OUR TOP 20 PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS FROM THE PAST YEAR
02 Dec 2025
There have been some amazing outdoor spaces to come out of the sector this year. From realising the social impacts of community spaces like the Parramatta Aquatic Centre, to the use of AI in public art in Queenstown, or the new cultural district in Xi'an drawing inspiration from centuries of tradition, the creation of public spaces that celebrates community and culture cannot be understated. Take a look at twenty of the public spaces that really caught our eye in 2025.
THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF PARRAMATTA AQUATIC CENTRE CONTINUES
The social effects of the award-winning Parramatta Aquatic Centre (PAC) continues to be felt two years after opening, with the PAC making a splash at the 2025 Aquatic & Recreation Industry NSW Awards of Excellence.
CHINA'S NEWEST ARIA: THE HUACHIAO VIBRANT SPORTS PARK
Taking inspiration from the costumes of traditional Chinese opera, this vibrant sports park blends a centuries-old culture with modern innovation. Pairing bright colours and strategically placed greenery with a fluid park structure, the result is a park that will bring the house down.
PIER PAVILION
Pier Pavilion, one of Sydney's newest architectural landmarks, provides Barangaroo with the perfect spot to stop and enjoy the view of Sydney Harbour. With a design from Besley & Spresser that took its cues from the Harbour's coastline, the public structure works harmoniously with its surrounds.
THE WHISPERING MOUNTAINS: INTERACTIVE ART WITH AI IN QUEENSTOWN
Nestled under the ancient gaze of The Remarkables in Queenstown, NZ, The Whispering Mountains have arrived to share their wisdom. Each of the mountain-like sculptures is inspired by the majestic peaks surrounding Queenstown, reflecting their serene yet powerful presence. What sets this exhibit apart is its interactive element, with sensors that detect visitors presence and trigger an array of lights and sounds.
CHINA'S GREEN CORRIDOR
Nearly a kilometre long, the Emerald Screen Pergola on Bogong Island, China, pays homage to traditional Chinese architecture, using an intricate design to create corridors and pavilions. Wutopia Lab's creation is currently bare, displaying the white mesh core, but will soon be covered with greenery as plants climb the structure.
LOOK OUT! TWELVE APOSTLES REJUVENATION CONTINUES
The $676-million rejuvenation of the Twelve Apostles is beginning to come to fruition, with the opening of several new lookouts and a construction milestone reached at the Twelve Apostles Visitors Centre.
FLOATING BRIDGE MOVES WITH THE TIDE
In a unique Belgium landscape, BuroLandschap has designed a floating pontoon bridge that provides cyclists and pedestrians with an extraordinary crossing experience. Designed to adapt to fluctuating water levels, the bridge offers dynamic, varied views while helping users walk on water.
ROUNDABOUT BATHHOUSE
This local swimming spot is a innovative use of public space, temporary transforming an unused void into the newest local watering hole. Located at the centre of an intersection, large wooden panels provide privacy for those enjoying the public bath, demonstrating that, with the right design and funding, public infrastructure can make the most of any area, even a roundabout.
FRENCH FOOTBRIDGE CURVES WITH VIADUCT ARCHES
A footbridge in Albi, France, has been designed to meander in and out of the arches of a 19th-century viaduct, a beautiful example of modern architecture harmonising with existing structures.
PLAYGROUND CELEBRATING ASH BARTY A GRAND SLAM
A tennis-themed park celebrating former world number one Ash Barty has opened in her local community of Springfield.
SWIMMING IN THE SEINE
A massive initiative to clean out the Seine in Paris has finally paid off, with the river officially deemed swimmable this week. Originally hoped to be achieved for the Paris Olympics, three official swim spots were finally opened for the public to enjoy, just in time for the heatwave sweeping the European continent.
ADIDAS INSTALLATION CELEBRATES THE EPHEMERAL
Adidas and Playlab teamed up to create an ephemeral running track in the New Mexico desert. The installation celebrates the natural and impermanent, created with local gypsum from a nearby mine and water-based pigments that will wash away with time, highlighting that not all man-made structures need to impose on the land forever.
INFLATABLE ROCK ART INSTALLATION CONTRASTS PRAHRAN'S URBAN SURRONDS
Melbourne-based art and technology studio ENESS has installed Iwagumi Air Scape, a large inflatable rock garden, in Prahran Square for its Australian premiere. The inflatables contrast the urban setting, appearing as realistic rock formations in the day and turning into a vibrant lighting display once the sun sets.
NYC'S 'PARKIPELAGOS' THAT ARE DOUBLING AS FLOOD BARRIERS
This new park in New York City is proving that flood protection infrastructure doesn't have to be boring! Designed by BIG, the 'parkipelago' of connected green spaces integrates floodwalls, sliding gates, bridging berms and elevated parkland into the 4 kilometre flood protection system.
NOTHING BUT NET
An under-utilised underpass in China has been transformed into a colourful, basketball-focused community space, with bright neon colours and a citrus motif creating a playful contrast to the grey of the surrounding motorway.
MELBOURNE'S NEW RIVERSIDE PARK TO OPEN
After five years in development, Melbourne’s newest riverfront public park in two decades - Seafarers Park - is set to open in Docklands later this month.
ROCKING CHAIR
Berlin-based artist Martin Binder has created a bench that refuses to let you sit alone. While the Balance Bench looks simple - oak slats on a clean steel frame - it only works if two or more people use it together. It’s mounted on a single cylindrical pivot, so unless users physically balance their weights and positions, the bench tilts.
REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE
Architect Adrienne Lau has combined steel parts from old planters with beams from a demolished army barrack to create chairs and benches for a food-growing community in east London. The outdoor furniture is an innovative take on reduce, reuse and recycle in community spaces.
SYDNEY'S URBAN PLAZA NOW OPEN
Junction Street Plaza has officially opened in Parramatta, transforming over 1,000 square metres of underutilised space under the M4 Motorway into a multi-purpose park designed to encourage young people to stay active and healthy.
XI'AN'S CULTURAL DISTRICT TAKES DESIGN CUES FROM ITS CERAMIC HERITAGE
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Taking inspiration from the region's famous ceramic history, including the Terracotta Soldiers, Heatherwick studio created Xi'an's new cultural district featuring hand-crafted tiles and intricate and innovative designs, complete with a 57-metre tall vertical park that towers over the square.
We are beyond excited to see all the new public spaces transforming our external world in the new year!
