“Streetwise and sustainable” – review by Architecture & Design
Industry publication Architecture & Design reviewed Street Furniture Australia’s sustainability practices and “comprehensive approach to responsible design, waste minimisation and recyclability, repair and spare parts, and sustainable timber.”
Our team was thrilled to see the below article published on September 9, 2020.
All standard products are made-to-order at our Australian factory, under an environmental strategy centred around only bringing quality products into the urban environment.
Streetwise and sustainable
Public places are an essential space for so many different reasons and activities. They help to connect and refresh while often providing respite from the daily workplace routine. Public places are also highly accessible and evolve over time as communities and individuals enjoy the positive qualities of urban landscapes.
Yet these spaces involve more than sharply designed lawns, concrete or paving punctuated with vegetation. Street furniture in all its forms plays a vital role in rendering public places attractive, functional and user-friendly at human scale.
Street Furniture Australia is a noteworthy local manufacturer that understands the value and purpose of street furniture, and how it can help to animate public places. Led by directors Darrel Conybeare and William Morrison, Street Furniture Australia is a longstanding pioneer in the street furniture design movement in Australia. Their design partnership, spanning 40 plus years has significantly shaped public environments through their attention to how and where street furniture enhances urban and not so urban landscapes.
At a landmark moment, Conybeare and Morrison designed the Plaza Seat in 1978, and in response to growing demand for well-designed urban furniture products. In 1986 they established the brand Street Furniture to design and fabricate an emerging street furniture portfolio that would help to reflect a strong sense of place.
In their own words they talk about the need to “bring enjoyment to all those who create, build, maintain and use public places”.
Street Furniture Australia also talks about design quality and how this extends to environmental management and sustainability. Their measures and practices demonstrate a coherent and comprehensive approach to responsible design, waste minimisation and recyclability, repair and spare parts, and sustainable timber.
An indicator of formal company commitment to enhanced integrated management is in part reflected through Street Furniture Australia’s independently certified systems covering:
Quality Management ISO 9001:2015
Environmental Management ISO 14001:2015
OH&S Management ISO 45001:2018 and AS/NZS 4801:2001
Local production is at the core of maintaining quality control and delivering environmentally improved street furniture products. The core range of products is manufactured in Street Furniture Australia’s Western Sydney factory.
However it is the serious attention to thoughtful design that underscores the company’s approach to product development and manufacture that speaks to safety, ergonomics, functionality, low maintenance and extended product life.
If the intent of Street Furniture Australia is to improve the quality of daily life of public citizens using public spaces, then the company’s commitment to durable products that enhance shared landscapes is to be admired and commended.
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 …
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 …
Our Presentation Specialists bring a fun, interactive and informative workshop about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to your office. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) you will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats in the comfort of your office. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). ‘The presentation content was informative, engaging, interactive and relevant. Genuinely one of the better supplier workshops! It was efficient yet insightful. The interactive nature of it enhanced engagement with the team,’ Sam Westlake, Senior Associate, Hassell, Sydney. ‘Possibly our favourite product presentation to date! Engaging, great content and appreciated the physical samples and prototypes,’ Alexa Ongoco, Senior Landscape Architect, TCL, Brisbane. ‘Thorough presentation with actual product to see and …
A new 400-page strategic handbook has been released by World Bank Group to help cities unlock ‘hidden value’ by working with public and private partners and communities to invest in the co-creation of human-centered, sustainable, economically vibrant and socially inclusive public spaces. Smart and sustainable strategies implemented across public-space asset life cycles yield returns on investment far exceeding monetary costs, the authors say, and enhance city livability, resilience, and competitiveness. According to the report, while globally about a third of a city’s land area is covered by public spaces, the potential of public-space assets to transform cities and improve urban life is often overlooked. “The resulting degradation of public spaces into congested, vehicle-dominated, and polluted places often becomes a liability, creating a downward spiral that drains public resources and exacerbates …
The Australian fires have burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares, destroyed more than 2,800 homes and killed at least 34 people. An estimated one billion animals have been killed and some endangered species may face extinction. And they are still burning. Our team is especially thinking of the communities who have lost loved ones and homes, and of the volunteers still fighting bushfires in this national crisis. After some discussion about how we can do our bit to help, Street Furniture Australia has allocated funds to support the reconstruction of Batemans Bay in NSW. This south coast town became a disaster zone over the new year as residents and tourists fled to evacuation centres and the beach. Hundreds of buildings, including homes, have been lost. Fires still continue to threaten …
Street Furniture Australia, as a corporate partner of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), supports the declaration of a Climate and Biodiversity Loss Emergency. The company plans to set ambitious new targets, alongside ongoing environmental efforts. “Street Furniture Australia is wholeheartedly behind this visionary step from AILA, in taking a leadership role to accelerate action against climate change in our industry,” says Co-Founder and Director Bill Morrison. “We are putting together a list of strong targets, informed by sustainability experts, to ensure immediate and effective action. “We hope to collaborate with AILA, AILA members, our customers and suppliers, and other AILA corporate partners, to see where joint efforts can make large impacts.” Street Furniture Australia will continue to: Maintain an Integrated Management System including the ISO certification in Environmental …
