They may look like giant birdcages. But there’s nothing flighty about these three architecturally-designed arbours along Carrington Road in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
Not so long ago this space was just a generic dirt, grass and concrete median strip in bustling Clovelly. But through the ambition of Randwick City Council and the creativity of landscape architects JMD Design, a remarkable urban transformation has taken place to create the Clovelly and Carrington Road Pocket Park - expertly realised by the design and delivery team at FORGE (formerly Fleetwood Urban).
“Randwick City Council wanted to transform the median island as part of its Clovelly Road Precinct Streetscape Master Plan,” explains Adrian Trimmer, Business Development Leader at FORGE. “Our involvement began with a Design Scoping Package, working alongside JMD Design to refine and detail their vision for the ‘birdcage’ arbours ranging from 3.7 metres to 4.3 metres high, with integrated lighting, seating and a small elevated deck.”
Complex logistics, seamless delivery
Following a highly collaborative period of concept development, the final designs were approved by Council. FORGE was then engaged under CA&I to lead the construction phase for the arbours - a complex process made even trickier given it required crews to work in the middle of a very busy suburban traffic island.
“The traffic was certainly a challenge along Carrington Road, both from a safety and access perspective,” recalls Adrian Trimmer. “The location of underground services was another. It required a lot of planning flexibility as we quickly discovered the gas main, which ran directly through the construction envelope, was actually in a different place to what appeared on the original site plans.”
FORGE also developed bespoke installation methodology to incorporate the intricate custom lighting package into the completed arbours, ensuring the finished form was as beautiful to look at, as it was functional to use.
Unlocking under-utilised outdoor spaces
Turning an everyday median strip into an aesthetic community landmark isn’t the most obvious or simple of tasks. But it’s a great example of what’s possible when stakeholders come together in the early stages of a project to explore, challenge and redefine what community spaces can be.
“Projects like Clovelly are a great reminder of the way outdoor spaces can be reimagined,” explains Adrian Trimmer. “Once visually nondescript with virtually no community utility, the site is barely recognisable now, it’s become a fantastic asset for the residents and businesses of Clovelly.”
The arbours at the Clovelly and Carrington Road Pocket Park were officially opened in mid-2024 and have quickly become much-loved additions to the local community identity, providing a place for locals to pause, rest and meet.
“They also make people smile with their imaginative and whimsical design,” adds Adrian Trimmer. “It’s just a wonderful outcome for everyone involved, with some clever lessons about how to unlock outdoor spaces, even in the heart of busy suburbia.”
Pocket Park Project Features
- 3 x architectural ‘birdcage’ arbours (painted mild steel)
- Integrated feature lighting system (Klik LED light pods)
- Catenary wire system for training vines (stainless steel)
- Curved seating & elevated deck (Durability Class 1 Select Australian Hardwood)
