Sydney Living Museums
Hyde Park Barracks is one of Sydney’s most prestigious and iconic heritage buildings, listed on the World Heritage Register and owned, managed and conserved by Sydney Living Museums. Working with Studio Colin Polwarth, Urbanac is providing strategic planning advice to SLM which will strengthen the conservation and interpretation of the barracks for the benefit of the greater community. The first stage of this project is the application for an award of Heritage floor Space, which was approved by the City of Sydney in August 2017, and which will release significant funding for the ongoing conservation of the property. Urbanac is also advising SLM regarding the insertion of a new passenger lift which will, for the first time, provide equitable access to the building's upper floors.
UTS Australian Forensic Taphonomic Experimental REsearch
What's the best way to dispose of a dead body? When UTS Professor Shari Forbes wanted to get Australia’s first "body farm" approved, she turned to Urbanac for help. Urbanac understands how to work with local government so rather than complicate matters with special approval processes, Urbanac simply put the proposition into plain English, involved the Council early, and worked with a select consultant team to address all the issues upfront. What could have been a hugely controversial project was instead approved in 6 weeks. To find out more about the UTS AFTER facility visit the UTS AFTER facility homepage. So what is the best way to dispose of a body? Donate it to the UTS AFTER facility. (Image by Toby Zerna).
UTS Blackfriars New Research Building
Urbanac took the lead on the staged approval for a new research and development building at UTS's historic Blackfriars campus in Chippendale. Working with Studio colin Polwarth, H2o Architects and Paul Davies and Associates heritage architects, Urbanac developed the envelope for the building that sought to rebalance the site's permissible floorspace and height, with reduced heights at the southern end of the site and height increases more than double the LEP maximum at the north. The project was approved by the Department of Planning and Environment in March 2017. Urbanac is working with UTS and design competition winners Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects to complete the final State significant development applications. (Image Courtesy H2o Architects)
Kembla Grange Planning Proposal
Working for a private client in collaboration with Studio Colin Polwarth and Archvis, the project involved a submission to council and negotiations to uplift the zoning for the property. The project sought to increase the future housing density on the land consistent with State Government targets, whilst preserving the land's wetlands and key natural features. During the year long project the urban design study examined the future development capacity though careful work and negotiations with Wollongong Council. The work was taken up by Council and is now progressing as part of a planning proposal seeking gateway determination with the Department of Planning and Environment. (Image Courtesy Archvis and Studio Colin Polwarth)
Crows Nest Urban Design Study
In 2016 following the NSW Government announcement of the Crows Nest Metro Station location, KannFinch asked Urbanac to assist with a planning proposal for a private client who owned a consolidated site. Urbanac undertook a planning review of comparable metropolitan centres to establish reasonable uplift expectations and to frame a conversation about the future of the site with Council and the State. The matter is being considered by Council and the Department of Planning and Environment.(Image courtesy KannFinch).
NSROC Regional Priorities Paper
Urbanac prepared the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Regional Priorities Paper 2013, a plan setting out regional priorities and key actions for Northern Sydney. NSROC and its member councils are using this document to position the organisation and the region to take advantage of new policy directions. NSROC asked Urbanac to update the plan in 2014 following the change in State Government.
Urban Design Review
Urbanac Pty Ltd was engaged by the developer of a site in Nowra on the NSW south coast, in partnership with Lee Carmichael Town Planning (now PDC Lawyers and Planners), to undertake an urban design assessment of the proposed mixed use development for a site located in the South Nowra Urban Consolidation Area and earmarked for increased development by the future Nowra Bomaderry Structure Plan. Urbanac worked closely with architects KannFinch to review the urban design aspects or the proposal, recommend changes to improve amenity, and to report on the project's significant benefits as part of the development application supporting documentation. The development will mark a significant entry to the South Nowra precinct, the first of many new mid rise residential and mixed use developments for the precinct. (Image courtesy KannFinch)
PARKS FOR PEOPLE
As a part of the City of Sydney Small Parks Upgrade Program Elizabeth McCrea Park in Redfern was upgraded with new recreational facilities and play opportunities that responded to community consultation. Working with lead consultants Corkery Consulting, and heritage consultants AHMS (now Extant Heritage), Urbanac undertook the planning for the project including preparing the Review of Environmental Factors for the proposed works. The upgrade works include regrading, drainage, paving, fencing, expansion of an existing shade structure, a new sand pit, playground equipment and nature play opportunities. Urbanac took a simple and straightforward approach to the project assessment in order ensure fees could be competitive and to ensure a streamlined approval. (Image courtesy Corkery Consulting).