of the sites – in Mortdale – runs via solar power. Sensors will monitor …
Georges River Council’s partnership with UNSW and Street Furniture Australia has received a Highly Commended Award for Cross Sectoral Collaboration at the 2019 Smart City Awards by the Committee for Sydney. The awards celebrate projects and partnerships that address the fundamental challenges faced by cities, governments, industry and communities in Greater Sydney. The three partners were recognised for their collaboration on creating smart social spaces that improve the amenity and user experience of public open spaces, as well as helping to mitigate urban heat island effects at the micro level. The trio is one of the few teams to win both Round 1 and Round 2 grants from the Australian Government’s $50m Smart Cities and Suburbs Program. The Round 1 project, Smart Social Spaces, investigated how smart furniture can be …
