Prioritising human experience through ‘soft’ cities:
In his new book, called Soft City, Gehl creative director and partner David Sim considers how urban design can help a city feel more accessible and connected – that is, ‘softer.’
“For decades, so much urban planning has been focused on devising ways to reorganize human activity into distinct silos, to separate people and things, and, by doing so, reduce the risk of conflict,” Sim writes.
“I would like, instead, to focus on how potentially conflicting aspects of everyday existence can be brought together and connected to deliver quality of life.”
In a soft city, grocery stores and cafes are within walkable distance from your front door. The street is filled with people walking, biking and catching transit – not only cars. There are places to rest, to mingle with the community around you.
Rather than thinking about cities as a collection of buildings and impressive developments, designers like Sim consider them as a series of relationships: between people, other people, and place.
Eillie Anzilotti has covered the book for Fast Company.
Image: Gehl.
Green roofs help us and the environment – why aren’t they on every building?
Green rooftops tackle air pollution, urban heat, produce food, support biodiversity, and benefit mental health, so why aren’t they more widespread?
Researchers from the University of Salford report on the current roadblocks preventing green, blue and brown roof rollout in The Conversation.
“For green roofs to become the norm for new developments, there needs to be buy-in from public authorities and private actors,” they write.
“Those responsible for maintaining buildings may have to acquire new skills, such as landscaping, and in some cases volunteers may be needed to help out.
“Other considerations include installing drainage paths, meeting health and safety requirements and perhaps allowing access for the public, as well as planning restrictions and disruption from regular activities in and around the buildings during installation.
“To convince investors and developers that installing green roofs is worthwhile, economic arguments are still the most important,” the researchers say, with measures of ‘natural capital’ assisting to explain the potential monetary gains.
Street Furniture Australia and US partner Spruce & Gander in March hosted landscape architects from California and Texas on a visit to Sydney to experience a factory tour, site visits and a new product launch. The American landscape architects represented MJS Landscape Architecture, RHAA Landscape Architecture + Planning, TBG Partners, Avid Trails and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Over a week-long trip the guests were treated to famous sights of Sydney including the iconic Bondi Beach, a harbour cruise and dining at top restaurants in urban Surry Hills and the new Barangaroo precinct. Travelling to Regents Park in Western Sydney, they toured the Street Furniture Australia factory to see first-hand how products are designed, made and shipped all over the world. This included meeting the production team, industrial designers and engineers. …
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
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 …
