Urban design

Randwick City Council - Urban design Randwick Council has initiated a number of innovative projects to help improve the quality of urban design across the City of Randwick:

Architecture and urban design awards

The Randwick City Architecture and Urban Design Awards, held every two years, are one of Randwick City's key urban design initiatives.

The awards recognise excellence and inspire better building design by promoting community awareness and acknowledging the architects and designers involved in enhancing Randwick City's built environment.

To find out more information about the 2023 Awards, including the People's Choice Award, visit our Architecture and Urban Design Awards page

2020 Urban Design Awards

Architecture Talks

In partnership with the Australian Institute of Architects, Council hosts three talks each year that showcase local design excellence including award winning projects from Council's Architecture and Urban Design Awards.

These free Talks provide a forum for the community to hear first hand from leading architects and designers. View our recorded Architecture on Show talks.

Design Excellence Panel

Randwick City Council is continuing to support and encourage high quality urban design through its joint design excellence panel with Waverley Council. The Panel's role is to review design quality of new residential flat buildings that are three or more storeys high and those with four or more dwellings.

Set up in line with State Government design initiatives under its State Policy SEPP 65, the joint review panel has been praised by the NSW Government for its efficiency, effective operation and the expertise of the panel.

Our panel has operated since March 2003 and has considered many development applications as well as masterplans, development control plans and draft Local Environmental Plans. With the benefit of the panel's expert advice, improvements to the design quality of these plans and proposals have been achieved.

SEPP 65

State Environmental Planning Policy No – 65 Design Quality of Residential Apartment Development (SEPP 65) aims to improve the design quality of residential flat development in New South Wales. It applies to residential flat buildings, shop top housing and mixed use developments of:

  • three or more storeys; and
  • four or more self-contained dwelling units.The Apartment Design Guide explains how to apply SEPP 65's design principles to the design of new apartments. This guide is available from the NSW Planning and Environment website.

Design Manual for Rejuvenating Residential Flat Buildings

This award winning manual is an essential resource to inspire refurbishment of older blocks of flats to improve amenity, environmental performance and streetscape appearance.

Randwick City Council - Urban design

Last Updated: 13 January 2023
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