Eco-Urbia –
a cross curricular design project for Year 10
Competition Overview
The competition involves design teams following a design brief to increase community
awareness about sustainable lifestyle choices. The competition supports the City of Sydney Sustainable Sydney Plan 2030. This plan states:
“Our future depends on all of us leading more sustainable lifestyles. Australians leave a large
environmental footprint per capita, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels for energy, our high
water consumption and generation of waste that goes to landfill”.
Creating Green Villages - City of Sydney.
City of Sydney sustainability targets and initiatives include:
 Reducing carbon emissions by 70%
 Sourcing 30% of energy from renewables by 2030
 Recovering renewable gases in rubbish waste and sewerage to use in tri-generation
 Producing low carbon electricity for heating and cooling of buildings
 Developing an automated waste treatment system using underground vacuum tubes
connecting buildings and street litter bins to an offsite waste station.
For more information:
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/environment/GreenVillages/WhyLiveGreen.asp
Competition Background
Eco-Urbia is a sustainability design competition for teams of talented Year 10
students. Each team will re-design an underused area of urban space and
transform it into a showcase that increases community awareness of
sustainable lifestyle choices and engages the public in sustainability issues in
urban areas.
Each team will use the skills of all its members to complete the design task.
Teams must devise a design concept and 2D plan (to scale) for their allocated
public space in Millers Point and name their design. They must also create a 3D model of one
aspect of their design. Teams should take into consideration any future influence of
Barangaroo, which is likely to increase pedestrian movement from the CBD through Millers
Point.
The Design Brief (Scenario)
Your consultancy team is tendering to the City Of Sydney to create a concept and plan that
will transform an underused space in the CBD into a vibrant and interesting showcase on
sustainability. The space to be designed aims to:
a. provide a showcase for sustainable features/structures, and
b. encourage behaviour change for visitors to the site to promote taking action to reduce their
ecological footprint.
The concept and plan will promote community awareness of the benefits to the environment of
sustainable lifestyle choices and sustainable products/design. The plan will support and
promote the City of Sydney’s - Creating Green Villages policy.
Observatory Hill EEC – NSW Department of Education and Communities
1. Competition Details
Where? Observatory Hill EEC, Upper Fort St, Millers Point
When? Wednesday 26th November or Thursday 27th November
Time? 8:30am - 3:00pm
Cost? $10.00 to cover materials for designing the plan, building models etc
The site to be designed will be revealed on the day of the competition. Teams will visit the site
and then produce a concept, plan and model to address the design brief. Teams will then
deliver a short presentation (up to 5 mins) to the judging panel.
2. Competition Components
Teams must present their plan for the site in digital format for judging
as part of the competition.
The design competition has four main parts.
1. Teams give a name to their design and devise an overall concept (your teams angle or pitch
on sustainability) for the site, which addresses the design brief in context with the site
location – explained as a one-paragraph statement with images.
2. The plan for the site – paper based plan to scale showing the features of the site (your team
may also decide to produce a digital plan) to display during your presentation to the judging
panel.
3. Teams produce a scale model of one element in their plan (materials supplied by the
centre) for display during the presentation.
4. A Team presentation to the judging panel (up to 5 mins) to showcase the sustainability
concept, the annotated plan and the model of an element in the plan. Software options for
presentation could include Powerpoint, Prezie, Acrobat Pro 9, or other preferred software
3. Judging criteria
1. The overall design concept for the site including naming of the design (30%)
2. The degree to which the concept would encourage people to adopt sustainable lifestyle
behaviours (50%)
3. The team presentation (including good communication techniques and whole team
involvement) (20%)
Prizes
Each member of the winning team on the day will receive a $50 gift voucher
Each runner up team member on the day will receive a $25 gift voucher
4 Competition Program (on the day)
Students will be required to wear school uniform, bring their mobile devices and
writing/drawing equipment. The centre will provide one thumbdrive for each team containing
a photo gallery of sustainability ideas. Student may also use this thumbdrive to present their
presentations to the judges on the centres interactive whiteboard. Students are to bring their
own food requirements /drink as there is no canteen or shops available to purchase lunch.
Students will be required to remain at the EEC centre during breaks.
Observatory Hill EEC – NSW Department of Education and Communities
Program schedule
8.30
8.30 – 9.00
9.00 - 9.20
9:20 – 10:00
10.00 - 10.20
10:20 - 10.40
10.40 – 12.30
12.30 - 1.00
1.00 - 1.45
1.45 – 2.45
2.45 - 3.00
Meet at Observatory Hill EEC – see map
Introductory presentation to recap on the design brief, competition guidelines and
features of good urban design eg safety, aesthetics, culture, functionality and
sustainability. Students view Green Infrastructure 2030 movie clip.
Walk to design site
Undertake a SWOT and situational analysis of site and begin devising concept &
plan
Return to Observatory Hill EEC
Morning Tea
Team receive a draft plan (to scale) with grid and model
materials. Teams develop their concept, plan and design
ideas and strategies for their presentation to judges
Lunch
Teams finalise plans, models and presentations.
Teams present design concept to judging panel
Judges decide on winning design. Winners and runners up announced and
presentation of prizes.
Location Map
Key
EEC – Observatory Hill EEC
(sorry no onsite parking) meeting
place - 8.30am
Please check the centre
homepage for the best access
option to the centre.
EEC
Observatory Hill EEC – NSW Department of Education and Communities