Thank you to all who attended this fascinating look at ways to improve the design of our greenfield areas!

If you missed it, don’t worry! You can watch the recording by pressing the button below:

Joe Rowling from E8urban took us through the Gurner Avenue Masterplan, a project that was recently commended at the Australian Urban Design Awards 2024.

The Gurner Avenue Austral Masterplan demonstrates that urban design innovation and excellence can be achieved in a peri-urban greenfield context. It addresses pressing challenges like urban heat, canopy coverage and community interaction through best practice low-speed street design.

Developed by a multi-disciplinary team in 2021, with construction targeted for 2025, this 48-hectare site features low-speed streets with 40-50% tree canopy. Activation nodes within these streets vary from seating clusters and small parks to activated green/blue corridors. Thoughtful deviations from 'business as usual' design have shown a reduction in ambient temperature by as much as 6 degrees.

The project illustrates how a design-lead approach to streets and the public domain can deliver significant amenity, environmental, and health benefits. It also creates vibrant, people-focused streets that are full of character.