Hassell and SOM unveil visionary design for Bradfield City’s foundational precinct

The Bradfield Development Authority has announced the next major step in delivering Australia’s first new city in over a century, with the master plan and concept design for Bradfield City’s First Land Release (known as Superlot 1) now unveiled.

Hassell and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with cultural design partners Djinjama and COLA Studio, have developed a bold reference design that sets the benchmark for sustainable, inclusive and future-focused urban development.

Delivered by the NSW Government and developer and investor Plenary, the First Land Release will serve as the gateway to Bradfield City, catalysing the emergence of a vibrant, 24/7 mixed-use city. 

This transformative precinct has been carefully designed to foster innovation, attract investment and house a dynamic and diverse new community. Over 1,400 new homes — including 10% dedicated to affordable housing — will be delivered alongside commercial, retail and community spaces, all positioned within minutes of the new Metro station and expansive Central Park.

The master plan is driven by ambition: to kick-start Bradfield City’s evolution as Western Sydney’s new urban heart, capitalising on multimodal transport links while reinforcing connection to Country. At its centre is the ​‘Green Loop’— a 15-metre-wide landscape spine that connects the natural systems of Moore Gully with the built environment. Informed by Country and deep First Nations engagement through cultural design partner Djinjama, the landscape and built form of the First Land Release’s concept design feel innately connected to place from the outset. 

Situated within this corridor is the Community Gathering Space, a striking timber pavilion and intergenerational hub. Featuring a woven canopy of interlocking timber, the structure embodies the Aboriginal principle of ​“Enoughness” — taking only what is needed — to create a sustainable prototype for learning and connection that sits in harmony with the loop’s natural water and biodiversity systems.

The precinct is highly permeable: a fine-grained network of active streets and mid-block pathways encourages walkability, connectivity and vibrant street life. At ground level, public spaces, retail, lobbies and shared amenities front active street frontages to maximise safety, interaction and participation in community life.

The First Land Release will establish the mixed-use precinct as an economic and cultural anchor: a major new education campus, a hotel and commercial offices are strategically placed to foster an innovation hub adjacent to the Metro. A rich and inclusive housing mix — student accommodation, affordable apartments, and market housing — will ensure an intergenerational, diverse community from day one.

Bradfield City’s First Land Release represents a confident new model for urban development, a celebration of Country, community and innovation that will set the tone for Sydney’s newest city.