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A new $35.8 million community hub is on the horizon for Blacktown in Sydney’s west, along with six other major projects planned for the area under the Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants program. Designed by Welsh and Major and unveiled by Blacktown City Council, the Seven Hills Community Hub is intended to catalyse the revitalisation of the suburb’s town centre, integrating facilities for the community with sustainable initiatives, both inside and out.
Situated adjacent to Seven Hills train station at Boomerang Place, the new two-storey building is envisioned to replace the current mobile library service with a new permanent library, study spaces for students, meeting and event spaces for community groups, a recording studio and a multifunctional space accommodating up to 250 people.
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“This hub is more than just a building, it’s more than just a library, it’s a long-term investment in our community, providing much-needed facilities for learning, creativity and connection,” Blacktown City Council mayor Brad Bunting said. “I know local residents will love it and make it a true community centre.”
According to a statement from the architect, the design approach recognises the project’s responsibility to repair and re-connect with Country. Working with First Nations consultant Djinjama, Welsh and Major have drawn inspiration from the forms of the Cumberland Plains woodland in the form and structure of the building, which also features colours, patterns and stories of water from Country.
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Sensitivity to environmental factors has played a key role across both the built form and its surrounding landscape. According to the architect, “Sustainability initiatives are at the heart of the design, with a hybrid CLT structure combined with green concrete, natural ventilation strategies, water capture and reuse, and PV power generation.”
Landscape architecture firm SMM were consulted for the design of the site’s new public plaza, shaded street colonnade and landscaped play spaces for library users. The architect’s statement notes that these are intended “to provide shade and reduce urban heat, bring people together and create a new green heart for Seven Hills.”
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Welsh and Major principal architect Chris Major commented, “We are delighted to collaborate with Blacktown City Council on this project. Our design will ensure the hub is not just functional but a joyful and welcoming place, fostering learning, creativity, and community spirit.” More
The Alice Springs Town Council have released concept plans to undertake revitalisation works along the riverside of the desert town’s city centre. The proposal is part of council’s commitment to delivering the Regenerating the Alice Town Centre project, which aims to engage with the Alice Springs community in order to enhance the city for the benefit of local individuals, businesses and visitors.
Following community feedback, council have hit a halfway point in the design development proposal, which includes upgrades to Todd Mall and Todd Street, a new activated link between the mall and Hartley Street, as well as areas along Leichhardt Terrace and the Hartley Street car park. The designs for the new public playground and sporting infrastructure, art installations, bench seating, landscaping and lighting are now open for public comment.
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The milestone succeeds a process of stakeholder engagement, including a multi-day co-design workshop, held over late 2023 and early 2024, and early conceptual designs prepared by Adelaide-based planning, landscape architecture and urban design studio Jensen Plus. According to their website, the practice’s research into the successes of, and risk factors for, pedestrian malls helped inform their design proposal for Todd Mall, which is “a well-loved community and tourist street … suffering from age, alternative shopping options, and well-publicised anti-social behaviour and crime (actual and perceived).”
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Bennett Architecture was awarded a design tender to translate these concepts into a detailed proposal in 2024. “These visionary plans, created in consultation with stakeholders, are poised to bring significant and positive changes to Alice Springs,” the firm noted on its social media. “We are honoured to collaborate with the council on this […] project and look forward to contributing to the transformation of Alice Springs’ town centre.”
According to the council, the next step will involve refining the proposal and preparing the project for construction.
The plans can be viewed online and are open for comment until 25 February. More
The program for the third Perth Design Week has been announced, with the annual public festival once again set to showcase good design and the local design community.
The 2025 program comprises more than 75 events and activities, including exhibitions, films, talks and experiences. Throughout the program, various design disciplines will be showcased, from architecture, urban planning and landscape design to interior design, furniture and graphic design.
Perth Design Week co-founders Sandy Anghie and David Smith described the festival as an annual celebration “of design’s power to drive positive change.”
“Design is all around us – from the homes and suburbs we live in to the clothes we wear and the objects we use every day. Design shapes our lives in countless ways,” they said. “Perth Design Week is about bringing this awareness to the forefront and offering Western Australians the opportunity to engage with the design community in meaningful ways.”
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Program highlights include a conversation between architects Joel Benichou from Spacemrkt and Archive Office, alongside Craig Nener from Grotto Studio. Together, they will explore the evolution of Australian home design, touching on both historical influences and innovative advancements. Titled Pre-Designed Homes: A New Vision Rooted in Tradition, this discussion will additionally introduce Benichou and Nener’s visionary initiative, Project_Home, which aims to redefine housing with a focus on efficiency and creativity.
A panel discussion hosted by Rezen Studio called Design for Wellness will explore the rise of wellness-oriented spaces, as well as how design can be harnessed to promote relaxation, mindfulness and connection.
Rewilding the City: Building a Greener Perth will highlight best-practice approaches to city greening and green infrastructure across Australia. Hosted by Urbis, this discussion will then zero in on Western Australian cities, exploring the opportunities and challenges of achieving greener and more resilient urban landscapes across the state.
