Canberra City Centre Urban Design Framework

Canberra, ACT — 2022

Client:

ACT Government

Capabilities:

Team:

Designing the heart of Canberra

In 2022 we completed the Canberra City Centre Urban Design Framework (UDF) in collaboration with the ACT Government. The framework provides clear directions and recommendations to achieve high-quality urban design outcomes, with the aim of reinvigorating and rejuvenating the City Centre and repositioning it as the heart of Canberra.

Developed to support the update of the broader City Plan (2014), the UDF sets out a vision and framework for design excellence. It addresses contemporary challenges affecting built form and the public domain, and contributes positively to the future development of the City Centre.

The framework builds on a range of ACT strategies to improve the urban environment, spanning economic growth and innovation, transport, housing, regional development, social development, health, disability, and culture and heritage.

ACT Guide Slow Street — Defining the street – Low movement, high place

ACT Guide Streetscape — Defining the street – High movement, high place

The design guidelines suite

Following its completion, the UDF was translated into the Canberra City Centre Design Guide. This guide forms part of a broader suite of design guidelines prepared by Urbis with the ACT Government, including the ACT Urban Design and Housing Design Guide and the ACT Missing Middle Design Guide.