The First Building, Bradfield City Centre – 2025 Good Design Award for Sustainability

THE GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY RECOGNISES PROJECTS THAT EMBODY EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRINCIPLES.

THE AWARD AIMS TO INSPIRE CHANGE TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

Imagine a building where people, Country, and the planet don’t just influence design, they shape every detail. First Building brings that vision to life. Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability, this state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Australia’s newest city redefines urban design, showing what’s possible when human and environmental priorities converge.

Rising in Bradfield City Centre, it acts as a catalyst for sustainable growth and innovation, with circularity, adaptability, and resilience woven into its very structure. Led by the Bradfield Development Authority (BDA) and NSW Public Works, and designed by Hassell in collaboration with cultural research agency Djinjama, the building seamlessly integrates regenerative design, cultural storytelling, and cutting-edge technology.

Liz Westgarth, Managing Director and Architect at Hassell, takes us inside the thinking behind the design.

A benchmark for place-based, regenerative architecture

First Building is Stage 1 of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), where government, industry, and researchers collaborate to drive innovation and support businesses, anchoring the emerging Aerotropolis set to transform Western Sydney.

“It needs to not only set the tone for the new city, but also act as a catalyst for bringing high-value manufacturing jobs back into New South Wales. That responsibility shapes the urban fabric that follows,” Liz Westgarth said.

The goal was clear: create a space that inspires industry, community, and sustainability in equal measure.

“For us, it was about how buildings can positively contribute to the urban environment, demonstrate Circular Economy principles, and honour Country. We focused on innovation and sustainability, pushing boundaries while remaining grounded in place,” added Liz.

The First Building – Bradfield City Centre – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability. Image Credit: Mark Syke

Circular design at the core

Breaking from the traditional take-make-dispose model, the project puts reusing, recycling, and adaptability at the heart of its design.

“What we wanted to do was design a building that could adapt to a different use. The building is a modular kit of parts. It can be completely disassembled, re-erected somewhere else in the city, or recycled for a completely different use,” said Liz.

“If we could design more buildings that could adapt and change, that would be more sustainable. Construction and demolition generate 40 per cent of waste, so designing for reuse makes a positive contribution to our planet,” she added.

Materials that tell a story

The site, known in the local Dharug language as Wianamatta (‘Mother Place’), holds deep significance for First Nations women. Guided by Djinjama, the design is deeply embedded in Dharug Country, reflected in the building’s open, welcoming expression, fluid design language centred on water, and the use of warm, soft, natural materials such as timber, bamboo, and rammed earth.

“We chose materials with low embodied carbon, quite natural, but also with a warmth that reflects Country. There’s extensive use of timber in the structure. Around the core, we have rammed earth, which directly relates to and reflects Country, along with bamboo and other sustainable, renewable materials,” Liz explained.

The project, targeting a 6 Star Green Star Buildings rating, challenges supply chains and advocates for natural, low-embodied carbon materials.

“Even in the bathrooms, we use tiles made from recycled textiles through a collaboration with UNSW Microfactory. From the structure down to the bathroom tiles, every material is carefully thought through – not just for sustainability, but for how it tells the narratives of Country,” Liz added.

“Innovations in timber construction systems, modular design, and low-impact materials all form part of the regenerative design concept. Through its materials, the building conveys warmth and softness, with curves that give it a feminine quality and a sense of welcome. Much like our own mothers, it has that comforting presence while also reflecting the water story,” she explained.

The First Building – Bradfield City Centre – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability. Image Credit: Vinchy Wu

A city that breathes

First Building raises the bar for sustainable architecture with a clever natural ventilation system that slashes energy use. For roughly 60% of the year, atrium and façade panels cool the building naturally, while chimney stacks sweep out hot air on summer nights, reducing reliance on mechanical systems.

The manufacturing hall is equally impressive. A custom airport-style door blends seamlessly into the façade, supported by sleek structural steel framing that balances practicality with a clean, modern look.

Crowning the building, a green roof planted with 14,000 native species harvests water and solar energy, provides shade that cools the roof by up to 20°C, and enhances biodiversity.

“The landscape takes cues from the historic Cumberland Plain, with tall stands of eucalypts reflected in the verticality of the building, while increasing biodiversity on site,” said Liz.
“We’ve planted about 14,000 different plants on the roof, which has brought back all sorts of creatures, including five to seven species of dragonflies.”

