Accessibility





2024
︎︎︎ Project Website
︎︎︎ Project Report
︎︎︎ DIY Guidebook



Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism &
Civic Data Design Lab
Sarah Williams
Minwook Kang
Hannah Shumway 
Sebastian Ives
Maria Gabriela Carucci
Karen Kuo
Clay Anderson
Mercy Olagunjuay

University of New South Wales
Gonzalo Portas
Mariano Ramirez
Rina Bernabei 
Eugenia Cheung
Grace Wong
Eleanor Tang
Christina Chen

Transport for NSW

Overview



Benchmark NSW is an experimental, temporary outdoor seating initiative designed to understand how women, girls, and gender diverse people use public spaces. Conducted as a collaboration between the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Transport for NSW (TfNSW), the project introduced modular, movable seating with integrated motion-activated LED lighting. The seating was monitored using AI-driven vision recognition software developed by MIT to collect data on how people interact with their urban environment.



This project was funded by Transport for NSW’s Safer Cities Program, a $30 million initiative aimed at enhancing perceptions of safety in public spaces, particularly for women, girls and gender diverse people. Inspired by MIT's original Benchmark initiative in 2017, Benchmark NSW adapted this model to local cultural and environmental contexts, reflecting Sydney’s values and leveraging the latest advancements in AI technology. The seating units, fabricated from post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), were co-designed by women Industrial Design students at UNSW, emphasising social interaction, safety, and sustainability.


Installed near the UNSW Village Green, the project utilised computer vision sensors to monitor how users interacted with the seating and the surrounding environment. These sensors anonymised data at the source to ensure privacy, allowing for the collection of valuable insights about usage patterns, pedestrian traffic, and social interaction. The data collected provides critical feedback for future public space planning, particularly focused on enhancing inclusivity and perceptions of safety. The technology in the sensor kit is documented in a comprehensive Do-It-Yourself Benchmark NSW Guidebook, enabling place managers, researchers and other interested parties to conduct their own public space research. This open-source guidebook will be available for urban planners, community organisations, and researchers, offering refined methodologies that empower others to start similar projects and contribute to data-driven urban planning initiatives.


Key outcomes

  • The number of people staying grew five times after benches were set up, based on the data collected through vision AI sensor.
  • The number of women and girls staying on site increased eight times after benches were deployed, based on human observation.
  • The number of people staying at night grew six times after benches were installed at site based on the data collected through the AI camera vision sensor.
  • The benches facilitated social life. Community feedback highlighted the seating’s approachability and flexibility, with 85% of respondents noting that the seating made social interaction easier.
  • The benches increased comfort. The modular design allowed users to personalise the space, fostering a greater sense of ownership and comfort. In fact, 70% of women respondents said the seating made them more comfortable. 

Completed over a five-month period, Benchmark NSW demonstrated the potential of smart technology and design to better understand how people use urban areas and provide insights into perceptions of safety and inclusivity in public spaces. The success of the project underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and sets a strong foundation for future applications in urban planning, particularly those that prioritise women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals.


Credits
Benchmark NSW is a collaboration between the Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism, Civic Data Design Lab and University of New South Wales. This project has been funded by Transport for NSW through the Safer Cities program.
Press
︎︎︎ Interview video from the project launch event. 18 Nov 2024.
︎︎︎ Innovative smart seats aim to improve feelings of safety in public spaces UNSW Media Newsroom. 22 July 2024.
︎︎︎ Innovative smart seats aim to improve safety of public spaces The National Tribune. 23 July 2024.
︎︎︎ This smart seating enhances the inclusivity of public space Wallpaper. 1 August 2024.