News & Discussion: Laneway & Streetscape Projects

[AndyWelsh]

Gawler Place is just about complete.
































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[Mpol03]

So long as they look after the green, then this looks pretty good.

[SRW]

I'm glad for it and hope to see a similar treatment one day applied to the full length of Gawler Place. It's a much enhanced entrance to the Mall, especially once the trees mature.

But there are few design choices that niggle me. For one, the hanging garden 'arbours' -- IIRC, we got these rather than further trees so as to keep that section more amenable to pop up events. But the street furnishings kinda interfere with that anyway. So, while they may be cool and trendy in principle, in reality the arbours are kinda inadequate and underwhelming in a space more actual trees would have done better.

Also, kinda puzzled why the tree pits are exposed top soil as opposed to being covered, unless they're soon to be further planted with shrubbery.

[Joelmark]

I'm glad for it and hope to see a similar treatment one day applied to the full length of Gawler Place. It's a much enhanced entrance to the Mall, especially once the trees mature.

But there are few design choices that niggle me. For one, the hanging garden 'arbours' -- IIRC, we got these rather than further trees so as to keep that section more amenable to pop up events. But the street furnishings kinda interfere with that anyway. So, while they may be cool and trendy in principle, in reality the arbours are kinda inadequate and underwhelming in a space more actual trees would have done better.

Also, kinda puzzled why the tree pits are exposed top soil as opposed to being covered, unless they're soon to be further planted with shrubbery.

I think that's all very fair - I also thought they could have planted a few more trees where the arbour structure is.
However to give credit to the ACC they have actually planted around 15 new trees along this relatively short stretch, and like Rundle Mall, in a few years' time this will all look very green and much shadier.
Andy Welsh's pictures remind me too of how great this northern central portion of the Adelaide CBD is looking - from Rundle Street and East Terrace, Frome Street and then right through Rundle Mall, and then the new Kintore Avenue Memorial Walk and parts of North Terrace - years of constant upgrading to pavements, more trees etc. are making a big difference.
Hopefully in the next few years we can sort out central Grenfell and Currie Streets, and green the main part of Hindley to link up with Hindley St West.

[rhino]

Bentham Street please. The renders looked really good but very little has happened since.

[Ho Really]

The arbours are a waste of time and money. Very little shade. We need as much shade as possible not arty fixtures that hold plants that are hard to water and maintain. Let's be serious!

As for the line of trees in the middle of Gawler Place at the intersection of North Terrace what purpose do they serve? Taking away two complete lanes for traffic coming in and out of the car park! People already struggled to get out of that car park before and now it will be mayhem. Granted if all cars ran on electricity or hydrogen there wouldn't be any pollution but imagine sitting in your car waiting to get out of that car park with all the fumes. I have and it is not enjoyable. I reckon all of this is a fail. Trees should be planted where people will sit. Give them shade. The more the better as our summers are getting longer and hotter. Place shrubs if you really want in median strips but don't narrow lanes to choke traffic at car parks. If you don't want car parks get rid of them first from the city. Then make the CBD into a giant mall with all the fancy BS arbours and not trees! Then you can also get rid of shoppers too and they'll all go to to suburbs where they'll have undercover parking and covered from the elements and heat. Get the pic?

Cheers

[[Shuz]]

Somebody's a bit over triggered.

[Nort]

The arbours are a waste of time and money. Very little shade. We need as much shade as possible not arty fixtures that hold plants that are hard to water and maintain. Let's be serious!

As for the line of trees in the middle of Gawler Place at the intersection of North Terrace what purpose do they serve? Taking away two complete lanes for traffic coming in and out of the car park! People already struggled to get out of that car park before and now it will be mayhem. Granted if all cars ran on electricity or hydrogen there wouldn't be any pollution but imagine sitting in your car waiting to get out of that car park with all the fumes. I have and it is not enjoyable. I reckon all of this is a fail. Trees should be planted where people will sit. Give them shade. The more the better as our summers are getting longer and hotter. Place shrubs if you really want in median strips but don't narrow lanes to choke traffic at car parks. If you don't want car parks get rid of them first from the city. Then make the CBD into a giant mall with all the fancy BS arbours and not trees! Then you can also get rid of shoppers too and they'll all go to to suburbs where they'll have undercover parking and covered from the elements and heat. Get the pic?

Cheers

For reference:

So there's a lane in and a lane out, seems pretty reasonable to me and the trees both provide shade and greenery along with being a nice indicator to drivers that they are entering a shared space.

