Grafton Precinct Plan and Transport Strategy
Our collaborative process put local people at the centre of the decision-making process to produce a roadmap for the future design and development of the Grafton CBD that responds to local ideas and aspirations.
Project Awards:
NSW Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture (AILA), Urban Design 2022
Client: Clarence Valley Council
Collaborators: Vee Design and Ardill Payne & Partners
With easy access to the Clarence River and streets that come alive with purple flowers during the Jacaranda season, Grafton is already a destination well-loved by locals and visitors. Fourfold collaborated with Clarence Valley Council, Vee Design and Ardill Payne to develop a new Precinct Plan and Transport Strategy for the Grafton CBD.
Before jumping into the design component of the project, the team took a deep-dive into understanding what makes Grafton, Grafton. Fourfold coordinated a place assessment focused on gathering baseline data on local perceptions of place. This included completing a survey both online and in-person, along with observational mapping where the team monitored how people were using and moving through the site at different times of the day and on different days of the week. Undertaking this detailed assessment allowed the team to understand what makes the town unique, what currently works well and what could be improved. The assessment methodology was developed with the idea it could be repeated for comparison as the project progresses.
The precinct planning project worked collaboratively with locals to uncover Grafton's unique character, style and community aspirations to inform the development of a roadmap for future development and activation. The process included a 3-day workshop series where the team, Council and key stakeholders developed an early concept to guide the development of the draft design.
Following the development of a draft precinct plan, the team returned to the community of Grafton for feedback. To demonstrate recommendations from the plan and to generate discussion, two tactical trails were implemented along Prince Street. This involved creating two parklets to test extended footpath space, outdoor dining, more greenery, bike parking and a reconfiguration of car parking from reverse in to nose in.