Foster Street is a beautiful
street. It has a great deal of character and charm. It is also an underutilized
public space with wide vehicular way and narrow footpaths. The current street
layout was originally designed for the movement of bulk goods in the early 20th
century. The use of the street and surrounding buildings has changed
dramatically in the intervening period. Now, there is relatively little vehicle
traffic on Foster Street. What traffic there is generally consists of
cars and delivery vans whereas pedestrian activity is high throughout the day –
typically made up of workers, residents and visitors attracted to the local
cafes, galleries and design showrooms. The narrow footpaths on both sides of
the street make safe pedestrian movement difficult and safe gathering of people
on the street almost impossible. Also, there is currently no public space for
workers or visitors to sit and enjoy the sunshine.
Foster Street is a very strong
candidate for revitalization and improvement and could form part of the City of
Sydney’s Livable Green Network as a secondary Village Centre Precinct.
1. It is an ideal location
a. half way between Central
Station and the CBD
b. half way between Chinatown and
the Village Centre Precinct of Crown Street
c. adjacent to 2 proposed Cycle
routes (Hunt and Campbell Streets)
d. within 2min walk of major bus
route (Elizabeth St)
2. It has distinctive
architecture – old warehouse buildings, historic Hollywood Hotel etc
3. ample road width
4. thriving businesses including
cafés, hotels, designer furniture outlets
5. large numbers of people –
local residents and daytime visitors
6. strong social/ business links
7. a distinctive atmosphere
There is broad and strong support
from all stakeholders for improvements to Foster Street including:
a. a more pedestrian friendly
environment
b. capacity for outdoor public
seating
c. potential for community
gardening/ community activity
d. transforming Foster Street into
a day/ night precinct or destination
e. building on the existing
strengths of Foster Street as café/ small bar/ design/ fashion precinct
destination
Ideas for Foster Street
Based on our consultation with
business owners, landlords, workers and visitors over the past 12 months, we
have developed a scheme which reflects the initial ideas and desires of
business and community stakeholders for physical improvements to Foster Street.
This includes widening the footpaths to allow for the development of pedestrian-friendly
public space, creating “blisters” on 3 street corners for public outdoor
seating adjacent to existing cafés and Hollywood Hotel, creating a single lane
of vehicle traffic heading north west, retention of parking on both sides of
the street and the planting of additional street trees.
Edible Outdoor Rooms
The temporary installation,
Edible Outdoor Rooms aims to demonstrate to those in the community who are
unsure of the benefits of accessible public space and edible plants growing on
the street, that there are indeed a number of benefits.
Edible Outdoor Rooms creates
opportunities that develop the knowledge, skills and confidence of community
members, and encouraging increased participation in local activities, and in
doing so building a greater sense of community. Volunteers from the community help
in the planting, watering and maintenance of the edible plants. Also, workshops
are run to teach people about what plants to grow in an urban environment, how
to look after them, when to harvest them, and even how to cook them etc.
Anyone can use the Edible Outdoor
Rooms. Use is not confined to those who can afford to frequent the local
café’s/ bars/ galleries/ showrooms. They are intended as public spaces not
linked to any particular business.
The installation also supports
the development of a vibrant local economy and community by creating space for
the community to meet and interact. The overall improvement in amenity on the
street will encourage visitors and increase commercial activity.
The design of the Edible Outdoor
Rooms has been carefully considered so as to minimise the use of resources. We
have selected a minimal palette of materials which is largely re usable. Plants
will be given away to the community or to other community gardens at the end of
the period. The sections of concrete pipe will be donated to other community
garden projects or recycled via Reverse Garbage or similar organisations. Soil
and other planting mediums will be donated to other community garden projects
Edible Outdoor Rooms will
contribute to the culture of the city by bringing the community together – in
physical proximity – but also in cooperation and collaboration. Creative and
cultural benefits to the city will flow from this interaction.Also, it is an innovative and
collaborative project – bringing together design professionals, a chef and
community members to create new public spaces.
Thanks to the encouragement of
the City of Sydney and their Community Services Grant, Edible Outdoor Rooms
will be a precursor for permanent improvements and widening of the footpaths
along Foster Street.
Edible Outdoor Rooms will be the
first realised project of the Rawson Lane Arts Association Inc.
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