321 Kent Street Plaza provides the perfect place of refuge from the busy hustle and bustle of Kent Street in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. The landscape has dramatically improved the visual amenity from the streetscape, revitalised the plaza into a memorable landscape and provides a green, restful respite.
Place Design Group were engaged by Dexus to re-create the existing forecourt area into an inviting, accessible, green, multi-use landscape area. The existing site was cold, hard and underutilised – a thoroughfare into the adjacent buildings with no incentive to stop or use the space.
Place Design Group combated the site’s hard nature by integrating the perfect mix of soft landscape, natural timber elements and high-quality stone to provide a vibrant, well used inner-city space which has proven to be highly successful.
Working closely with Mos Urban, a series of custom designed circular seating pods were developed, incorporating lighting, power, planting and timber, creating warmth and vibrancy. New paving was introduced in a one-of-a-kind circular pattern complimenting the pods and providing a visual separation between areas of movement and areas for respite. The planting palette is hardy and well suited to the inner-city conditions.
The blend of materials, seating and large variety of planting and pots throughout the plaza help to form an urban oasis. This combination of planting creates a sense of both open and enclosed spaces for connection and gathering of different sizes. There are very few public locations within the CBD that have such a combination of lush greenery in an urban setting. The benefits of proximity to landscape are well documented and this project brings greenery and social wellbeing to the forefront. The popularity of the space is testament to the enduring alure of comfortable green spaces.
Film by Nikolas Strugar/ Ravens At Odds
Director
Senior Landscape Architect
