Parramatta. Transforming the city

Parramatta City Council is giving urban designers, architects and artists the unique opportunity to help transform public spaces, streets and lanes in the Parramatta CBD. Multidisciplinary teams are being called on to work with Council as part of a six-week program called Design Parramatta, which starts on Friday July 30.

The teams will creatively review more than 15 sites across the city centre, by designing a series of blue-sky projects that will transform the city. The final designs will also contribute to a citywide master plan. Design Parramatta is a collaborative project between Parramatta City Council and the NSW Government Architects Office. Students from the University of Sydney will take part in a parallel student project to provide a fresh perspective on the sites.

Sydney Olympic Park. Visit to degraded site

Sir Alan Collins, the director general of Commonwealth Business and senior member of the UK Trade & Investment management team, visited Sydney Olympic Park to see the successful urban regeneration that has occurred to a once once degraded site, now a thriving place for events, business, leisure and living.