STRATEGIC PLANNING & URBAN DESIGN

A selection of strategic plans and frameworks I’ve delivered for major organisations to support urban sustainability, digital transformation and creative places. Please note: This list is not regularly updated.

Western Sydney University Hawkesbury Campus Public Art Strategy (2022-3)

In 2022-3 I delivered a Creative Renewal Strategy for Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury Innovation Campus. The campus has a 20- year vision for long-term planning to create a living lab for regeneration and sustainability for the region. My work, delivered through Esem Projects, supported lead client HASSELL in delivering an urban design framework that elevated regenerative principles for ecological restoration linked with culture, well-being and community connections.

Client: HASSELL

Role: Consultant

SA Premier’s Department: South Australian Arts Plan 2019-2024 (2018)

In 2019 I formed part of the consultant team led by former Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski to develop the South Australian Government’s first Arts Plan in 20 years.

This project involved deep and substantial consultation with the SA Arts Sector to develop a series of strategic recommendations for future arts investment by the SA Government over the coming years.

The final Arts Plan can be published here (PDF link)

Client: Tony Grybowski and Graham Gherashe

Role: Consultant

Report Design by Esem Projects.

CSIRO: Future Cities Showcase (2019)

I supported the head of CSIRO Future Cities Cluster in the development of a set of strategic communications tools and business development frameworks that articulated the vision, mission and strategic priorities for this new cross-divisional business development cluster.

The outcomes were a new Future Cities website and a framework for seeding and commissioning new Future Cities investments across CSIRO.

See Showcase.

Client: CSIRO

Role: Strategic communications advisor

Create NSW: Social Impact of the Arts Research (2018)

In 2018 I was invited by Create NSW to conduct a review of existing approaches to social impact measurement in the arts. This body of work reflects my former experience as an arts policy adviser at the Australia Council and Department of Communications and the Arts.

During 2018 I led a team at the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University to review existing approaches to understanding and measuring the social impact of the arts. The review made a series of strategic recommendations regarding ongoing measurement and evaluation of social impact work within the arts sector.

Client: Create NSW

Role: Chief Investigator, Research Fellow, Western Sydney University

See Report here

Sydney Airport Corporation: Urban Design Masterplan with HASSELL (2018)

During 2017-8 I worked with HASSELL and the Sydney Airport Corporation to develop supporting strategies for the Urban Design Masterplan for SACL.

Provided through Esem Projects, the first project was a Public Art Strategy to support the curation and commissioning of public artworks as part of the Masterplan, incorporating precedents on airport placemaking and programming being adopted worldwide.

The second project was directly commissioned by SACL and included a Heritage Trail and set of Interpretation designs concepts for the Botany Wetlands. For this project we collaborated with TILT Design and our favourite urban illustrator Richard Briggs.

Client: HASSELL and Sydney Airport Corporation

Role: Strategic Designer

CSIRO Data 61: Greater Sydney Commission Dashboard (2016)

In 2016 I was commissioned by Data61 to support the NSW Department of Planning and Environment in its development of an indicator framework through which to measure, through available data sources, the implementation of the NSW Government’s Metropolitan Strategy: The Plan for Growing Sydney.

The Greater Sydney Commission Pulse of Greater Sydney is here:

https://www.greater.sydney/dashboard

Role: Research Consultant and Data Strategist

Client: CSIRO / Data 61

Arts Centre of Christchurch: A Creative, Digital and Curatorial Strategy for Rutherford’s Den

Through my curatorial and arts practice Esem Projects, I led the strategic design of the new Rutherford’s Den redevelopment, a $2m restoration following the Christchurch earthquakes.

For this project I led a multidisciplinary team of interior designers, architects, and graphic designers to develop the Creative, Curatorial and Digital Strategy for this important space in the heart of Christchurch - and subsequently developed the interpretation materials and installations featured in the new Rutherford’s Den space today.

Client: Arts Centre of Christchurch

Role: Curatorial and Digital Strategist / Lead

UNSW: Digital Placemaking Strategy (2019)

Through Esem Projects I was contracted as a digital placemaking consultant to advise UNSW on the use of digital technologies to support a campus wide digital masterplan.

The Report included a series of project case studies and interventions being reviewed for implementation across UNSW in 2019.

Client: Place Partners

Role: Digital Placemaking Consultant

City of Parramatta: Parramatta Open Data Dashboard (2016)

In 2016 I collaborated with SGS Economics to develop an online visualisation of Quality of Life Indicators relevant to the City of Parramatta.

The visualisation was accompanied by a report on the availability and utility of public data sets to support quality of life indicators. The project has supported SGS in its development of online dashboards for local governments across Australia.

See more about this Project here.

Client: WSU and SGS

Role: Research Fellow / Research Lead

CSIRO: Urban Living Labs Strategic Framework (2016-18)

Over 2016-8 I worked with CSIRO and Data61 as a smart cities adviser, to support the organisations in the development of a range of indicator development frameworks and data strategies for clients and partners.

This work contributed to the progression of the CSIRO Future Cities and Urban Living Labs initiatives, which you can check out here.

Clients: CSIRO / Data61

Role: Subject Matter Expert (Smart Cities); Data Strategist

Urban Growth NSW: Smart City Strategy for the White Bay Innovation District Masterplan (2016)

In 2016 I was contracted by Urban Growth NSW to advise on the development of a smart cities framework and digital masterplan for the White Bay Innovation Precinct.

The advisory work I delivered to Urban Growth supported it in its negotiations with Google as an anchor tenant in the White Bay Innovation Precinct. Google would later pull out of the Precinct due to transport planning issues surrounding the precinct ;-)

Client: Urban Growth NSW

Role: Smart Cities Adviser

An Organisation-wide Digital Strategy for the ABC (2013)

Following over a decade of project-based work with the ABC’s digital innovation department, I worked with head of Digital Innovation to support an organisation-wide strategy for the ABC’s shift towards ‘digital first’ programming. This work involved the co-ordination of organisation-wide stakeholder forums and working groups, and close collaboration with ABC Executives to support and author the first ABC-wide Digital Strategy, prioritising a genre-focused approach over broadcast and distribution platforms.

Role: Independent strategy consultant

Client: ABC Innovation