We’ve called on architects to reimagine an underutilised Bankstown park and put forward their most innovative community-focussed designs.

The City of Canterbury Bankstown has launched its first architectural design competition and has challenged architects to create a high-level plan for the Griffith Park precinct in the Bankstown CBD.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said allowing architects to compete is a Council first and would lift the bar for design in the City.

“The competition is open to registered architects across Australia and supports our goal of ensuring the City is well-designed and attractive, while also celebrating our identity and character,” Mayor El-Hayek said.

“We want to encourage innovative design solutions that will maximise the untapped potential of Griffith Park, which a key location at the heart of our City.”

In 2020, Council asked the community to share what they loved about the current park and how they would like the area to be transformed.

“Overwhelmingly, the community said they valued the open green spare, but wanted it to connect better with the surrounding businesses,” Mayor El-Hayek said.

“One person couldn’t have said it any better: ‘It would be great if there was more opportunity to connect with community … Spaces for community to be able to take ownership and lead initiatives would be fantastic’.”

With that in mind, entries to the competition are to:

• Include a multipurpose community centre;
• Present an optimistic vision;
• Have a place-specific identity;
• Be accessible and safe;
• Be sustainable; and
• Suit the interests and needs of our diverse population.

Qualified architects and landscape architects have until Thursday 17 August to express their interest in entering the competition. Up to four competitors will then be selected by a jury of leading industry experts to make a design proposal. These designs will then be shortlisted, go before the jury and on public exhibition.

A final design is expected to be announced in early 2024.