Mirroring the surrounding tree canopies, the roof anchors the building to its natural context and complements a broader ecological strategy: captured rainwater irrigates the landscape, biodiversity is restored, and the site’s ecological identity is strengthened.

Combined with passive cooling and solar-plus-battery systems, The First Building cuts life-cycle impacts by 32%, operates net-positive, and sets a precedent for regenerative urban design in the emerging Aerotropolis.

The First Building – Bradfield City Centre – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability. Image Credit: Vinchy Wu

Building opportunity into the city

Shaping not just the city’s landscape but also opportunities for people and communities, First Building showcases the real-time progress of Australia’s newest sustainable, connected city.

“It is all about being a catalyst for high-value manufacturing jobs in New South Wales. Australia has lost much of its manufacturing ability, so this is about bringing that back,” Liz said.

The facility supports smaller businesses and startups, giving them space to grow and innovate. Comprising two pavilions – a 1,000m² manufacturing hall and 2,500m² workspaces – connected by a central spine, the building’s transparent facades invite public engagement while echoing the tree stands of the Cumberland Plain.

“We intentionally made the manufacturing hall transparent so visitors can see processes on show and understand the work,” Liz said.

Even design challenges became opportunities. Built before Bradfield’s Master Plan was finalised, the project acted as a test case, with its street-edge siting ensuring the building feels active and integrated as the city grows.

“Moving it to the perimeter near the footpath was crucial. It doesn’t feel like a business park and allows key master plan principles to come to life,” Liz explained.

The First Building – Bradfield City Centre – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability. Image Credit: Mark Skye

Bold ideas backed by thoughtful execution

Challenging conventions and embracing possibility, The First Building turns innovative ideas into a tangible legacy of sustainability and place-based design.

“Be brave enough to put some big ideas on the table. That’s one of the big lessons and learnings for me on this project,” Liz reflected.

“You can come up with all these great ideas, but then you’ve got to execute them down to the details. It takes rigour and tenacity,” she added.

The building explores bold approaches such as disassembly and timber use in an industrial facility, prioritising Circular Economy principles and low-embodied carbon materials. Its modular timber structure can be disassembled, reused, and adapted, cutting future waste.

Over half the timber is locally sourced, and advanced timber technology slashes embodied carbon by 50%, removing the need for concrete. Life Cycle Assessment shows a 25% cut in upfront carbon and a 32% drop in total life-cycle impact. Operational energy is 137% offset by a 180kW rooftop solar array and 460kWh battery, making the building net-positive.

These strategies demonstrate how good design principles can leave a lasting legacy.

“Good design, to me, means leaving a positive legacy, both for people and the planet. It has to resonate with both. For me, The First Building showcases culture and context, and pushes boundaries in sustainability and regenerative design,” Liz added.

“Ultimately, it’s about making people think differently about buildings and design, and hopefully sparking ideas for others to push their own projects to the next level. I feel really humbled when people visit and say, ‘I just couldn’t believe that…’ There are so many great stories and narratives, it’s sustainable, and it just feels incredible to be in these spaces,” Liz explained.

The First Building – Bradfield City Centre – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability. Image Credit: Mark Skye

The First Building doesn’t just rise from the Cumberland Plain – it grows with it. Designed to evolve with the city, the building has already generated 200 jobs and channeled over $12 million into local businesses, including First Nations businesses, while opening its doors to the community.

Its modular design adapts as Bradfield City grows, proving that flexibility and resilience can be built in from day one. Now recognised with the Good Design Award for Sustainability, The First Building sets a new benchmark for how cities can be regenerative and integrate with Country.
Good Design Australia congratulates and thanks this multi-disciplinary team for pushing the boundaries of design in the built environment, and redefining city-building in Australia.

Deadly Democracy – 2025 Good Design Award of the Year

THE AUSTRALIAN GOOD DESIGN AWARD OF THE YEAR IS HISTORICALLY AWARDED TO ONLY ONE EXEMPLARY PROJECT ACROSS ALL DESIGN DISCIPLINES AND CATEGORIES.

IT REPRESENTS THE VERY PEAK OF DESIGN EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION AND IMPACT.

IN 2025, THE JURY FOUND TWO PROJECTS DESERVING OF THIS TOP ACCOLDADE – DEADLY DEMOCRACY AND HULLBOT.

