Drawing on professional experience across education, civic and mixed-use projects, author of this opinion piece, architect John Walsh argues for adaptable, community-focused models that deliver long-term civic and architectural value.

As Australian cities densify, there is an increasing imperative for buildings to accommodate multiple uses.

Plus Studio Principal and author of this op-ed John Walsh / supplied

Much of my work has focused on education and mixed-use projects in dense urban environments. This work has reinforced the role shared-use models can play in responding to urban constraint, while opening up new opportunities for architectural innovation.

Density, constraint and the emergence of integrated models

In cities where land values are high and available sites are limited, the traditional model of a standalone, inward-looking building becomes increasingly difficult to sustain – particularly for schools and civic infrastructure. Population growth continues to drive demand, while economic realities require services and amenities to be delivered more efficiently.

Projects such as Green Square Public School in Sydney – one of Australia’s first integrated civic–education buildings – demonstrate how shared-use approaches can respond to constraints while delivering value to the wider community.

Hybrid models respond by layering uses, allowing buildings to operate across different modes throughout the day and week. When operational and security challenges are carefully resolved, these buildings can become deeply embedded within their communities. Facilities can be shared, hours of use extended, and duplication of programmes reduced.

Openness, security and adaptability in practice

Projects that combine civic and education functions bring a distinct set of design challenges. In principle, many spaces – sports facilities, halls and outdoor areas – can be shared. In practice, security is often where these typologies diverge.

Green Square Public School, a project I led during my time at BVN Architecture, was ambitious in both intent and execution. As one of the first projects of its kind in Australia, there was no clear precedent to follow. The building needed to operate as a secure school during learning hours, while transforming into an open civic asset outside them.

Designing for this level of adaptability required careful consideration of planning, access and zoning. Safety needed to be assured without compromising a sense of openness. The process also demanded close collaboration across a complex network of stakeholders. While challenging, it demonstrated the value of integrated civic–education models and established a template for how similar projects might be delivered in dense urban environments.

Stretching the brief to unlock multiple outcomes

Shared-use projects often arrive with tightly defined briefs shaped by cost, compliance and operational constraints. For me, stretching the brief is not about excess. It is about identifying where design intelligence can unlock multiple outcomes at once.

At Green Square, a games court originally planned for rooftop, school-only use was relocated to ground level. It became a publicly accessible basketball court, used by the wider community outside school hours. This move increased civic value while avoiding the need for separate infrastructure elsewhere.

Elsewhere, in northern Sydney, I led a commercial project located above an active rail reserve. Strict structural constraints could have limited the project’s viability. By adopting a hybrid timber structure, the overall building weight was reduced, allowing the scheme to increase by five additional levels. While timber carried a modest premium, the uplift in net lettable area transformed feasibility and delivered a substantial reduction in embodied carbon.

At Five Dock, a build-to-sell project our team at Plus is currently working on, bricks and timber salvaged from an existing warehouse are being reused on site. This approach reduces material costs and embodied carbon, while carrying forward a physical memory of the place for future generations.

Designing for long-term value

A defining characteristic of this hybrid typology is complexity. Beyond spatial considerations, we must also factor in the perspectives and needs of multiple stakeholders, governance and a development’s long-term management. These projects demand clarity around how buildings are used, shared and maintained over time.

For architects, this reinforces the importance of articulating why design decisions are made and how they respond to context, programme and long-term performance. When done well, these buildings are more likely to be embraced by their communities and remain adaptable as needs evolve.

As Australian cities continue to densify, flexible and shared-use buildings offer a compelling model. They enable us to respond to constraints with intelligence and deliver enduring civic value.

Image: 461 Chapel Road, Bankstown / supplied

Architecture News & Editorial Desk

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