More than 200 built environment professionals from government, landscape architecture, planning and research gathered for West Fest 2025 in Parramatta NSW and online to discuss one of Western Sydney’s biggest challenges: how to design density that enhances liveability.
The conversation opened with insights from Jeremy Gill, Head of Policy, Committee for Sydney, who challenged the city to move beyond housing targets and instead focus on “density done well.” He emphasised that great density is defined by thriving neighbourhoods where public space, mobility, services and housing align. International comparisons showed that Sydney’s mid-rise patterns offer opportunities – but also risks – if amenity does not keep pace.
Health was placed firmly at the centre by Dr Jennifer Kent, Senior Research Fellow, University of Sydney, who shared research connecting walkability, transport choice and diverse open spaces with community wellbeing. Her message was clear: healthy density requires more than compact buildings – it requires designing for everyday movement and social connection.
For Christian Hampson, CEO Design Lead, Yerrabingin, density cannot be understood without Country. He invited attendees to consider Designing with Country as a discipline – one that embeds ecological knowledge, cultural custodianship and long-term stewardship into every urban decision. Country, he reminded the audience, is not absent from dense environments; it endures, and must be acknowledged in design.
Jai Shankar, Executive Manager, City Planning & Development, Cumberland City Council, shared a local government perspective, demonstrating how councils can use planning controls and public-domain investment to uplift amenity in growing centres. His Merrylands case study showed how open-space networks, civic squares and high-quality public realm can anchor density with character and community value.
Design practitioner Esther Dickins, Principal, Architectus, highlighted the evolving “Australian Dream” – one where communal and public spaces form the shared backyard. Drawing from global precedents, she showed how thoughtful open-space hierarchies, landscape integration and equitable access to amenities are transforming dense neighbourhoods abroad and must do so here.
June Lee-Boxsell, Head of Strategy and Innovation, Street Furniture Australia, explored how streets and public spaces become the “living rooms” of high-density communities. Her work on placemaking, comfort and human-centred public furniture emphasised that creating a sense of home in civic environments is key to long-term community attachment.
A closing panel featuring Bill Tsakalos, Blacktown City Council; Nicole Carnegie, Campbelltown City Council; Natalia Krysiak, Cities for Play; and Mark Egan, City of Parramatta identified urgent priorities: planning for trees and climate resilience, delivering infrastructure at the pace of development, strengthening collaboration and designing density that supports children, families and community life.
Across all sessions a consistent theme emerged: density is not the enemy – poorly designed density is. When delivered with Country, health, amenity and local identity at its heart, density can help cities to grow stronger, greener and more connected.
Street Furniture Australia’s entire product range and manufacturing operation has received carbon neutral certification through Climate Active™. Achieving carbon neutral certification marks a significant milestone in our operation and the culmination of a four year long process of detailed measurement and analysis. Climate Active™ is the only Australian government-backed carbon neutral certification programme for businesses to measure, reduce, and offsets their carbon emissions. It is one of the most rigorous carbon-neutral programs in the world. An approved Emissions Reduction Strategy (ERS) is central to achieving certification through Climate Active. Street Furniture Australia has elected to use SBTi validated science-based targets to ensure their ERS is meaningful and aligns with the 2015 Paris Agreement – to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. For those emissions that can’t be …
Linea Bin is the newest addition to Street Furniture Australia’s minimalist Linea range. Built from stainless steel for strength, durability and a refined aesthetic, it has been thoughtfully designed with input from landscape architects and waste managers to deliver hygiene, accessibility and sustainability in the public realm. Built to LastA robust stainless steel frame and panel system ensures Linea Bin performs in high-traffic environments. A full-height stainless steel 316 piano hinge and splash tray provide exceptional strength, hygiene and corrosion resistance, withstanding daily impacts from trolleys and cleaning equipment. “Durability was paramount,” says Pearson Bulmer, Senior Industrial Designer at Street Furniture Australia. “Every detail needed to perform in the public realm for years to come – but also be designed for disassembly so parts can be repaired, replaced or recycled …
With the look and feel of natural timber, backed by 12 months of performance testing for the public realm, engineered wood joins Street Furniture Australia’s selection of batten materials. Designers and place custodians can now choose from three batten options to achieve a timber look: natural Spotted Gum hardwood, low maintenance aluminium Wood Without Worry, and engineered wood known as Onewood HRT. See our Engineered Wood: Onewood HRT brochure or book a presentation. What is engineered wood?Onewood HRT (Homogeneous Reconstituted Timber) is a solid engineered timber, made from fast-growing FSC certified poplar and eucalyptus fibres that are compressed under heat and pressure with a resin binder. It is solid throughout with an organic grain and, like real hardwood, can be sanded to refresh. Street Furniture Australia partners with a Singapore-based …
Cumberland City Council, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and Street Furniture Australia in November co-hosted a factory tour and knowledge exchange for Councils about creating great public spaces and local manufacturing. Guest speakers presented enriching case studies and conversations about Country, climate, culture and community at the Street Furniture Australia factory, which is located within the Cumberland LGA in Western Sydney. 55 people attended the event. Head of Marketing and Innovation with Street Furniture Australia, June Lee Boxsell, said, “Activating Western Sydney was a fantastic opportunity to share ideas on bringing joy to our local communities while also celebrating the completion of Merrylands Civic Square — a remarkable human-centred development at the heart of Cumberland City Council. “With Street Furniture Australia positioned right at the doorstep of Western Sydney-based …
