There is a widespread misconception that the road to substantial design improvements is paved with demolition and can only be achieved through rebuilding – especially when it comes to revitalising ageing hardscape surfaces. But this vibrant Chatswood Citadel Towers forecourt project tells an entirely different story – one of sustainable urban renewal that, rather than seeking to leave nothing behind, resurfaces, retains and leaves behind as much as it possibly can.

Destroy to create… or not

When, in 2024, the internal refurbishment of this major commercial precinct managed by JLL neared completion, the project’s attention turned to its extensive forecourt. Dotted with seating areas and painted garden beds, the 1,200m² outdoor space showed signs – namely old, weathered, dated tiles – that it might need revitalisation just as much as the revamped buildings.

However, as the primary entrance to the precinct, which houses a variety of large businesses, including PepsiCo, and a bustling street-side cafe, the prospect of a large-scale demolition presented significant challenges – from access restrictions and noise pollution affecting over 2,000 professionals and visitors frequenting this space daily to substantial costs and potential of additional works.

Arcadia, the project’s landscape architect, sought a high-performing paving system and a design approach that would revitalise this popular outdoor space while retaining as much of the existing surface as possible and minimising any impact on the forecourt experience. That’s where StoneSet Permeable Paving, an Australian manufacturer of high-quality resin-bound paving with a commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, came in.

Expertly managed by Baseline Projects to keep any disruption to tenants and businesses to a minimum, the team set out to reimagine this popular outdoor space in the most sustainable way possible, leveraging StoneSet’s Premium UVR’s unique profile. In just 24 working days, they proved that ageing hardscape surfaces don’t have to be demolished to be revitalised – and that resin-bound paving is not only a viable but often the best way to foster sustainable infrastructure.

Resurface, retain… prepare

Traditional hardscape materials cannot be installed over an undulating tiled surface without complete re-screeding, which increases finished heights and poses a risk of shifting or cracking due to base movement. In contrast, StoneSet’s Premium UVR solution can be applied directly onto the existing substrate while maintaining minimum thickness.

And so, having determined that – despite its aged appearance – the existing tiled substrate was largely structurally sound and could be retained as the base, with only minor localised repairs to isolated damaged tiles, the team was able to preserve a significant amount of the original surface. To prevent cracking, the new layer mirrors the existing substrate’s 350 Lm of expansion joints and the entire 1,200 m² surface was reinforced with a fibreglass mesh before the resin-bound system was mixed on-site and meticulously applied over the uneven base.

By allowing the team at JLL and Arcadia to preserve as much of the existing surface as possible and preparing the area to ensure flexibility and reliable performance for years to come, the StoneSet system helped minimise the need for demolition and its associated costs. This outcome, Tori Newton, the Co-Founder & Director of StoneSet Permeable Paving, notes, translated into a number of environmental wins.

Sustainable outcomes of repurposing existing infrastructure

“The average combined depth of tiles, adhesive and screed totalled approximately 100mm, which – across the 1,203 m² forecourt – equated to roughly 289 tonnes of potential demolition material,” Tori explains. At roughly 240 kg of waste per square metre diverted from landfill, this achievement is particularly meaningful – according to Australia’s Wasted Opportunity 2025 report, our construction industry generates an average of 141 kg of waste per m² of built area.

By eliminating the need for demolition, transport and replacement concrete works, the project has banked an estimated – and very measurable, Tori points out – 29 tonnes of embodied CO₂, significantly reducing its environmental footprint. Plus, it avoided the carbon intensity associated with the production and installation of new base materials, which, Tori offers, would be approximately 120 m³ of new concrete or screed. “Concrete produces roughly 300 kg of CO₂ per m³,” she explains. “Avoiding the reconstruction prevented an estimated 36 tonnes of CO₂ from material production alone.”

Sustainability of preserving, prolonging and extending

Importantly, the Premium UVR system also had a higher commercial-grade resin ratio, specified to deliver enhanced strength and long-term performance. And with an impressive lifespan of over a quarter of a century, this UV-stable application not only ensures long-lasting underfoot performance in a high-traffic space, but also extends the lifespan of the retained elements for decades to come.

“Extending the forecourt’s base structure effectively reduces premature asset disposal and avoids a full capital reset of the space,” Tori explains, pointing out that prolonging the life of existing infrastructure is one of the most effective ways to lower whole-of-life carbon in commercial assets.

Sustainable composition

The environmental benefits of this transformation go even further – and are even more granular. The blend selected for this project comprises mainly natural stone and only 7% resin, with 0.8mm recycled glass added to the mix. The remaining 13% of its composition is just air.

This makes the P5-slip-resistant StoneSet Premium UVR system fully permeable, eliminating the risk of surface water pooling while allowing water to drain effectively through its partially voided structure, eliminating delamination/hydroblistering compared to traditional impervious surfaces. In addition, this void content reduces the permanent weight load on the suspended concrete basement slab below and minimises waste or recycling processing at the end of its life.

Crucially, the system is also completely free of PFAS and organofluorine compounds, and the binder utilises a plant-oil-based resin that cures into an inert, non-toxic polyurethane, posing no risk of leaching, bioaccumulation or bioconcentration in the environment.

Autumnal underfoot landscape

And while these structural and environmental benefits may be largely concealed beneath the surface, the aesthetic execution of the Citadel Towers forecourt stands out as a striking representation of this revitalisation project.
With a dynamic topography of organic forms generously integrated across the entire surface in a multi-coloured Autumnal palette incorporating StoneSet’s Glensanda, Koonunga and Beach blends, Arcadia’s vibrant underfoot landscape galvanises the area’s static infrastructure.

The seamless aesthetic of the meticulous design isn’t even interrupted by the pragmatic presence of drains and services – adjusted to suit the new depth, fitted with HIDE access covers to achieve the correct finished heights and infilled with the matching StoneSet blend, these elements camouflage effortlessly into the surrounding pattern.

Seeing is believing

Equipped with new garden beds, decking, seating and a raised turf picnic area built directly over the retained base course, this outdoor space has now become a welcoming gathering spot for everyone, including the general public who just missed their bus right across the road.

“JLL have been incredibly appreciative about the transformation of the space and the community it has solidified for the towers,” Tori says. This response is especially satisfying given the initial reservations. “Many of the stakeholders were in disbelief that the existing weathered-damaged tiles could be repurposed as a new sub base for a brand new high-performance, coloured and built-to-last surface,” she smiles, recalling the knowledge gap regarding the capabilities of resin-bound permeable paving. “They trusted us – and we made them believe”.

Rethinking innovation

And that, Tori notes, is the project’s most compelling and inspiring takeaway: the powerful, yet untapped potential of the largely underutilised resurfacing technologies in sustainable architectural and landscape design.

“The default assumption tends to be that ageing hardscape surfaces must be demolished and rebuilt to achieve meaningful design improvements,” she concludes, highlighting that what architects and builders might see as a constraint, StoneSet appreciates as a structural asset. “Being able to reframe their understanding of our system capabilities is always rewarding. Innovation doesn’t always mean ‘new’ – more often it comes from the act of ‘rethinking’ and being able to see something in a different way.”

Resurface, retain, revitalise: Rethinking sustainable infrastructure with StoneSet at Citadel Towers, Chatswood

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