Thinking small lands big award for Swanston Street design
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A light bulb the size of a fish oil tablet that lasts up to 12 years has helped the City of Melbourne claim a major international design award for its Swanston Street redevelopment.
Council claimed an Australian International Design Award for innovative and contemporary fixtures purpose-built for the $25.6 million Swanston Street upgrade, including the world-first use of tiny plasma bulbs in street lights. The lights also won an IES Victoria/Tasmania Award of Excellence.
City of Melbourne director of Urban Design Professor Rob Adams said the small, energy efficient plasma bulbs have a 12-year lifespan and allowed for a unique and modern, slim design.
The ‘Luminaire’ street lights and contemporary stainless steel street furniture were chosen to give Melbourne’s main thoroughfare a modern, pedestrian-friendly feel.
“The philosophy of taking care over the small details is the City of Melbourne’s key to success,” Professor Adams said.
“When you take a congested thoroughfare and try to turn it into a boulevard for public transport and pedestrians, high-quality design and attention to detail is crucial.
"What we have with Swanston Street is a number of elements that convey the care and respect we have shown in the redevelopment of one of our most important streets.
“I am incredibly proud that our team’s industrial design and vision for Swanston Street has been recognised at such a high level.”
Meanwhile, the City of Melbourne’s commitment to climate change adaptation has won it a United Nations Association of Australia award at the World Environment Day Awards.
The City of Melbourne was awarded the prize for Best Specific Environmental Initiative for Local Government in Australia for leadership in adapting to climate change by delivering a suite of green infrastructure programs.
Chair of the Environment portfolio, Councillor Arron Wood, said: “The City of Melbourne has invested $30 million over the past three years in a range of projects aimed at ensuring Melbourne is ready to meet the demands of a changing climate.
“These projects include stormwater harvesting, expansion of open space, doubling the tree canopy to reduce city temperatures, introducing permeable paving and water sensitive urban design.”
