Student visionaries dream of a future-proof global Sydney

Now in its fourth year, the annual Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship celebrates the legacy and leadership of celebrated engineer, John Bradfield. A University of Sydney alumnus, his contribution to the city’s architectural identity continues to define Sydney’s skyline. As the former Chief Engineer for the NSW Public Works Department, he was instrumental in the construction of Sydney’s underground City Circle railway system, and is known as the ‘father’ of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This year, scholarship applicants were asked to follow in Bradfield’s footsteps by explaining what they thought the biggest obstacle to success for Sydney’s future as a global city is, and what ideas they had to overcome that obstacle.

The ideas of our seven young visionaries include clever environmental solutions to cool Sydney, unique ways to upgrade our current transport system and ones which harnessed the vibrant cultural identities of the Greater Sydney area.

The 2018 recipient of the Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship will be announced at the Bradfield Oration in Sydney on Monday 19 November.

• Katherine Cai (Bachelor of Project Management)
• James McLarty (Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Project Management)
• Kavya Nagpal (Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws)
• Henry Nelson (Bachelor of International and Global Studies)
• Sean Perry (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws)
• Anastasia Uricher (Bachelor of Architecture and Environments)
• Beverley Zou (Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws)

Specialised services hubs across Greater Sydney

We need to look beyond the CBD to cultivate Sydney’s future economic success, says Bachelor of Project Management student Katherine Cai.

She proposes developing specialised hubs focusing on education, health, leisure and commerce across the Greater Sydney region, bolstered by new infrastructure and transport links to ensure liveability and accessibility for both locals and international visitors.

Water-smart urban forests

Climate change poses significant risks to ensuring a reliable and plentiful supply of water for Sydney's future, says second-year Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Project Management student James McLarty.

His solution is forming public spaces that retain, purify and recycle water, such as urban forests throughout the city’s maze of concrete and steel. These spaces would provide a balance between infrastructure and the natural environment.

James was inspired by recent work experience with the Central Coast Council’s Water and Sewer Department, where he was tasked with researching water-sensitive design.

Fostering community in urban villages

First-year Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws student Kavya Nagpal says the Sydney of the future will be more connected than ever, but also more lonely.

Inspired by leading American architect Jeanne Gang’s Aqua Tower in Chicago and the ‘Superblocks’ of Barcelona, Kavya  has a vision for ‘micropolises’ – or urban villages – of residential high-rises, vertical farms and commercial and public-services buildings that incorporate innovative modern design solutions to create a sense of community that flourished in local villages in the past.

Clever cooling waterways

Sydney’s population will swelter in extreme temperatures in future decades due to climate change, says Bachelor of International and Global Studies student Henry Nelson.

The solution? Henry proposes our streets be organised to encourage the drawing of cool air inland from waterways like the Parramatta, Hawkesbury, Nepean and Georges rivers, and that modern building techniques like generative design and 3D printing be used to ensure future urban development is ecological and economical.

Henry was inspired by buildings that defy the warmth of their environments such as the Chandni Chowk –  the ancient warren of narrow shaded passageways in Delhi – and the enormous cross-ventilated rooms in Ho Chi Minh City’s Presidential Palace.

Activating travel corridors

First-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws student Sean Perry says rampant development with poor governance and planning is threatening Sydney’s future.

His solution is a ‘return to the streets’, taking inspiration from the Inner West Council’s GreenWay environmental and active travel corridor project.

He proposes a city-long network of bike paths, pedestrian walkways, parks and sporting facilities, along a light rail line.

Engaging the cultural heart of the community

Second-year Bachelor of Architecture and Environments student Anastasia Uricher believes the incorporation of Indigenous and migrant cultures into the city’s identity would ensure Sydney's success as a global city.

Her proposal envisages cultural hubs in currently unnurtured inland areas – large, open spaces, filled with community-oriented projects initiated by locals, such as street libraries, community galleries, festivals and gardens.

Automated rail, stackable houses and crypto rewards

Reflecting her peers’ concerns around housing affordability, livability and reliable transportation, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws student Beverley Zou suggests that disruptive technologies can help turn the Sydney of the future into a “smart city”.

The second-year student suggests a three-tier approach, comprising ‘Co-living, Stackable Complexes’ to tackle housing affordability, an ‘Automated Underground Carriage Rail System’ to encourage public transport use, and a ‘Crypto-Public Transport System’ that rewards people with cryptocurrency for reducing their carbon footprint.

The Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship is now open for 2019 - apply now.