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On the doorstep of the new Western Sydney International Airport, the first Australian city to be built in more than a century is taking shape, and it just made a very real step out of the realm of render dreams and government white papers. The master plan and concept design for Superlot 1, the first land release at Bradfield City, has officially been unveiled – making this once-theoretical precinct start to feel real.
Announced by the Bradfield Development Authority, the plan marks a major milestone in the delivery of Australia’s first new city in more than a century. While the broader Bradfield City master plan sketches out the long-term vision for the entire precinct, Superlot 1 will sit right at its heart – and act as the gateway that will set the tone for the development.
Developed by Sydney-based architecture firms Hassell, in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), alongside cultural design partners Djinjama and COLA Studio, the reference design leans hard into sustainability, inclusivity and connection to Country. The precinct has been designed as a fully fledged, 24/7 mixed-use neighbourhood – and will be brought to life by the NSW Government in partnership with developer and investor Plenary.
At a glance, the numbers are ambitious: more than 1,400 new homes (with 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing), alongside commercial offices, retail, community spaces, a hotel and a major education campus – all just minutes from the new Metro station and a sprawling Central Park. The idea is to create density with purpose: a place where people can live, work, learn and hang out without relying on long commutes.
Threading it all together will be the ‘Green Loop’ – a 15-metre-wide landscaped spine that will connect the natural landscape with the built environment. Informed by First Nations engagement, this striking timber pavilion will have a woven canopy that reflects the Aboriginal principle of “Enoughness” – taking only what is needed. It’s been designed as an intergenerational hub for learning, meeting and community life, sitting in harmony with the loop’s water and biodiversity systems.
According to the team, street life will be front and centre here, too – with a network of walkable streets, mid-block pathways and connected ground floors dotted with shops and designed to keep the precinct buzzing and safe from day one.
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