28 Apr 2025
NEW EXHIBITION CELEBRATES NEXT GENERATION OF URBAN DESIGNERS
A fresh new perspective into the intricate urban landscape of Bankstown – as imagined by 21 Western Sydney University students – will be unveiled in the Architectures of Bankstown exhibition, opening on Thursday 8 May at Bankstown Arts Centre. The exhibition will feature creative student proposals alongside professional architectural projects that are set to shape the city’s future.
Presented in a free, public exhibition, the student-designed architectural concepts will be showcased beside models and renderings by leading architectural firms including Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW), Collins and Turner, Sibling Architecture, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG), ARM Architecture and James Mather Delaney Design (JMD).
Architectures of Bankstown is produced in partnership with Bankstown Arts Centre and runs from 9–24 May 2025. The exhibition marks the culmination of the third year of the Urban Transformation Summer School – an annual intensive program delivered by Western Sydney University in partnership with Powerhouse Parramatta and supported by Holdmark Property Group, following their transformative $10 million commitment to Powerhouse Parramatta in 2022.
Each year, the summer school offers a ‘think-tank’ studio where emerging designers tackle real-world design issues experienced in a different area in Western Sydney. The 2025 student cohort focused on the Canterbury Bankstown Local Government Area (LGA), known for its rich cultural diversity, with a brief to propose design solutions that enhance social connectivity along the Appian Way, which connects the eastern and western sides of Bankstown.
Over the two-week intensive, students were guided by Professor Michael Chapman (Chair of Architecture and Design, Western Sydney University) and Thomas Rivard (Principal, REALMstudios). They also engaged in workshops and talks with industry leaders from Collins and Turner, Curious Practice, JPW, and Sibling Architecture, with additional mentoring from guest tutors including Jemima Manton (Principal, Mima Architects), Anthony Parsons (Director, Savio Parsons Architects), Andrew Lamond (Past Associate Principal, Wardle) and Matt Fuller (Architecture Sessional Academic, Western Sydney University).
The program concludes with a public architectural symposium at Bankstown Arts Centre on Saturday 24 May from 1–4pm. The event will feature visualisations of Bankstown’s future alongside presentations by participating architects.
Western Sydney University Chair of Architecture and Design, Professor Michael Chapman said, ‘Bankstown is a city that 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. It provides an excellent backdrop for our students to explore the complexities of the urban realm.’
Holdmark Founder and CEO Sarkis Nassif said, ‘The sustained progress of our urban environments rests on our commitment to educating and empowering a new generation of insightful planners and innovative thinkers who will shape the future of our cities.’
Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said, ‘Architectures of Bankstown showcases the bold ideas of emerging designers reimaging our urban environments. Through our partnership with Holdmark Property Group and Western Sydney University, Powerhouse continues to support the next generation of urban designers.'
Architectures of Bankstown runs from 9–24 May at Bankstown Arts Centre. For more information visit https://ph.au/4coyDJE
To learn more about the Urban Transformation Summer School visit https://ph.au/3G0QOJo
PRESS INFORMATION
Image credit: Aerial photo of Bankstown CBD by Nearmap
Download images here.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Michelle Lollo | Powerhouse
michelle.lollo@powerhouse.com.au | 0419 523 753
About Powerhouse
Powerhouse sits at the intersection of arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. We are undertaking a landmark $1.3 billion infrastructure renewal program, spearheaded by the creation of the new museum, Powerhouse Parramatta; expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill; the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse Ultimo; and the ongoing operation of Sydney Observatory. The museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia. We are also undertaking an expansive digitisation project that will provide new levels of access to the Powerhouse Collection.
ABOUT HOLDMARK
Holdmark is a privately-owned property development and investment group that has transformed many of Sydney’s urban landscapes to quality living, working and retail environments. For more than 30 years, it has designed, developed, built and managed highly regarded mixed-use precincts creating true urban communities.
ABOUT WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
Western Sydney University prides itself on challenging the traditional notion of what a university should be. We put students at the heart of everything we do. Embedded in the communities and region we serve, our University is fundamental to the economic, cultural and social life of Western Sydney – one of the fastest-growing, most economically important and most culturally-diverse regions within Australia. We have a network of sites and teaching campuses across Western Sydney and beyond. Western Sydney University has 50,000 students, 3,000 staff, and a strong cohort – both locally and globally – of more than 200,000 alumni. The University has a long and proud history of increasing higher education participation and opening up educational opportunities to students who have the drive, ambition and dedication to succeed, particularly for individuals from diverse and lower socio-economic backgrounds. At the forefront of education innovation, our programs are designed to help address Australia’s current and future workforce needs, with our expanding short courses and microcredential offerings helping people rapidly upskill or reskill in their careers and stay competitive in a fast-changing workplace. The University has been named number one in the world for its social, ecological and economic impact in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings for the second year in a row. We are globally focused, research led and committed to making a positive impact on the communities we engage with.
ABOUT BANKSTOWN ARTS CENTRE
Bankstown Arts Centre (BAC) is a vibrant contemporary multi-arts organisation that advocates for diverse and accessible art with a strong focus on Canterbury-Bankstown, Western Sydney, First Nations and CALD artists.
Centred on the twin pillars of social practice and placemaking, BAC develops and presents engaging multi-platform art experiences and stories that are local, global and interconnected. Embedded in community, our programs connect people and address critical issues of our time. We champion experimental art practices for generative social impact and engage with cross-sector collaborations.