The qualities that actually make something a “master plan” are consistently ill-defined. For some, a master plan is simply a deceptively-pretty image of some buildings, sites and spaces. For others, a 400-page manifesto, containing everything from god’s-eye strategies, down to granular minutia. -By Riley Flanigan, Senior Urban Designer, Hassell At best, a master plan is a precinct manager’s most valuable tool. At worst, they can potentially be a wasteful investment. The looseness of jargon allows the quality and scope of the work to vary widely, creating a murky environment for those tasked wi ..read more

“FishNest Island” by GVL Gossamer & Shanghai Tongji Urban Planning & Design Institute (TJUPDI), has been declared as one of two winners in an international competition jointly organized by the Hangzhou Yongjiang Development Leading Group Office & Hangzhou Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau. The regionally significant site encompasses 32km2 on the Southern fringe of Hangzhou City Center, at the junction of the region’s three major river systems — the Fuchun, Qiantang, and Puyang Rivers. Known as the “Gateway to the Funchun Mountains” and protected from dense urbanizatio ..read more

Waterline Square is a collection of three residential buildings on one of the last remaining development sites along the Hudson River on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Offering a variety of residential lifestyle opportunities, it is home to condominiums, rental residences, and a comprehensive amenities package designed in collaboration with Rockwell Group. The complex features a new public park for visitors of all ages designed by acclaimed New York City landscape architecture firm MNLA. This coveted green space acts as a backyard for the residents and pets of the development, and also as a muc ..read more

Civiliti together with Mandaworks have been announced the winners of the International Multidisciplinary Urban Design Competition to re-imagine Montreal’s iconic McGill College Avenue. McGill College Avenue McGill College Avenue marks Montreal’s hyper-center, intersecting with downtown’s famous commercial artery Sainte-Catherine Street. Stretching along the promenade connecting the Mount Royal to the Saint-Laurent River, the Avenue connects McGill University Campus to the North and Place Ville Marie to the South, acting as a physical and symbolic link between the city’s institutional and ..read more

This project redefines the traditional idea of a public library. The innovative design locates the library underground allowing a significant new urban plaza to be realised at street level. It fuses built form and landscape to create a vibrant ‘urban living room’ with flexible public amenities. Green Square’s new urban living room Hassell developed the detailed design for the 8,500-sqm urban plaza in collaboration with Studio Hollenstein and Stewart Architecture, using their winning City of Sydney competition scheme as a point of reference. As the first of several public places to be delivered ..read more

Located 60km from Guangzhou CBD the Left Village Quarry Park is a unique post industrial project of regional significance. The site contains both a remnant granite mine and a centuries old farm village. Taking this into consideration the project rejuvenates the abandoned quarry and existing farming villages for future agro-tourism, recreation and environmental rehabilitation. New planned programs include; eco camping, nature trails, wetland park, sports and recreation park, multifunctional events lawn and visitors centres. Selected abandoned buildings in the town centre will be re-purposed for ..read more

Te Boelaerpark is one of the parks within the city of Antwerp (Belgium) and covers 16 hectares. It is located in the Borgerhout extra muros district between the Gitschotelei and the Arthur Matthyslaan. The former ornamental pond with fountain in the park was outdated. The neighbourhood requested a water element for children and this led to the plan to convert the existing ornamental pond into a play fountain. The city of Antwerp wrote a Design & Build procedure. The design opted to add something to the Te Boelaerpark, befitting the history and existing design of the park. One design gestu ..read more

After announcing six finalists in early July, the Brooklyn-based Van Alen Institute and New York City Council have revealed the two winning entrants of Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge. The international design competition invited participants to treat the 19th-century marvel of engineering to a 21st-century revamp with an eye on equity, sustainability, health, increased access to pedestrians and cyclists. As noted in the press statement announcing the winners, the need for both expansive outdoor spaces that are accessible to all New ..read more

A New Resilient Masterplan Mandaworks, Gossamer & Arcadis were commissioned as part of an international competition, organized by the Shenzhen Bureau of Urban Planning & Natural Resources, to create a new resilient masterplan for one of Shenzhen’s last remaining natural coastlines. At the doorstep to one of China’s largest cities, the new Xichong Coastal Reserve enhances the natural seaside getaway experience, protects local ecosystems and communities, whilst supporting a new ecological tourism industry for a burgeoning Chinese middle class. The Coastal Reserve protects the region’s ri ..read more

To the industry, I ask: where are the fresh thinkers, the playful provocateurs, the forward-looking policymakers and the public realm protagonists? Will Sandy calls for a public space revolution The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to acknowledge the challenges facing the future of our public spaces. We know now that it is not the buildings themselves, but the spaces between them, and the people using and enjoying these spaces, that demonstrate if a city is healthy and flourishing. We have seen that unhealthy streets make for unhealthy people. The death toll from inequity and inequali ..read more