Play32 co-lab with WSU: Asking young people if the design of Sydney 2000 venues delivered a legacy for inclusive play
Design Institute of Australia, as a Founding Member of Play32, is excited to announce an important research collaboration with Education Member Western Sydney University (WSU), School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment.
The Sydney suburb of Olympic park, site of the Sydney 2000 olympic games
The Play2032 Sydney Olympic Sites: Design Renewal for Inclusive Play project will connect the legacy of design for Sydney 2000 with the future Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, emphasising evaluation of the adaptation and renewal of key Western Sydney Olympic sites through inclusive, youth-driven voice and design.
As well as the Olympic sites at Homebush and the village at Newington, satellite sites in Western Sydney such as BEST in Blacktown (an Olympic legacy site recently redeveloped by Blacktown City Council), Penrith and Liverpool, will also be surveyed as case studies.
WSU is planning a 6-year dedicated program of co-design with youth, connecting WSU students (architecture/industrial design/construction management/planning) with local high school students in co-curricular activities exploring avenues to embed youth agency and participation in the design of future environments for play and diversity.
WSU also looks forward to future cross-institutional collaboration with Play32 Founding Members Liveworm at Griffith University (DIA Education Member) and University of Southern Queensland. It is hoped this pilot represents an opportunity for adoption of a community-led design blueprint involving children and young people, to develop a culture of play as part of key significant stadia sites across the country.
The research team will discuss initial insights at the upcoming State of Australasian Cities Conference (SOAC) 2025 in Brisbane in December. For more information about the project contact Play32 Founding Member and DIA Director Dr Natalie Wright FDIA.