Urban design is evolving, and with it, the way we move through our cities. Active transport is more than just getting from A to B—it’s about fostering healthier, more sustainable communities and creating a deeper connection to the spaces we inhabit. 

Active transport corridors are at the forefront of this transformation, seamlessly blending movement with placemaking to create vibrant, people-focused environments. More than just pathways, they are dynamic, connected spaces that prioritise wellbeing, accessibility, and community. 

COX’s latest research paper, Active Transport Corridors: A Place-Based Approach, explores how integrating active travel and micro-mobility into daily life is reshaping urban environments—ensuring our cities move with us, not just around us. 

Presented By : COX Director Lachlan Abercrombie & COX Senior Associate Shirin Adorbehi 

Join us as Hend Sameh, Team Leader of Urban Design at the City of Canterbury Bankstown, shares insights into how her team has helped shape the city's future through strategic urban design. Explore the strategies they’ve implemented, the key achievements earned, and the challenges they’ve overcome, while gaining valuable lessons from their approach to planning.

Join us for the 2024 Gala: a night to celebrate urban design!

Urban Designers now have a recognition pathway! Join Diana Griffiths (Vice President UDA) and Jesse McNicoll (UDA member) as they explain the process, pathways and deadlines for the first intake of Registered Urban Designers in NSW. 

The Value Assessment System for Place (VASP) project integrates urban design considerations into projects from the outset by standardizing qualitative assessment and economic valuation across city and regional scales.

Join us for our next UDA at the Pub and get to know your new UDA committee and meet other urban designers, in a relaxed setting.

The 2024 Annual General Meeting of the UDA updated member on activities over the last year, including advocacy, events, changes to the constitution, and voting for 4 new committee members.

Hear about innovative approached to greenfield street design!

Join us at the Belvedere for to discuss career pathways for urban designers - or to have a chat and a drink!

Quantifying the quality of public spaces

Public spaces are the focus of public life in our cities, but it’s hard to quantify the quality of a public space. Currently it’s typically assessed by a few metrics or driven by an individual’s opinion.

Quantifying Quality, a research project by SJB and UTS, seeks to democratise this process by drawing upon community opinion and applying a process that refines a design solution based on crowd sourced data.

This project won the award for Leadership, Advocacy and Research (Local and Neighbourhood Scale) at the 2024 Australian Urban Design Awards.

Join Jordan Mathers (SJB) and Mohammed Makki (UTS) as they take us through the process they created.

Urban Design Association NSW (INC2200625)

Notice of Special General Meeting

Notice is given that a Special General Meeting of the members of Urban Design Association NSW will be held on Tuesday 26 March 2024 at 6pm.

The purpose of the meeting is to receive a financial report for 2023, explain the 2024 governance calendar, and consider special resolutions to increase the size of the committee from 7 to 9 people and to allow the committee membership composition to be staggered over a 2 year period.

The meeting will consider and, if thought appropriate, vote on the following special resolutions concerning the UDA constitution:

That Section 14 Part (2) be changed to “The total number of committee members is to be 9”

That Section 14 Part (6) be changed to “Each member of the committee is, subject to this constitution, to hold office until immediately before the election of committee members at the second annual general meeting next following the date of the member’s election, and is eligible for re-election.”

Note: These are proposed as special resolutions and must be passed by three quarters of the members who are present at the meeting and entitled to vote on the resolution, and who do vote, in accordance with section 39 of the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW).

UDA Webinar Series - Low-and mid-rise Housing EIE

Following a successful Urban Design at the Pub Event on Wednesday 28 February, join us for an insightful webinar to discuss the recent submission by the Urban Design Association regarding the EIE Low-and mid-rise housing.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to kick off the new year, connecting with like-minded urban designers and engage in meaningful discussions about the latest changes to the planning system regarding low-and-mid-rise housing.

The Read, Listen, Talk series is a forum for city shaping and urban design enthusiasts to gather, chat, analyze, and debate all things urban design. Get your critical thinking hat on and engage in constructive conversations about urban design. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with designing and managing urban areas. Plus, you'll make connections with like-minded designers who share your passion for shaping the future of our cities. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay informed, engaged, and have fun!

Annual UDA NSW Gala - Celebrating the profession of urban design

A celebration is in store! Join us in commemorating the first year of the Urban Design Association, dedicated to advancing the profession of urban design in NSW. You won't want to miss this exciting event hosted by Brendan Moar and held at the stunning Millers Point location courtesy of Hassell Studio.

UDA Webinar Series - Kurt Iveson and Marco Amati - What can we really learn from Barcelona’s Superblocks?

