The Parklands Project, Gold Coast, Australia

The Parklands Project is one of the largest urban renewal projects ever undertaken in Queensland and was one of Australia’s first build-to-rent developments – now known as The Smith Collective. From the outset, the developer (Grocon) and investors wanted to create a lasting legacy, shaped by the highest sustainability standards, for the community beyond delivering a world-class athletes’ village for 6,600 athletes and officials during the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The precinct, including the buildings, infrastructure and open space was created to enable reinvention as a healthy, accessible and resilient place for the Gold Coast community to live, work and play for years to come.

Location

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Client

Grocon

Project Status

Complete

Set over 14 hectares and as an integral part of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, The Parklands Project’s colorful apartment blocks, parks, community pool and sports facilities underline a focus on healthy living, and provide a link to the scheme’s initial purpose - to host The Games.

As sustainability consultants, WSP was at the heart of the process to ensure this mixed-use scheme would create long-term environmental, economic, and social value for the area; enriching local communities and creating space for nature.

We helped Grocon establish ambitious goals and targets for the project, including achieving the highest possible Green Star Communities rating of six stars. Our approach was to consider sustainability holistically, thinking beyond green design to the community, the legacy, and the circular economy.

Image courtesy of Grocon Pty Ltd

Community engagement

As part of our commitment through, Grocon’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), we aimed to support local Indigenous communities to access the work and training opportunities created by the project, for example, by supporting Indigenous students through skills training.

We also sought to engage the wider local community about the scheme’s aim to deliver long-term benefits to the local area.

Our aim was to create a legacy offering long-term environmental, social and economic benefits for the local community. More than four years after completion, it feels fantastic to see this vision become a reality. The Smith Collective is a vibrant community, contributing homes, jobs and beautiful outdoor places for people, as well as spaces for nature to thrive

Emily Low Associate Director, Sustainability, WSP in Australia & New Zealand

Green and inclusive

To maximize energy performance, we used energy modelling to advise on the layout of apartments across the site’s six villages, with all residential properties having achieved a Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) rating of 6 Stars or above. In addition, all 1,170 apartments and 82 townhouses achieved a gold or silver level Livable Housing Design rating, indicating that compared with standard accommodation - these homes are easier to access, navigate and live in, and are inclusive of people with disabilities, older people, and young families.