PROJECTS > STREETS
COOL STREETS™ BLACKTOWN
Pilot Project
In collaboration with CRED Consulting
Location: Boonderoo Ave, Glenwood
Client: Blacktown City Council
Project dates: 2015 - 2016
2017 Award of Excellence, Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) National Landscape Architecture Awards
2017 Award of Excellence for Community Contribution, NSW Landscape Architecture Awards
2016 Climate Change Action Award at the Local Government NSW Environment Awards
Streetscape adaptation provides an environmental, economic and social opportunity for government authorities.
Cool Streets Pilot Project is a community – led implementation project developed by Gallagher Studio in collaboration with CRED Consulting, supported by Blacktown City Council. The project, undertaken in late 2015 and early 2016 was designed to empower residents to take the lead in deciding on the layout and type of trees on their street, with a specific focus on improving environmental outcomes and neighbourhood climate resilience. This pilot is part of a wider initiative called Cool Streets, developed by the project team to empower communities to cool their neighbourhoods through interactive participatory decision making.
This implementation project built on research into climate adaptation within suburban streets undertaken by Dr Libby Gallagher, which found that modification of a neighbourhood’s street trees could achieve almost 7 times more C02 reductions, and reduce electricity bills by over $400 per annum, than a standard street tree design. This pilot project was developed to test how a new approach to implementation could provide not only environmental benefits, but improve economic and social outcomes for a local community. The aim was to collaborate with a community to develop an approach for their street. The 3-phase engagement process was designed to foster community participation, building consensus not only on the tree planting approach but improving tree longevity and health, building social interaction and strengthening neighbourhood relationships. The aim was to create a process that empowers communities to create their own cool streets and neighbourhoods, places for residents of all ages, economic and social conditions to flourish in.
Click here to visit the Cool Streets™ website.