[Nathan]

Yep, no issues with the trees in the middle. They make a far far better entrance from North Tce.

The criticism of the arbor is fair, I was just walking past it and it gives almost no shade. If there were wires across for vines to grow across it might be another story, but as it is, there's no potential for it to improve. It also seems pretty disconnected. I wonder if a more ambitious option would have been a longer one that joins up with the larger canopy?

The general streetscapes are good and it does all feel far more pedestrian friendly. The blank wall alongside H&M is more pronounced now though, and I hope Chemist Warehouse on the south side don't make a habit of lining the road with empty cardboard boxes like they were doing today.

[Patrick_27]

The arbours are a waste of time and money. Very little shade. We need as much shade as possible not arty fixtures that hold plants that are hard to water and maintain. Let's be serious!

As for the line of trees in the middle of Gawler Place at the intersection of North Terrace what purpose do they serve? Taking away two complete lanes for traffic coming in and out of the car park! People already struggled to get out of that car park before and now it will be mayhem. Granted if all cars ran on electricity or hydrogen there wouldn't be any pollution but imagine sitting in your car waiting to get out of that car park with all the fumes. I have and it is not enjoyable. I reckon all of this is a fail. Trees should be planted where people will sit. Give them shade. The more the better as our summers are getting longer and hotter. Place shrubs if you really want in median strips but don't narrow lanes to choke traffic at car parks. If you don't want car parks get rid of them first from the city. Then make the CBD into a giant mall with all the fancy BS arbours and not trees! Then you can also get rid of shoppers too and they'll all go to to suburbs where they'll have undercover parking and covered from the elements and heat. Get the pic?

Cheers

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, mate?

As far as I've seen and experienced, entering and exiting the carpark has never been so easy. I think condensing the amount of road traffic in Gawler place has done wonders for this carpark because they don't have to compete with people whizzing in to drop someone off, taxis etc. It's now primarily for access to the carpark. Your argument contradicts itself because on one hand you're saying the mall needs shade, they plant trees and you complain about losing a lane for traffic? Make up your mind.

[Ho Really]

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, mate?

As a matter of fact no. Obviously many here aren't interested in criticism. I have explained why it is a waste of money, etc.

As far as I've seen and experienced, entering and exiting the carpark has never been so easy. I think condensing the amount of road traffic in Gawler place has done wonders for this carpark because they don't have to compete with people whizzing in to drop someone off, taxis etc. It's now primarily for access to the carpark. Your argument contradicts itself because on one hand you're saying the mall needs shade, they plant trees and you complain about losing a lane for traffic? Make up your mind.

So it wasn't easier before with two lanes? No my argument doesn't contradict itself. The trees for shade should be where people are not for separating vehicular traffic. According to you I'll need to be in that narrow median strip for shade. Come on mate!

Cheers

[Mpol03]

Here’s the trick. Get rid of the dam car park. It’s ugly, we have enough and it’s prime land for something much better.

[Algernon]

Here’s the trick. Get rid of the dam car park. It’s ugly, we have enough and it’s prime land for something much better.

[Eurostar]

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today, mate?

As a matter of fact no. Obviously many here aren't interested in criticism. I have explained why it is a waste of money, etc.

As far as I've seen and experienced, entering and exiting the carpark has never been so easy. I think condensing the amount of road traffic in Gawler place has done wonders for this carpark because they don't have to compete with people whizzing in to drop someone off, taxis etc. It's now primarily for access to the carpark. Your argument contradicts itself because on one hand you're saying the mall needs shade, they plant trees and you complain about losing a lane for traffic? Make up your mind.

So it wasn't easier before with two lanes? No my argument doesn't contradict itself. The trees for shade should be where people are not for separating vehicular traffic. According to you I'll need to be in that narrow median strip for shade. Come on mate!

Cheers

Trees don't just provide shade they provide oxygen too.

[Nort]

[
So it wasn't easier before with two lanes? No my argument doesn't contradict itself. The trees for shade should be where people are not for separating vehicular traffic. According to you I'll need to be in that narrow median strip for shade. Come on mate!

Cheers

Directly shading pedestrians is just one of the benefits of increased greenery in cities. More trees also improve air quality, shade the road and lower parts of structures (reducing radiant heat from them) and generally improve local micro-climates.

One lane of traffic in and one lane of traffic out is perfectly appropriate for a parking area accessed through a side lane.