Bradfield City Masterplan Unveiled for Western Sydney

A transformative vision for Western Sydney has been revealed, with American architecture and planning firm SOM and Australian design practice Hassell unveiling the masterplan for Bradfield City, a new 114-hectare city set to become Australia’s first major city built in more than a century.

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Located adjacent to the recently completed Western Sydney International Airport, approximately 50 kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD, Bradfield City is being positioned as “Sydney’s new urban heart”.

The ambitious project represents one of the largest urban developments currently underway in Australia and aims to establish a globally connected centre for living, education, innovation and employment.

Developed in collaboration with cultural design partners Djinjama and COLA Studio, the masterplan has been shaped by Indigenous connections to Country and seeks to create an inclusive, climate-resilient urban environment that responds to both community needs and environmental challenges.

Key features of the proposal include 10,000 new homes, a 2.2-kilometre Green Loop park, a two-hectare Central Park and four major civic centres. Together, these elements are intended to support a highly walkable city where public space, nature and urban life are closely integrated.

At the heart of the development is the First Land Release, known as Superlot 1, a 5.7-hectare precinct described by SOM as the civic heart of Bradfield City. As the first stage of development, it will deliver approximately 1,400 homes alongside a university campus, commercial offices, retail offerings, a hotel and extensive public spaces. Visualisations show a collection of high-rise buildings framed by tree-lined streets and generous landscaped areas, creating a strong connection between built form and nature.

“To design a new city is both a rare opportunity and a profound responsibility,” said SOM senior associate principal Michael Powell.

“Bradfield City is a chance to shape a vision with Country and community, embedding resilience, sustainability, and innovation into every layer of the city.”

Sustainability has been embedded throughout the masterplan. A community gathering pavilion featuring an interlocking timber structure and woven canopy draws inspiration from the Aboriginal principle of “enoughness”, emphasising the use of low-carbon and high-performance materials. Additional environmental strategies include passive design measures, green roofs and solar panels integrated across the city’s infrastructure.

“We set out to create a precinct where nature and urban life are intertwined, ensuring Bradfield City feels welcoming, sustainable and uniquely of its place,” said Hassell principal Kevin Lloyd.

With housing, education, public space and sustainability at its core, Bradfield City represents a significant milestone in the evolution of Western Sydney and the future of Australian city-making.

Images courtesy of SOM via Dezeen