PROJECTS   >   STREETS

BURTON AND PALMER
Streetscape Upgrade

In collaboration with McGregor Westlake Architecture

Location: Burton & Palmer Streets, Darlinghurst
Client: City of Sydney
Project dates: 2015 - 2018
Project team: GTA Traffic Engineering, Northrop Engineering, GML Heritage and Meccone Planning

The streetscape project was initiated in response to the high number of crashes that occurred at the intersection of Burton and Palmer Street between 2005 and 2013 and builds upon preliminary concept work undertaken to improve safety.

The site is located in the heart of East Sydney’s creative and cultural hub. The site includes the Eternity Playhouse, The East Sydney Community and Arts Centre (formerly Heffron Hall) and Albert Sloss reserve. The broader contextual analysis found that there are is pattern of street “squares” or small pedestrian spaces located at the junction of key streets in the local area. These local precedents inspired the project approach.

The design concept is to create a garden “square” at Burton Street and adjacent to key public buildings. This space provides a new public space that allows for new tree planting, gardens and paved areas for informal seating and café uses in front of the public buildings. This is achieved through modifying the carriageway dimensions and expanding footpath zones.  This would in turn reduce vehicle speeds and reduce conflict area at the intersection of Burton Street and Palmer Street.