The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment precinct houses a series of stadiums and venues that play host to some of the nation’s largest sporting events, such as the Australian Open Grand Slam, AFL Grand Final and Boxing Day test match.

The stretch of road known as Olympic Boulevard passes through the heart of the lively sports precinct and provides an important thoroughfare for vehicular traffic. Recognising the high levels of pedestrian activity along the boulevard, the State Government and City of Melbourne announced it as one of the city’s key sites to receive pedestrian safety improvements as part of the Melbourne CBD security upgrade project.

Several newly installed stainless steel bollards and rectangular and V-shaped precast concrete blocks form a long physical barrier adjacent to on-road traffic, creating a clear division between passing cars and pedestrians walking along the stadium forecourts. Installed in frequent intervals and positioned at seat level, the gleaming white precast blocks also provide seating for visitors travelling on foot.

Thanks to close collaboration with City of Melbourne designers and the construction team at Ace Landscape Services, SVC was able to successfully produce and deliver the concrete seat blocks within the tight timeframes required for the project.