A pop-up store tour showcasing restored historical furniture from Cultivated and recycled timber pieces from Mark Tuckey will be presented in a zero-waste retail space designed by Foolscap Studio.
“From the very beginning, we’ve seen incredible enthusiasm from the public to engage directly with design professionals. This year’s program offers even more opportunities for that connection,” said Anghie and Smith.
Perth Design Week 2025 runs between March 20–27. To view the full program and schedule, visit the Perth Design Week website. More
In celebration of 10 years of the European Healthcare Design (EHD) Congress, two Australian projects have claimed victories in the EHD Champions Awards as stand-out projects in international healthcare design. The prized projects were recognised as the most innovative and impactful healthcare projects to have won prizes in the annual EHD Awards over the past decade.
Winners were awarded across the awards’ six categories: Healthcare Design – Over 25,000 square metres, Healthcare Design – Under 25,000 square metres, Mental Health Design, Design for Health and Wellness, Interior Design and Arts, and Design for Adaptation and Transformation. Across each of the categories, three previously awarded winners were shortlisted and invited to present in person to judging panels at the Future Health 2050 International Symposium in London.
The awards juries featured international practitioners from across design and healthcare professions. In each category, jury members were selected for their specialist multidisciplinary expertise relevant to the specific categories they were invited to judge.
For the Healthcare Design – Under 25,000 square metres category, the jury named Yutjuwala Djiwarr Aged Care by Kaunitz Yeung Architecture as winner, making it the Champion of Champions in this regard. In the Interior Design and Arts category, the Campbelltown Hospital Redevelopment in NSW designed by Billard Leece Partnership received a high commendation.
Reflecting on the win, Kaunitz Yeung practice director David Kaunitz commented, “This project was a huge team effort between Yolŋu Elders, communities and Australian Regional and Remote Community Services Ltd and the project team with funding and incredible support from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. The project demonstrates the progress that is possible when we work collaboratively and sensitively together.” More
The first building in the new Bradfield City Centre is complete, comprising offices, a manufacturing hall and a multipurpose space.
The completed facility, known as First Building, was designed by Hassell to house stage one of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF). The new facility is sited adjacent to the proposed Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility, designed by Architectus, Aileen Sage Architects, Jacobs and Tyrell Studio. Together, these buildings will form part of a wider innovation hub within the new city centre.
The First Building accommodates an advanced manufacturing hall encased in glazing so that visitors can witness prototypes and new technologies being tested, offices, a multipurpose space for exhibitions and events, as well as a rooftop viewing platform and a green roof.
According to the architect, the project is largely centred around themes of circularity and regenerative design.
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Liz Westgarth, Hassell managing director and principal in charge of the project, explained the building is “fabricated as a modular kit-of-parts.” This modular construction enables the building to be disassembled, expanded or relocated, in a move that seeks to enhance the resilience and adaptability of the facility as the future city of Bradfield continues to develop.
“A kit-of-parts construction that can be reconfigured and reused ensures the building’s longevity and responsiveness to Bradfield’s future needs,” Westgarth said.
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Another sustainable feature is the large roof structure, which facilitates the generation of solar energy and the collection of water for reuse. Natural materials, such as rammed earth and recycled tiles, have also been integrated throughout the building.
According to a communique from Hassell, First Nations cultural and design agency Djinjama provided guidance on designing for Country. The statement noted that the facility “honours its location on the Cumberland Plain by creating a harmonious connection between built and natural environments” by “sitting softly on the land and using a colour palette and materials that blur the line between built form and nature.”
The landscape design, also by Hassell, is intended to provide green spaces around the building for workers and visitors to gather and socialise.
Bradfield City Centre is part of an approved masterplan that proposes 114 hectares of land nearby the forthcoming Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport be developed into a new city with a residential component, a retail and commercial precinct, open spaces, as well as new and improved streets and roads. In June 2024, the future city’s second building, an Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility, was proposed. In July 2024, the final designs for Bradfield Central Park were unveiled. More
The annual Open House Melbourne Weekend celebrates the value of design by inviting the public into buildings, places and spaces across the city and inspiring conversations about the future of the metropolis.
Founded in 2008, the program takes place annually in the last weekend of July, presenting open buildings, tours, talks and events in collaboration with architects and designers, building custodians, community organisations and creative practitioners. This year’s themed weekend focuses on sharing Stories of the City.
“In Melbourne, every building, street and public place tells a unique story,” the Open House Melbourne website reads. “Shaped by its transformation over time and the diverse communities that live here, the city is more than its bricks and mortar – the city is about people and place. The stories of our city are embedded in its urban landscapes and the people who live, work and play here.”
Open House Melbourne invites submissions from organisations or individuals, including building owners or custodians, design practices, and community groups, who have stories to share from locations across the city and its suburbs. The stories can be personal or collective, look to the past or to the future.
“We want to hear stories that connect people with the city’s past and present, uncovering the narratives that have shaped Melbourne’s identity,” the website reads.
