small park transformed A small park crowded with anaemic looking trees, dirty, gloomy and unattractive. A railway viaduct running through the space provided shelter for Sydney’s homeless community. How to meet both the demands of the residents and the needs of the local homeless community? Robust structures, ease of maintenance and good visual surveillance were important requirements. Retaining walls and some trees were eliminated to enable better flow through the park, facilitating easier cleaning by council trucks. Comfortable seating allows friendly gatherings. Drains, pits and other places, where drugs could easily be concealed, were eliminated. The amenities structure is incorporated into the large steel trellises that line the two “urban walls” of the park. Vines create a “green waterfall”. Durable materials include galvanised steel, tiled concrete blockwork, polished concrete floors and recycled brick paving. The stainless steel doors were laser cut to a pattern abstracted from the park plan. The Bourke Street Park nearby features an amenity block with patterned stainless steel doors and an inverted roof of galvanised steel.

Client: Sydney City Council Location: Sydney, Australia Partners: Terragram; Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd; Rooney and Bye Size: Park Site Area 848 sqm; Amenities 16.2 sqm Status: Built, 2011 Photos: Richard Glover