Six essentials to always factor into your site design

Six essentials to always factor into your site design
Six essentials to always factor into your site design
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From business parks to residential developments, every site calls for certain key facilities.
Designed to make life more convenient and comfortable, these amenities extend the welcome from a bricks and mortar organisation to visitors before they even set foot inside a building.
In town and city centre planning, the function and features of the public realm are becoming increasingly important to how tourists, workers and residents interact with the location.
And linking indoor and outdoor spaces is a concept growing in popularity in sectors including hospitality, education and housing.
Here at Broxap Street Furniture, we have 75 years of experience in designing, manufacturing and installing products which give outdoor spaces new life and purpose.
With one of the biggest ranges of street furniture on the UK market – and the option of bespoke or customised items built to order – Broxap is the ideal single-source partner for contractors.
Here’s our top six products we believe every site should feature:

1.       Seating

Broxap's Timber Benches Broxap's Timber Benches

Want to take a call out of the office? Fancy grabbing lunch away from your desk? Employment parks need outdoor seating.
And it’s not just for the people who work there either. Business developments are a hive of activity with trading, deliveries, meetings and interviews taking place across each operation at all times.
Whatever the purpose for the visit, incorporating inviting features such as seating and landscaping will help to make commercial locations more appealing – even first thing on a Monday morning.
Supported housing in particular has a strong social function, and for residents with mobility problems, being able to sit outside in the fresh air yet still be close to home, is a very attractive option. But let’s think about the seating itself – a low level bench may not really be suitable in this environment but a piece of furniture with a warm timber seat, backrest, armrest and even a foot support is an inclusive choice.
And of course, our town and city centres, parks and green spaces are never complete without high quality seating.

2.       Bollards

Black Broxap Bollard Black Broxap Bollard

The bollard may be humble but it is an essential part of any site.
Forget clunky and awkward. At Broxap our bollard designs are top notch.
Let’s not forget, the bollard is there to do a job. So while good site design will factor in layout and positioning, choosing a style which is visible, complements the estate and functions as intended is also important.
Bollards have the ability to guide and direct – whether it be people on foot, on bike or travelling by motor vehicle.
They can protect pedestrians, buildings and belongings and mark out important access areas. Bollards are a cost-effective traffic control measure and an important element of site security.
At Broxap Street Furniture we can factor in lighting or reflective bands, branding and colour.
We can also talk to you about the best material to use to convey the right reception to callers.

3.       Cycle Stands

Broxap cycle hoops Broxap cycle hoops

We’ve seen the statistics – the cycling boom sparked by the coronavirus pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down. Bike sales were up by 41 per cent in January this year (2021) compared to the previous 12 months and the peak selling season is just about to take off. Cycle servicing saw a similar rise as riders dusted off their old bikes or refurbished second-hand purchases.
If we are talking about site essentials, then a cycle stand or rack is probably the minimum to consider whether it is for a retail development, housing complex, school, workplace or visitor location.
But why stop there. A shelter for short-stay parking goes that little bit further in terms of customer service, offering protection from the elements. A series of lockers might be more suitable for long-stay cyclists, while hubs and compounds have greater capacities for housing cycle parking racks, including two-tier systems.
When thinking about sustainable ways to get to and from a site, cycling is likely to be the main alternative to driving or travelling by car.

4.       Litter and Recycling Bins

Black Broxap Bin Black Broxap Bin

Meet the Derby range – one of the most comprehensive collections of litter and recycling bins on the market. Made in-house at our North Staffordshire manufacturing site, these are the toughest bins available, made to superior quality standards.
It is no secret that at Broxap, we love bins. We want to see more of them, in more places.
But not just because we design and build them. Bins are an important way to support clean initiatives and litter strategies and they also act as a deterrent to fly-tipping.
At Broxap, we specialise in street furniture because we believe in making places for people to spend time in and enjoy. Disposing of waste responsibly is how everyone can contribute to the same goals.
Maybe you need recycling on-the-go facilities or cigarette waste bins for staff break-out areas, or a dog waste bin for a corner of your site popular with pet owners.
However big or bold; sleek or discreet your waste aims and needs, Broxap has a solution.

5.       Planters

Green Broxap Planters Green Broxap Planters

Who doesn’t feel better when they glimpse a splash of colour? Well-tended planters get noticed. Studies show that it is not just the attractiveness of flowers and plants which makes us smile, but that being around nature boosts our mood, improves attentiveness and has a calming effect.
Planters can be as much a feature of a landscape as the greenery within them.
Our wood workshop in North Staffordshire combines natural materials and craftmanship to create stunning timber centrepieces, while our streetscene division can tailor for contemporary steel or traditional cast iron styles. How about a seated planter, combining both comfortable seats and a beautiful green space?
These products create little pockets of peace and tranquillity even in the most built-up environments, encouraging social interactions and installing a sense of pride in a place.

6.       Signage

Black and Gold signage with "Play Areas" Written on it Black and Gold signage with "Play Areas" Written on it

At Broxap Street Furniture we harness technology in many different ways – it is incorporated into the way we interact and communicate with colleagues and customers, how we process and build our products and how we innovate and design. And while digital signage is on the rise, we believe there is still a place for traditional signs especially in a new development.
Signposting can act as a navigational aid as well as confirming a location or end destination has been reached in a ‘real’ way. It acts as a physical back-up when technology lets us down.
The right sign can really make a place stand out, generating a high impact for low cost. Community noticeboards act as a physical link between people and their surroundings and when it comes to placemaking, offering a guiding hand through the form of clear, easy-to-find signage can leave a memorable impression.

So when it comes to the finishing touches at your site development, spend a few minutes giving them extra thought rather than treating them as an afterthought. It might make all the difference. Give us a call today.

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