When First Nations young people lead, entire communities benefit. Deadly Democracy, a partnership between YLab – a youth sector consultancy – and the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), was created to boost civic participation and deepen understanding of democracy among First Nations youth.

The program trained paid participants as community leaders and facilitators, empowering them with the skills, confidence and knowledge to design and lead civic engagement initiatives within their own communities.

Deadly Democracy was recognised with the Good Design Australia’s highest honour, the 2025 Australian Good Design Award of the Year. We spoke with Brigid Canny, YLab CEO, for a behind-the-scenes look at the project. She also highlighted the dedicated YLab Team who brought Deadly Democracy to life, including:

Angel Towney, She/Her, Wiradjuri woman
Kelsey Dole, She/Her, Ngiyampaa woman
Will Austin, He/Him, Peek Woorroong Keerraay Woorroong man
Jannah Firebrace She/Her, Gunditjmara and Yorta Yorta woman
Mercedes Kirwin She/Her Wakaman woman
Chelsea Lang, She/Her
Damon Chester, He/Him
Ruby Healey, She/Her

Dive into the incredible co-design journey behind Deadly Democracy, including defining features such as lived experience-led co-design, paid employment, and strong community partnerships.

Deadly Democracy – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award of the Year. Image: Supplied

A values-led approach

YLab and the AEC began conversations about Deadly Democracy in 2020. From the beginning, it was clear that the civic education program would require robust co-design processes.

Brigid reflected why YLab was the right fit for the project.

“Part of why YLab was an attractive partner is that we had a First Nations team embedded in our organisation.

“They brought both professional expertise in working with government and partners, and lived experience as First Nations young people, providing this depth of knowledge around cultural safety, relationships, and legitimacy with the young people we were working with,” Brigid said.

YLab prioritises their values from day one of project discussions. It’s why they’re discerning with the work that they take on, and why they feel they stood out to the AEC.

“I think the AEC were pleased that we reconsidered the original scope of work. They initially wanted us to lead all delivery, however, we consider ourselves an ally organisation because we’re not Aboriginal-owned.

“We emphasised the importance of partnering with local organisations. Every language and cultural group is unique, and local partners – such as Umeewarra Media – can sustain relationships long-term.

“Our approach was about going to where young people are and giving them a significant role in shaping the program, rather than bringing them out of their communities.”

How past experiences sparked new ideas

YLab looked back on previous civic education programs, which hadn’t achieved the desired outcomes. Drawing on their findings, they dove into new ways to embed design participation. Every choice aimed to support First Nations young people to engage confidently and meaningfully in democracy.

“The AEC were really self-aware in recognising there was a need to rethink First Nations engagement.

“We wanted to avoid the fly-in, fly-out model which consultants often rely on with remote communities, which can often leave them feeling disillusioned.

“Alternatively, it’s quite common in First Nations or youth-focused programs for organisations to think, ‘Let’s bring young people to the city,’ which can mean conforming to a metropolitan, Western way of working.

“We were aware that First Nations young people thrive when they’re in their own context and community. We wanted to ensure their knowledge and lived expertise was legitimised. Our question was always: how might we use those strengths and ensure the program is embedded in community?” Brigid shared.

The power of paid employment

One of the defining elements of YLab’s approach was paid employment of participants. This not only ensured First Nations young people were shaping the delivery of the program, but highlighted the importance of reciprocal co-design.

“YLab has been operating for around 10 years, and we’ve always had youth employment at the centre of our model. If we’re engaging young people, we should also be building their capability and paying them for their time, so they’re better off from the experience. It’s about not being extractive.

“Paying participants ensures they can prioritise this work without sacrificing paid employment elsewhere. It also legitimises cultural work as professional work, a core value for us. Finally, it allowed us to support participants to thrive in meaningful roles.”

Brigid explained how paying participants not only supports the goals of the Deadly Democracy program, but also champions a wider mission to close the youth employment gap.

“Youth unemployment remains disproportionately high in First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse communities, so this approach helped bridge that gap by offering young people paid, entry-level experience based on their lived expertise rather than prior work history.

We believe lived expertise is worth paying for. Too often, consultations or co-design processes ask young people and communities to give their insights without reciprocity. For us, reciprocity is always at the centre of our work with young people and First Nations communities.”

