Please, tell us about yourself. What drew you to landscape architecture? And academia?
My father was German born in Palestine – my mother in Manly, Sydney. The British arrested the Germans in 1942 and sent them to Australia – they had started what is now the city of Tel Aviv.
They were put in a camp for seven years in Victoria and when they got out they became farmers on the Hawkesbury and in the Blue Mountains – so for my formative years I had family in the west and on the coast.
This was a strong landscape experience on both fronts.
Do you miss Australia? Differences between landscape architecture in Australia and the US?
I’ve lived away from Australia before and never miss it. I’m too deeply engaged with what I’m doing at any given moment to be homesick or nostalgic.
The differences are not great in practice but academia is very different. Many say Penn is the best school in the world (some would say Harvard) and so it’s a great experience to be leading such a school.
How do you see the future of landscape architecture? How will technology make an impact?
Technology will make an impact, as it always does, but it’s often just more data telling us what we already know … I see a lot of younger designers cheerleading for it as if an app will fix all our problems. The world is too complex for that and a good designer with a good brain is always way ahead of technology.
In your view, what is the role of street furniture in the public realm?
Laurie Olin always says the most important thing is to find a good place to sit down. I guess we can add to that a place to throw your rubbish, power up your phone, have a nap and socialise.
Street furniture is important because our cities are becoming more dense and the street is the new backyard. Much design I see is increasingly about people lounging in public space, not just waiting for the bus.
Why did you decide to take on the curatorship? What do you aim to achieve with the festival?
It was a nice creative challenge and I want to try and set up some conversations that will help the attendees chart their own career pathways as we move into increasingly complicated times.
Why should people attend the International Festival of Landscape Architecture?
It’s an historic occasion. It’s got great speakers across a range of all the issues that are essential to think about for anyone engaged in the future of the built environment and the broader landscape. It has exciting social events and fringe activities. And everyone wants to try and get into something that is SOLD OUT!
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 …
With so much to see at the 2016 International Festival of Landscape Architecture, here are our recommendations for a street furniture experience. 1. Flower Chairs Designed by former UNSW student Joshua Flowers, three Flower Chair prototypes will feature on the lawn of the National Gallery of Australia during the conference. Venture out from Gandell Hall in session breaks to test this variation on the movable seat: chairs that swivel to your preferred viewpoint. With a design originally inspired by Google office furniture, the seat aims to give people a reason to stop and become involved in public space. WIN $200 worth of flowers from Interflora for someone you love. Post a selfie with a Flower Chair to facebook.com/streetfurniture for your chance to win. Winner will be announced shortly after the festival. Read more on …
***** Click here for final results of #BackyardExperiment ***** #BackyardExperiment is our most ambitious research project yet. Collaborating with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Street Furniture Australia will attempt to activate Garema Place in Canberra through a pop-up park and 60 movable seats. Garema Place was a cosmopolitan hotspot in the sixties and seventies, but has since become a deserted thoroughfare. The open space is largely concrete and underused, however, it is surrounded by great cafes, shops and workplaces. Over a ten-day period, time-lapse cameras will observe how people interact with the park and furniture elements. The first two days will examine no activation, the next four days will observe activities with park and furniture elements only, and the final four days will discover what happens with full activation, which includes …
Crisp apple cider, served via an Arqua Fountain, equals good nights ahead at the International Festival of Landscape Architecture. Street Furniture Australia’s production team have been working on the Batlow Cider Fountain to tour to Canberra this October. Production Manager Christopher Morgan took time from his busy schedule for the serious task of fountain testing, with a keg supplied by Batlow Cider. “It is safe to say our cider has never been served through drinking fountains before,” says Batlow’s Rich Coombes. “We are excited to partner with Street Furniture Australia to bring good times and great cider to the festival.” At our Regents Park factory, Morgan and his team are challenged with delivering the bubbly liquid in a steady, controlled stream, while preserving the dignity of waiters and esteemed guests. (No sudden spurts.) “After experimenting with several valves …
