Cooper Street Reserve

Positioned within the City of Sydney‘s dense Surry Hills neighbourhood, Cooper Street Reserve by Place Design Group demonstrates how small targeted public realm upgrades can support active transport while strengthening local amenity. 

The reserve sits within a network of small open spaces where access to private outdoor space is limited and public amenity is highly valued. The upgrade transforms the underperforming site into a legible and inviting pocket park that accommodates both cyclists and pedestrians and provides a key cycle route, linking Central Station to Moore Park. 

The project brief required clarity of movement and quality of stay. A curving shared path establishes a legible route through the reserve, while deliberately moderating cyclist speed to ensure safe pedestrian use.

Furniture was considered early as a spatial and behavioural tool. Randi Ho, Landscape Architect from Place Design notes, “When we started doing the concept plan the first thing we thought about was the circulation of the cycleway… and the second thing we thought about was the furniture.”

Long, curved seating elements anchor the design, shaping movement while creating places to pause. The seating’s geometry integrates with retaining walls and circulation paths, and subtly influences behaviour, encouraging cyclists to slow without the need for additional barriers.

We used the seat as a focal point of the pocket park—we wanted the seat to be a hero element.

Randi Ho, Place Design

Material selection reflects the site context. The use of natural hardwood in a system of VT Seats, Curved Seats and VT Benches softens the urban environment and invites occupation, while the reinterpretation of red brick paving acknowledges the site’s history.

The furniture ‘system’ uses standard VT products including standard curves which connect to create unique site specific furniture—making core products custom.

Responsiveness during design development supported delivery. “Street Furniture Australia provided us with a model [for the seating system] within three or four days… we showed it to the council and they said yes” Ho said.

The result is a highly resolved public space where landscape, movement and furniture operate as a unified system. The reserve has become a more active and accessible space, supporting everyday use and contributing to the City of Sydney’s vision for a greener, healthier city.

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Cooper Street Reserve was completed by Place Design’s Randi Ho and Director, Tim Field, with initial design concept by Benjamin Loh and Shirelle Ryan. 

Images below courtesy of Place Design Group.