Bringing a landscape design to life can be tricky. Custom-made street furniture and designs can be costly and difficult to install, leading designers and project managers to utilise the efficiency and convenience of standardised products. While standardised street furniture may appear limited, the right products can provide the versatility needed to design something unique and aesthetically pleasing, while also streamlining the construction and installation process.
Grillex’s range of modular street furniture provides the efficiency and compliance of standardised products, while offering custom configurations for creative design freedom.
Modular street furniture is made using standardised processes, with a set range of products such as benches, tables and BBQs that can be ordered from stock or made to order quickly. While a common misconception is that this sort of product can restrict flexibility in design, and is a limited alternative to custom products, standardised furniture can provide a wealth of benefits to make managing construction projects easier.
Managing multiple construction projects means developers need to meet crucial lead times and deadlines. Choosing customised solutions is not only costly, but can add significant time to the project, as the products have to be made from scratch. Modular systems, such as the Grillex HYVE range, cut down on production time, creating a smoother, more streamlined process between choosing a product and receiving it. Grillex’s 5 step process means project managers and landscapers can choose their products, receive a quick and easy quote and receive their order in a short timeframe, so the project can be completed on time.
While ‘standardised’ street furniture has connotations of one size fits all, this isn’t necessarily the case with the products available today. Whole ranges of street furniture – such as Grillex’s products – are designed to be wheelchair accessible, and usable by people of all abilities, without compromising on safety or durability. Compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and council regulations is critical for outdoor design – and accessible modular ranges make this easy to achieve, with lower cooktops and benchtops and rounded edges for convenient access. Grillex’s products are designed with user experience and compliance with industry standards and regulations in mind.
An important part of a landscape project is the time and cost invested in installation. Designers and contractors alike need easy, fast and seamless installation, to complete a project efficiently and without issue or delay. All-in-one benches or seats, made from simple shapes, as well as other simple street furniture products, can be easily lifted, transported and installed, without the hassle of extra assembly work.
When street furniture is standardised, this means its benefits are also standardised – and landscape developers can rest assured every product in the range has been designed to meet criteria for safety and durability, and to withstand harsh conditions. Grillex’s range is made from durable, marine grade aluminium with powder coat finishes – non-combustible, resistant to corrosion and deterioration, and able to withstand the fluctuating weather Australian parks are exposed to.
While standardised street furniture is often considered efficient at the expense of uniqueness, the two concepts do not need to be mutually exclusive. Modular furniture is surprisingly versatile, with almost limitless design possibilities. By effectively configuring modular designs, and choosing the right finish and accessories, designers can create truly unique park spaces that suit the vibe of the surrounding community, without having to resort to expensive customisations.
While it is true modular furniture comes in a standardised range, thinking outside the box means designers can combine and configure pieces to suit their unique surroundings, and then add character and elements of interest to a park design. The HYVE series from Grillex allows for total creative freedom, with stylish park benches and furniture pieces combining with angled connectors to create unique, custom configurations. Reinventing the modular street furniture range to allow for aesthetic freedom, Grillex breathes fresh air into outdoor designs.
Urban planning and outdoor urban spaces are an idyllic oasis amidst busy life – but these days, they are even more than this. They are areas that reflect the needs, personality and spirit of the community in which they are situated. Unlike old-style modular furniture, the Grillex HYVE range offers a variety of options – from planter boxes to study hubs and even coffee tables and wireless phone chargers – to suit the lifestyles of a wide range of occupants. Combining different modules and accessories can create an environment suited to every user.
As well as offering versatility in design, modular furniture can contribute to the sustainability of an urban space. Standardised ranges mean all products go through the same stringent design approval process and ensure they all meet crucial design principles that contribute to a circular economy. Every part of Grillex’s manufacturing process is undertaken with sustainability in mind, from renewable energy being used in production, to health and wellbeing being upheld in accessible, biophilic designs. Grillex’s furniture is also low maintenance, reducing resource consumption not just in manufacture and installation, but throughout the park’s lifespan.
When it comes to street furniture solutions, modular furniture brings efficiency and uniqueness together in ways never before imagined. Grillex’s HYVE modular range provides convenience and short lead times, with the added bonus of achieving any aesthetic style to create landmark designs.
Find out more about how modular furniture can suit your project. Click here to talk to a Grillex specialist.