Westmead health, research & education super precinct continues to advance
A consortium of local and international talent will lead the next phase of development of a visionary master plan for the Westmead precinct.
A search was recently undertaken to find thought leaders, and creative and innovative master planners, to add value to the current thinking around the urban design and planning of the Westmead health and education precinct, and linking it to Parramatta.
With more than $3 billion committed by government, universities and the private sector, the precinct is on a trajectory to increase its high-value, knowledge-based jobs to more than 26,000 and increase student numbers to more than 10,000 by 2026.
Western Sydney Local Health District chief executive Danny O’Connor welcomed the announcement of the new consortium, including international experts, to be led by NSW firm Cox Architecture.
“Cox and their consortium partners will help us as we weave Westmead’s culture of collaboration and innovation into urban design,” he said.
“This will integrate the planning for Westmead across transport, education, healthcare, industry, retail, accommodation and research.
“The proposal from the consortium was a stand-out, with their wide range of ideas and approach. Their experienced, specialist team from 12 different organisations will combine local knowledge, with innovative international experience, bringing lessons learned from other health and education precincts around the world.”
The consortium will work across NSW state and local governments and with the precinct partners, to bring a fresh outlook on planning places to live, work, learn and play that will attract talented and creative people from around Australia and the world.
The planning around Parramatta is a significant consideration for the consortium as they work on ideas that integrate the precinct into Sydney’s second CBD.
Chief commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission Lucy Turnbull AO said: “I’d like to commend the Westmead precinct partners for their innovative approach to master planning. It was only 40 or so years ago that Westmead Hospital was opened on a former racecourse.
“Today, it is Australia’s largest health and education super precinct – an integral part of the Commission’s vision for Greater Parramatta and the Olympic Peninsula (GPOP) – the geographic heart and true centre of Greater Sydney.
“I look forward to seeing the consortium’s world-class vision for the Health and Education Super Precinct come to fruition.”
Westmead is extremely well placed to deliver important jobs and student places for western Sydney and beyond.
The precinct has the potential to accommodate a new university campus, with up to 50,000 students and deliver up to 50,000 jobs, generating an additional $4.5 billion in economic output.
City of Parramatta Council chief executive officer Greg Dyer said collaborations like this were critical to the success of Westmead.
“Westmead is a very important part of our city and we need a coherent and co-ordinated approach to planning to ensure the precinct realises its full potential.
“The council is partnering with Western Sydney Local Health District to deliver a visionary master plan; the appointment of an experienced consortium to lead the process is a great step towards achieving an innovation precinct with integrated health care, transport, science, education and living opportunities.”
The consortium will work with the Westmead Alliance, which includes key partner, City of Parramatta Council, and across government and industry over the next five months.
The full consortium includes:
1. COX Architecture
2. WSP
3. CallisonRTKL
4. Urban Apostles
5. Future/City
6. Six Ideas
7. Tyrell Studio
8. Oliver Klein Planning
9. Atelier10
10. HAA
11. Deloitte
12. KJA
