ChillOUT Tree, our first modular shade system, has won a prestigious Good Design Award – at Gold level – for outstanding innovation in the Product Design, Commercial and Industrial category.
The award is shared by Street Furniture Australia with ChillOUT Hub collaborators – Georges River Council, UNSW and the University of Sydney – partners in prototyping, installing, testing and researching these smart outdoor community spaces as part of a pilot project for the federal Smart Social Spaces program.
The Good Design Awards are the highest honour for design and innovation in the country. Entries are evaluated by Australian and international Jurors – including designers, engineers, architects and thought leaders – according to a strict set of criteria including Good Design, Design Innovation and Design Impact.
Recognition at the Gold level means ChillOUT Tree exceeded the judging criteria.
The Good Design Awards Jury said: “The ChillOUT Tree is a great example of the benefits of collaborative effort and good research. From designers spending time in outdoor community areas, to referencing evidence-based university research and using full scale study models to consult with councils, the design delivers a well-considered shade structure for people to gather.
“Taking inspiration from real trees, the modular connecting roof struts mount to a single pole structure, that when installed in a group, can create a real place of gathering. Various shade types, varying heights, adaptable LED lighting and device charging are all easily serviceable and upgradeable. Congratulations.”
Dr. Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia and Chair of the Australian Good Design Awards said: “To be recognised with an Australian Good Design Award is a significant achievement, given the incredibly high standard of projects submitted in this year’s Awards. The Good Design Award is a valuable independent endorsement of professional design quality. It tells the world this project not only represents design excellence, but it also surpasses the criteria for design innovation and design impact.”
“We know that good design, when used effectively, can improve our quality of life and make the world around us better, safer, more efficient and more beautiful. It is clear from this year’s winning projects that investment in professional design delivers real impact – be it at a commercial, environmental or societal level. As our world transitions to a less-carbon intensive future, a design-led approach to solving problems and delivering meaningful impact is going to become more critical.”
Head of New Product Design with Street Furniture Australia, Francis McArdle, said: “Our team is delighted and humbled to receive this award – especially at Gold level – which is so highly respected and sought-after in the industrial design community.
“ChillOUT Tree breaks new ground in industrial design in a number of ways – through cross-sector collaboration, rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing and challenging what castings can do.
“The response to this product has been amazing, even exceeding expectations. We are excited to see where ChillOUT Tree can go and how it can help improve public spaces for communities.”
The 2022 Good Design Award ‘Tick’ trophy is made from one kilogram of compressed Australian post-consumer plastic, with an Australian-sourced extruded aluminium tick.
Prototypes tested since 2019 with partners Georges River Council, University of Sydney and UNSW.
Optional powered version includes LED lighting ring.
Optional powered version includes device charging.
Configures seamlessly with Street Furniture Australia seating, tables and planters. See technical sheet.
Successful products are often followed by copycats. Over the past year we have become aware of an increase in reproductions of the Linea range attempting to create a similar aesthetic at a lower price. This can compromise the overall durability and environmental credentials of projects being delivered, affect ongoing maintenance requirements, and in some instances pose a risk of injury to the public. The design of Linea is deceptively simple while delivering exceptional attention to detail. Details matter not only for beauty, but also for providing durability, and safety, that will last decades. Linea strictly uses the highest quality and sustainable materials, has passed rigorous strength tests, and is designed for longevity, with easily replaceable parts. The product range is the result of hundreds of hours of research and development …
Melissa Gerke, our Communications and Education Specialist, is bringing a fun, interactive and informative presentation about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to customers in cities around Australia and in the US. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) we will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). 2024 cities and dates include: Select from three catering options (optional): To book, contact Melissa Gerke mgerke@streetfurniture.com
Street Furniture Australia’s entire product range and manufacturing operation has received carbon neutral certification through Climate Active™. Achieving carbon neutral certification marks a significant milestone in our operation and the culmination of a four year long process of detailed measurement and analysis. Climate Active™ is the only Australian government-backed carbon neutral certification programme for businesses to measure, reduce, and offsets their carbon emissions. It is one of the most rigorous carbon-neutral programs in the world. An approved Emissions Reduction Strategy (ERS) is central to achieving certification through Climate Active. Street Furniture Australia has elected to use SBTi validated science-based targets to ensure their ERS is meaningful and aligns with the 2015 Paris Agreement – to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. For those emissions that can’t be …
ChillOUT Hubs: Smart Social Spaces Creating Connected Green Places has won a National Award for Best Planning Ideas – Small Project from the PIA (Planning Institute of Australia), the national body representing planning and the planning profession. Collaborators UNSW, Street Furniture Australia, Georges River Council and University of Sydney have received recognition for an “outstanding planning idea” in the smart open-air community ChillOUT Hubs that offer shelter, furniture, greenery, public WiFi and power for devices. ChillOUT Hub prototypes were installed in 2020 at three sites in the Georges River Council area – a busy streetscape in Kogarah, town centre in Mortdale, and suburban park in Hurstville. They were co-developed by the collaborative team initially formed in 2018 for the Australian Smart Cities and Suburbs program. Street Furniture Australia thanks CM+ …
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 …
Australia’s first locally designed and made smart bench, with outdoor device charging and provision for WiFi and sensors, has received a prestigious Good Design Award Winner Accolade for outstanding design and innovation. The Aria Smart Bench is Street Furniture Australia’s first foray into the smart cities movement, says Head of Innovation June Lee Boxsell. “For us, smart cities has two aspects. First, human-centred: we aim to bring enjoyment to public spaces and create meaningful experiences for the community. One way Aria Smart Bench answers this need is through modularity,” says Boxsell. “Site specific solutions are important for activating public spaces. Each place has its own identity, community, history. Just as at Nike you can design your own shoe, with Aria you can design your own bench without having to build …
