A temporary installation transforms a Sydney street into a kerb-side garden.
February 6th, 2012
Edible Outdoor Rooms is a great example of how changing the cityscape can be a matter of simple gestures.
The team at Sam Crawford Architects have created this temporary outdoor installation in Foster Street in Sydney’s Surry Hills – an inner-city pocket where most of the action takes place behind doors, rather than out on the street.
Gaging interest from surrounding bars, cafés and offices for wider footpaths, more trees and outdoor seating in the area to bring the local community outside, Sam Crawford Architects approached the Council to suggest widening the footpaths of the area and creating a one-way street, seeing it as an “improvement to the street and improvement to business,” says Sam Crawford, Director, Sam Crawford Architects.
“We’re interested in the make up of the city and the processes that go into making the city,” Crawford explains. “Our work is mostly residential but we took this on as a self-directed project.”
Although Council was unable to provide the necessary funding for a large-scale project, Sam Crawford Architects were able to obtain a grant, and – with the help of other members of the surrounding area, plus a lot of time and supplies – created a series of 3 parklets, each containing planter boxes filled with an assortment of edible greenery.
These outdoor spaces encourage community engagement, as well as providing a place to sit and relax. Currently approved for 3 months with a view to extending the project for a year, Edible Outdoor Rooms shows the potential of taking small steps to re-think the way we use our city spaces.
“I would love to see more of this in the city, and there are plenty of other people who would too,” Crawford says.
“We’d like to become more active in the city as a practice, and we’ve figured that the only way to do it is just to do it. It’s a great way to get involved.”
Sam Crawford Architects
samcrawfordarchitects.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Living Edge definitely has the edge when it comes to supplying furniture for the education sector. With a plethora of brands and collections at their fingertips, Living Edge provides the perfect solution for any learning environment.
Bidding farewell to mundane and uninspired office spaces, colour has transformed our workplaces into layered and engaging environments. So we sit down with Karina Simpson, Hot Black’s Workplace Lead, to talk about the influence colour has on the workspace landscape through the prism of Herman Miller’s progressive colour philosophy.
With the arrival of two Pandas to Adelaide Zoo this year comes a unique opportunity for Hassell’s Architects.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Zenith returns as the Platinum partner and sponsor of the 2023 INDE.Awards Best of the Best category.
A new fashion store in Chengdu, China creates a truly relaxing aesthetic for hug. There is certainly atmosphere aplenty with a concept that is pared back, luxurious and absolutely on brand.
Architect and textile artist Natalie Miller has an ongoing relationship with Bendooley Estate. At this rich, layered site, the elegant cellar door is only the latest addition with more accommodation and other facilities planned.