Deadly Democracy – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award of the Year. Image: Supplied

Co-designing with First Nations young people

From creation through to delivery, Deadly Democracy is rooted in co-design. Brigid explained how YLab adapted their existing co-design framework to achieve better outcomes.

“Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge that I’m not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and some of our team aren’t either. So everything I share here comes from what I’ve learnt from my First Nations colleagues and their guidance.

“We’re conscious that as an organisation we don’t always get it right, but we’re committed to constantly learning and improving our practice of allyship.

“We’re always mindful that co-design can sometimes be used superficially to appear collaborative when decisions have already been made. True co-design means genuinely handing over decision-making power. It’s not a one-size-fits-all tool. It needs to be used thoughtfully, with awareness of context, limitations, and strengths.

“Traditionally, YLab’s co-design model follows three broad stages – understanding the problem, designing solutions, and scaling for impact. But in a First Nations context, YLab’s co-design approach is much less linear and more circular.

“A yarning, fluid, open-ended conversation proved to be a far more effective and culturally grounded way to co-design with First Nations young people.

“We also noticed that many participants expressed themselves through creativity and cultural practices, like weaving and craft, rather than traditional workshop methods such as post-it notes.”

YLab also stepped away from the Western approach of separating young people into standalone engagement sessions.

“In many First Nations communities that can feel inappropriate. First Nations cultures are so much more intergenerational. We worked with Elders who were as invested in youth issues as young people themselves. So in some workshops, we involved both Elders and young people together.”

Diverse workshops for greater engagement

YLab’s usual approach to workshop delivery is two-tiered: a core group of young people are employed and trained to lead facilitation with our mentorship, and then the young people engage a broader cohort in their communities.

“We want to leave capacity behind whenever we work in a community”, Brigid said.

When it came to Deadly Democracy, each young person designed their own engagement. Their methods ranged from yarning circles to sports. This approach also allowed for a deeper understanding of the barriers to participation for First Nations young people, which was incredibly valuable for the AEC.

“The idea was for them to decide what would best engage their peers. The focus was always on increasing young people’s civic participation and understanding of democracy – why voting matters, how to vote, and what happens if you don’t – without pushing any political agenda. Because of the history of colonisation and mistrust in electoral systems, it was essential that First Nations young people led this work themselves.”

As the world changed, so did the workshops. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic meant the program needed to be delivered through a hybrid model. YLab found this made the program more accessible for young people who were remote, neurodiverse, or preferred online engagement.

Later, the 2023-24 program ran during the leadup to the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum. This sensitive time required an additional focus on wellbeing for both First Nations YLab team members and participants.

“Many workshops included education about the referendum and the Constitution, always handled with care. It was a tense time, and we had to ensure facilitators – who were young Aboriginal people themselves – felt supported through that cultural and emotional load.”

Deadly Democracy – Winner of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award of the Year. Image: Supplied

Relationships built on trust

YLab co-delivered the program with local Indigenous organisations, opening the door to connection through an existing First Nations organisation that potential participants know and trust.

“As an ally organisation, we believe it’s essential to work alongside local and subject-matter experts, especially in communities that aren’t our own. Each community is unique, and local Indigenous organisations have the relationships, context and cultural knowledge needed to make engagement meaningful and sustainable.

“Co-delivering ensured the work wasn’t extractive or “fly-in, fly-out”. It helped build lasting connections between young people and organisations that could continue supporting them beyond the program.

“Partner selection was a relational process. In some cases, we built on existing AEC partnerships. In others, we reached out directly to local youth centres or community groups to understand who was already trusted and active. This approach also allowed us to direct funding to local organisations, strengthening their capacity and recognising the critical role they play in their communities.”

The secret to strong partnerships

Brigid had parting words for ally organisations like YLab. Partnerships with First Nations organisations are fundamental. However, they must be relational and reciprocal, never extractive.

“Too often, partnerships are formed just to meet procurement requirements and get contracts. Then, there’s not enough care or courage in the way that the work is designed and co-delivered.

“We pride ourselves on holding ourselves accountable. If we are working with First Nations Communities, we need to trust and empower local community partners and act as a backbone of support rather than the lead.”

Deadly Democracy has created culturally safe spaces for leadership, learning, and enduring connections. Good Design Australia congratulates and thanks YLab and the AEC for creating an exceptional example of co-design with lasting outcomes and meaningful impact.