Submissions may take the form of open access to buildings or building tours, walking or site tours, workshops, panel discussions, talks, films or exhibitions. Most programs will operate between 9 am and 6 pm over Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 July as open access, however Open House Melbourne offers the option of pre-booked slots for limited capacity spaces or timed tours, as well as partially programming over Friday 25 July.
Applicants need to allow building access for a minimum of six hours across the weekend and/or accommodate a minimum capacity of 50 people.
Expressions of interest are due by Friday 21 February and can be made online. More
The Housing Institute of Australia has released a Housing Policy Scoreboard, ranking each state and territory on the effectiveness of state government policies to reach housing supply targets.
The scoreboard considers ten critical housing supply policies and mechanisms that the Housing Institute of Australia (HIA) has stated would significantly aid governments to achieve their National Housing Accord housing supply targets between 2024–2029. According to the HIA, the policies and mechanisms have either proven to be successful or are very likely to be successful in increasing housing supply.
The ten criteria that each of the states and territories were assessed against include:
New housing targets
First homeowner grant
First home buyer stamp duty exemption
First homebuyer shared equity scheme
Stamp duty exemption on new housing
Fast-tracked housing development approval capability
Fast-tracked land release program
Land supply dashboard
State-based investment in residential building trades
Social housing targets and investment.
South Australia fared best out of all states and territories, scoring a nine out of ten. According to the report, “The state has employed an advantageous blend of planning innovation, skills investment and housing affordability policies to position itself as best as possible to attain its 5-year new housing target” of 83,811 homes. Notable mechanisms implemented by the South Australian government include the ability to lodge planning applications online and the adoption of AI to automate development approvals for simple applications that meet prescriptive criteria. The report explained that these actions “have gone some way in helping to streamline approval pathways, though some further refinements are required.”
Western Australia closely trailed South Australia, achieving a score of eight out of ten. The report stated that the WA government has prioritised planning reform during and after the pandemic, focusing on reducing red tape for building approvals. Additionally, the state is incentivising diverse dwelling options by offering density bonuses and increasing development housing yields, regardless of existing zoning regulations.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Australian Capital Territory received the lowest score of four out of ten. The report noted, “The ACT’s housing roadmap is deficient and looks unlikely to promote sustained strength in new home supply over the next five years. While the territory government states that over the next five years it is planning to release a range of greenfield and infill sites to support the development of 21,059 new homes (its accord target), there is a void of prudent policy to streamline key planning processes.”
Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania each received a score of six out of ten. With regards to Victoria, the report observed that the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build, inherited from the Andrews government, remains a commendable initiative aimed at delivering 12,000 new social and affordable homes throughout metropolitan and regional areas. The HIA also commended the government’s “recent announcement of a twelve-month cut to stamp duty for all off-the-plan units and townhouses,” which, the institute said, will be “helpful in boosting supply of the medium to high density homes.” However, despite these long-term measures to promote additional housing supply, the HIA expressed concern that there appears to be a prevailing agenda to raise taxes on housing rather than reduce them, pointing to the state government’s implementation of a land tax surcharge, an absentee owner surcharge, a windfall gains tax and a short stay levy.
The report described NSW as “perennially a one step forward, one step back jurisdiction.” The state is implementing mechanisms to expedite development approvals and has released a new Statement of Expectations Order that establishes timeframes for councils on development assessment, planning proposals and strategic planning. However, the report noted that the state “has also missed opportunities to implement policies targeting the sorely needed boost to greenfield land supply, particularly around the urban fringe of Greater Sydney.”
In Tasmania, the report noted that while the state government has committed extensive policy resources to its social housing agenda, it is simultaneously lacking initiatives for non-subsidised private rental and home ownership markets. The report highlighted the necessity for additional initiatives to expedite the release of greenfield land accross the state. A $30 million headworks holiday land release grant program has been established to incentivise private landowners to release lots by assisting with the cost of installing the headworks. However, the report stated that such a program is not a substitute for the expedited release of more greenfield land for residential development.
Queensland and the Northern Territory both scored five. Regarding Queensland, the report stated, “Clearer strategic direction and the right statutory tools that cut red tape and enable faster decisions so higher density housing can be approved in a timely manner must be implemented. Urgent planning reform is needed, requiring Brisbane and other major cities to identify and facilitate appropriate infill locations. The state has proposed a new state-facilitated development team [which] intends to streamline decisions and quickly resolve planning and infrastructure issues that are delaying new homes. In principle, this is a step in the right direction, however development approvals continue to resemble a timeframe of 75 days which is not conducive to the low-cost expedient delivery of new homes.”
According to the report, the Northern Territory offers the most affordable first home owner grant in the nation, providing $50,000 to first-time buyers for allocation towards the purchase or construction of their first home. While this is a commendable initiative, the report noted that the “NT planning system lacks strong strategic direction and objectives to guide residential development. Concerted action is needed, such as improved implementation of planning assessment guidance documents, such as Designing Better, to better facilitate streamlined approvals.” The report recommended that the territory could also “benefit from a land development strategy that adequately identifies future land supply.”
To read the full report, visit the Housing Institute of Australia website. More