Join us for an insightful webinar that explores Barcelona’s Superblocks. Barcelona’s Superblocks are lauded all over the world as a way to transform urban city streets. This webinar will go deeper, telling the stories of the people and politics that made these changes possible and the benefits and controversies that resulted.

The Read, Listen, Talk series is a forum for city shaping and urban design enthusiasts to gather, chat, analyze, and debate all things urban design. Get your critical thinking hat on and engage in constructive conversations about urban design. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with designing and managing urban areas. Plus, you'll make connections with like-minded designers who share your passion for shaping the future of our cities. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay informed, engaged, and have fun!

UDA Webinar Series - Child Friendly Neighbourhood Design

Join us for an insightful webinar that explores Child Friendly Neighbourhood Design. We will hear from Natalia Krysiak and expert panelists Melissa Mason, Helen Ryan and Mark Egan. Natalia is a practicing architect and the founder of 'Cities for Play', Natalia specialises in the design of child-oriented environments, focusing on child-friendly cities and how the built environment can contribute to the health and wellbeing of children.

Meet up with other UDA members in the pub, have a drink and talk urban design. Since I Left You (SILY) is just 6 minutes walk from Wynyard or Town Hall train stations.

The Read, Listen, Talk series is a forum for city shaping and urban design enthusiasts to gather, chat, analyze, and debate all things urban design. Get your critical thinking hat on and engage in constructive conversations about urban design. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with designing and managing urban areas. Plus, you'll make connections with like-minded designers who share your passion for shaping the future of our cities. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay informed, engaged, and have fun!

The article for the next Read Listen Talk! session is the hot topic “How AI and machine learning can help make better public spaces for people”.

Meet up with other UDA members in the pub, have a drink and talk urban design. The Commercial Hotel is just 1 minute walk from Parramatta rail station.

UDA Webinar Series - Are design guidelines effective instruments of change?

Join us for a thought-provoking webinar that explores the effectiveness of design guidelines in driving change in Western Sydney. Through this discussion we will try to answer the question - are design guidelines effective instruments of change?

UDA NSW Read, Listen, Talk Series

The Read, Listen, Talk series is a forum for city shaping and urban design enthusiasts to gather, chat, analyze, and debate all things urban design. Get your critical thinking hat on and engage in constructive conversations about urban design. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with designing and managing urban areas. Plus, you'll make connections with like-minded designers who share your passion for shaping the future of our cities. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay informed, engaged, and have fun!

Details

12:30pm - 1:30pm

UDA - Read, Listen, Talk Series

Walking Tour and Networking Drinks at the Pub

Join us on a walking tour of Central Park Sydney led by Diana Griffiths, Director of Studio GL. Central Park occupies 5.8 hectares on the former Carlton and United Brewery on Broadway.

The $2 billion urban development comprises of residential, student living, a multi-level shopping centre, commercial office space, child-care facilities and multiple hotels, plus the beautiful Chippendale Green in the heart of it all.

Background

The opportunity to create a new residential neighbourhood in the heart of Sydney arose when several hectares of land became available after the Carlton United Brewery closed.

Close to the city’s major transport hub and two large universities, the 5.8-ha site on the border of Broadway and Chippendale offered huge potential for high-density commercial development, housing, open space, connections to surrounding streets and neighbourhoods, and adaptive re-use of heritage buildings.

The master plan for the site prioritises public amenity to balance these competing demands within a high-density development. This renewed city quarter has been designed around a network of lanes, streets, parks and important heritage buildings to create human-scaled, welcoming spaces with diverse uses.

Details

6:00pm - 7:00pm

Central Park Walking Tour

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Networking Drinks at the Abercrombie Hotel

Tickets

The walking Tour will start at The Abercrombie Hotel. Tickets are limited for the walking tour and five places will be reserved for student attendees.

If you miss out on tickets to the walking tour, you can still join us for drinks at the pub!

To attend, register via Eventbrite

One of the objectives of the UDA is advocating for better built environments - so the theme of this networking drinks will be about how to turn ideas into reality. A new group called Better Streets for NSW has formed to get increased funding for walking, cycling and street quality. Some people from that group will be there to share their advocacy knowledge and explain how you can be involved in getting Better Streets.

Join to watch urban designers debate whether there is ‘no true urbanism in NSW’ at our inagural debate in the Urban Design Association NSW’s debate series. To attend, register via Eventbrite.

Urban design in NSW is coming of age. It’s time to celebrate!

Come along to the Rooftop bar, Glenmore Hotel, 96 Cumberland Street in The Rocks on Wednesday 12th October between 6-8pm to mark this milestone with friends and colleagues in the industry.

Hear about what is planned in the coming months, how to join and shape the UDA’s activities. Urban designers from all sectors and at all career stages will be warmly welcomed. This Association has been created for you.