Designers, architects, planners and thought leaders from around the world are being invited to put forward bold ideas for the future of this extraordinary 77-hectare waterfront precinct, located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and with views to the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Bays West is one of the last major pieces of inner harbour land available for urban renewal in Sydney and is being transformed from a former industrial precinct into a vibrant new suburb with homes, public spaces, entertainment, culture and unprecedented public access to the waterfront.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 new homes, including at least 10 per cent affordable and essential worker housing, alongside new parks, public spaces and opportunities for recreation.

For the first time in more than 100 years, the community will have the opportunity to access and enjoy significant parts of this historic site on Sydney’s Western Harbour.

The new suburb, moments from the CBD and with views of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge will be connected by a new Metro station opening in 2032 along with investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, including active transport connections across the historic Glebe Island Bridge.

The competition is seeking submissions for a design-led Urban Framework for two key areas in Bays West – White Bay Power Station precinct and Glebe Island, establishing the overarching spatial, urban design, public domain, movement, land use, built form, sustainability and infrastructure principles to guide future planning, design and delivery.

Within the Urban Framework, the competition offers an opportunity to test bold ideas, distinctive concepts and transformative interventions that can define Bays West's identity, strengthen its civic and cultural role, and communicate the precinct's long-term public value.

The competition is international, open, and involves two stages.

Bays West International Design Competition

The competition is led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.

The International Design Competition is in two stages: the first as an open Expressions of Interest before shifting to a second, paid invitation-only stage.

International teams will need to partner with local Australian teams.

The shortlisted design teams will be paid $200,000 AUD for Stage 2, the formal design phase of the competition.

The International Design Competition welcomes all design industry professionals including architects, urbanists, landscape architects, planners, sustainability specialists and ecologists.

The successful design team will play an ongoing role in the development of the area.

Competition schedule

• Expressions of Interest opens Tuesday 28 July 2026 4pm AEST
• Expressions of Interest closes Friday 21 August 2026 3PM AEST

Competition Design Advisory Panel

Entries will be assessed by an independent Design Advisory Panel, which will provide advice to NSW Government on the selection of the shortlisted teams and the winning team.

The Design Advisory Panel will be chaired by NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin and includes Bays West Delivery Authority Chief Executive Anita Mitchell and internationally recognised landscape architect Walter Hood, former Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the

University of California, Berkeley founder Hood Design Studio.

Panel members also include Adam Haddow, former National President of the Australian Institute of Architects; Alison Page, founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency (NADA); Ken Kanofski, Chair of the Placemaking NSW and former Chief Executive of Roads and Maritime Services NSW; and Rory Toomey, City Architect at Inner West Council.

For more information on the competition and entry details, visit Bays West International Design Competition | NSW Government

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“We’re calling for design teams across the globe to help shape the delivery of thousands of new homes and great new public spaces on the shores of Sydney Harbour.

“This is the start of the next chapter for Bays West and the International Design competition will make sure this transformation is informed by the best ideas from around the world.”

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“We’re setting the bar for design excellence from the outset, inviting leading homegrown and international designers to bring their best ideas forward.

“This competition will shape the look and feel of a new residential and recreational precinct at Bays West, a place rich in maritime, industrial and natural heritage, with deep Aboriginal cultural connections all of which will inspire its future design.

“We’re looking for bold ideas, real innovation and strong sustainability outcomes and we’re committed to unlocking the full potential of this extraordinary Sydney waterfront.”

NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin said:

“The world’s great waterfronts have been shaped by ambitious ideas and exceptional design. Bays West deserves that same ambition.

“This competition invites Australia and the world's best designers to imagine how a former industrial harbour can become one of Sydney’s great suburbs – one that can support an intensity of urban life while remaining generous, connected and regenerative, with distinctive character and exceptional public spaces.”

National President for Australian Institute of Architects, David Wagner said:

“The Australian Institute of Architects supports the Bays West International Design Competition and the opportunity it presents to shape one of Sydney’s most significant urban renewal projects.

“We believe the competition should deliver a world-leading urban framework that demonstrates excellence in sustainability, innovation and design, while providing a diverse range of housing for Sydney.

“Bays West has the potential to become an international benchmark for housing diversity and waterfront renewal; one that celebrates its extraordinary harbour setting, is guided by First Nations knowledge and values, and creates generous, inclusive public spaces that enrich the lives of all who visit, live and work there.”

Natalie McEvoy, NSW President Australian Institute of Landscape Architects

“The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects welcomes and endorses the Bays West International Design Competition by the NSW Government.

“Landscape Architects have shaped many of Sydney’s most valued waterfront parks and public spaces. The Competition provides the profession with an opportunity to design a place that reflects the past, integrates the present, and imagines a new future for all Sydneysiders.”