daming chen | 3378795: May 2012

Rationale: Sense of Place : Domain Park : Furniture: Back-rest-Stand

The Domain Park in the inner city has limited seating benches and seats. They are positioned in unattractive and inaccessible locations of the park. The seatings are also located in areas where it may not provide significant sense of place to the user. Such as certain seats are located next to the underground water system, and therefore that particular area is on frequent maintenance and thus the seats became inaccessible.

The location of some seats is situated in unattractive location, with limited exposure to sunlight as the location is in high dense vegetation and trees. The positioning of the furniture does not provide attractive view of the park. As these seats were more secluded and remote and it gives a sense of disconnection to the place. In addition, some seats are overshadowed by large trees, the area become unwelcoming because of the cold (limited sunlight exposure), and the moist in the soil (unsteady footing).

The aim of my design is to provide a more sense of place of Domain Park to many users.

The back-rest stand does this by offering a rest station for users to mount on the furniture and lean against the back rest. Depending on the positioning and location of this furniture, the extra height provided by the furniture can offer the user with increase view of the park, the bay, the metropolitan and residential view, and other iconic landmarks of Sydney.

The mount and lean feature offers a speedy rest and relaxation for visitors of the park, such as joggers, athletes, tourist, city workers, and students.

This backrest furniture provides more resting spot in addition to available benches in the park. The location of this furniture should be considered as to provide the best view of the area to user. I feel that the location and the design of this furniture would allow any users to enjoy the use of the furniture because of convenient function and the provided good views of the Domain Park. Thus these features could give perception and good feeling of the sense of place of the park in the City.

Positioning of this furniture is significant as not to pose harm to protected vegetation and trees of the park, and not to obstruct movements and access of the park. Especially the park is occasional function for concerts, festivals, sports and large social gathering.

What user can do on the back-rest-stand and what benefits can they receive from this furniture:-

A place for reading, chatting to person or on phone, waiting, contemplation, relaxation, provide view of the some iconic Australian landmark, a tourist attraction to different use and appearance of a street furniture, resting station for joggers, athletes and students.

Child-friendly and user-friendly furniture; seating space for 2 – 3 users; optional installing of safety rails/handle.

Attractive furniture suited to the environment.