Homes NSW Hillsdale

This project for Homes NSW in Hillsdale delivers much-needed affordable and social housing through a landscape-led approach that places people, ecology and Country at the centre of the redevelopment.

The proposal is structured around the creation of a generous, eco-centric open space that acts as the social and environmental heart of the site. This central landscape provides shaded communal areas for residents and visitors, supporting everyday gathering, play and wellbeing, while also restoring habitat and embedding biodiversity within the neighbourhood. Native planting and ecological design principles foster a circular relationship between people and nature, reinforcing a sense of care, belonging and stewardship.

The landscape framework celebrates the site’s underlying water systems and cultural narratives. A reintroduced freshwater wetland and stormwater corridor traces the natural flow of water through the site, drawing on the historic swamps and ecological pathways that once characterised the broader Sydney landscape. This water-sensitive design not only improves environmental performance and resilience, but also creates meaningful, legible spaces that acknowledge the cultural significance of water for First Nations Peoples and reconnect residents with natural cycles and place.

Generous canopy edges define and soften the perimeter of the development, reinforcing landscape character while enhancing comfort, privacy and microclimate. These planted edges provide shade, reduce heat, and create a clear yet welcoming threshold between homes and the public realm, supporting the recovery of remnant local ecology and contributing to a high-quality streetscape.

Together, these moves deliver a dignified, resilient and people-focused housing environment and one that responds to the urgent demand for affordable and social housing in Sydney while setting a benchmark for socially and environmentally responsible urban renewal.