Banksia Apartments delivers 161 affordable homes to Sydney’s Green Square, integrating the development into one of the city’s most connected urban centres. The overarching landscape strategy offers crucial moments of relief from the surrounding built environment, seamlessly connecting residents through a lush garden setting. By prioritising daily liveability, the outdoor spaces bridge the neighbourhood’s active character with modern social housing needs.
At the heart of the site sits a central ground-floor courtyard entirely open to the sky, providing an attractive, green outlook for the apartments above. Designed for passive recreation and casual resident interaction, this space features clear pathways that guide primary movement through a vibrant garden. A custom sculptural seating element meanders gracefully along the edge to define the courtyard. The fluid form provides a thoughtful mix of seating options, ranging from intimate, inward-facing nooks for quiet reflection to open areas that encourage social interaction.
The upper communal terrace shifts into an active social hub centred around community connection, fresh air and relaxation. Covered outdoor dining areas and barbecue facilities allow for lively group gatherings, while smaller, secondary seating spots allow residents to escape for quieter interactions. This elevated terrace also features a dedicated communal garden where residents can grow productive plants.
Client: Citywest Housing
Architect: Bates Smart
Photomontages: Bates Smart
Graphics: Paddock
