Twenty-one Western Sydney University students have imagined what an ideal Bankstown city centre would look like if they had the chance to rebuild it and incorporate the rich cultural diversity of the people who live there to spark a better sense of belonging.
Each year, students enrolled in the university’s Urban Transformation Summer School address real-world design issues in Western Sydney. This year, the focus was on the intricate urban landscapes in the heart of Bankstown.
From now until Saturday 24 May, Bankstown Arts Centre will display creative student proposals alongside professional architectural projects to address social connectivity issues the students have recognised along the Appian Way.
Architectures of Bankstown will encourage visitors to consider these issues from fresh new perspectives and to contemplate the students’ recommendations for resolving them.
The Urban Transformation Summer School is an annual intensive program delivered by Western Sydney University in partnership with Powerhouse Parramatta and supported by Holdmark Property Group.
Bankstown Arts Centre Director, Rachael Kiang, said the centre is delighted to present the student-designed architectural concepts alongside models and renderings by leading architectural firms.
“To site the exhibition of imagined urban futures of Bankstown CBD at the Arts Centre highlights the intertwined yet distinct relationship between art and architecture,” she said.
“Beyond functionality, architecture, in its use of aesthetics is artistic expression and can elicit feelings of awe and wonder much like art. Similar to contemporary art, architecture can foster social connectivity through interactive experience.”
Chair of Architecture and Design at Western Sydney University, Professor Michael Chapman, said the students chose to focus on Bankstown as it perfectly embodies the urban transformation taking place across Western Sydney.
“It retains the intricacies of its amazing diversity while also fostering important architectural projects and new infrastructure,” he said.
“It provides an excellent backdrop for our students to explore the complexities of the urban realm.”
Director of Strategic Programs at Powerhouse Museum, Lisa Ffrench, added that Powerhouse was excited to work alongside Holdmark and Western Sydney University to advance emerging urban designers.
“It is our great privilege to continue to play a part towards inspiring and fostering future leaders in urban transformations and design,” she said.
“This year’s successful program investigating the multicultural urban landscape of Bankstown is a testament to our on ongoing collaboration with Holdmark and Western Sydney University."
For more information visit, cb.city/ArchitecturesOfBankstown