The recently released State of Australian Cities report from the Australian Government reveals that in Sydney, semi-detached and apartment dwellings make up 56% of all new dwellings built over the last decade, whereas in 2001 they accounted for only 35%. Three years ago, apartment construction reached the tipping point where it exceeded the number of new freestanding homes.

This says two important things. Apartment construction is on the rise – and therefore so is density.

As if to confirm the fact, the revised SEPP 65 governing the design of apartments was gazetted three weeks ago. NSW is still the only state in Australia to have its own design legislation mandating the use of architects for this building type.

The impressive crop of entrants to the multi-residential category of this year’s awards proves that our members are up to this privilege and this challenge.

But our potential impact on the improvement of the built environment is much greater than this one building type.

We have the opportunity to use our strategic design skills to help create a much more liveable Sydney.

In the last month I have conducted interviews with the CEOs of two key government agencies, Infrastructure NSW and UrbanGrowth NSW, for the next issue of Architecture Bulletin.

They both told me of the importance of design thinking in making the immense changes underway across the whole metropolitan area. They agree with the Institute that the city needs to be both bigger and better.

UrbanGrowth CEO David Pitchford sees us as his allies in ‘the war against mediocrity,’ while Infrastructure’s Jim Betts quotes his Melbourne experience in proclaiming the importance of keeping the engineers under control if the city is to improve as it grows.

These are strong messages from two key executives guiding Sydney’s growth – and architecture and architects are well placed to work with them in achieving a bigger city that functions better and is also more liveable.
Shaun Carter
NSW President