Six Design Teams Shortlisted for Sydney’s Bays West Waterfront Redevelopment

Six Australian and international design teams have been shortlisted in a competition to create an Urban Framework for the redevelopment of Bays West into a new waterfront suburb in Sydney, the New South Wales Government announced.

Led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW, the Bays West International Design Competition aims to guide the future development of the White Bay Power Station and Glebe Island precincts. The shortlisted contenders were chosen from 165 global submissions following an evaluation by an independent Design Advisory Panel composed of experts in architecture, urban design, planning, and infrastructure.

According to the NSW Government, the broader Bays West project presents an opportunity to build up to 8,500 new homes, with a requirement that at least 10 percent be allocated for affordable and essential worker housing. The plan also incorporates parks, community facilities, public harbourfront spaces, and a planned Sydney Metro West station, while maintaining the deep-water facilities required for Sydney's working harbour.

Competition guidelines required international entrants to partner with local firms and mandated that at least two of the shortlisted groups be small teams of 20 people or fewer. The six shortlisted teams are:

• Allies and Morrison and Bates Smart
• Aileen Sage, MAKO Architecture, Studio Zanardo, and Gallagher Studio (small team)
• BVN, Cobe, and LUDO Studio
• Karakusevic Carson Architects, Breathe Architecture, SMM, and lahznimmo
• Herzog & de Meuron, Silvester Fuller, Michel Desvigne Paysagiste, and Buro Happold
• Mandaworks, BKK Architects, Offcuts, and Merri Studio (small team)

Over the coming months, each team will develop an Urban Framework to help shape the precinct's character and inform subsequent planning stages. The government stated that the shortlisted design submissions and the winning entry are scheduled for public exhibition in early 2027 to allow for community engagement.

Source