brisbane 2032: green pathways, gold places

There are plenty of opinions circulating about how the Olympics should unfold for Brisbane. What we appreciate about Green Pathways, Gold Places—developed jointly by the Australian Institute of Architects, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the Planning Institute of Australia, and the Design Institute of Australia—is that it brings a clear, unified plan to produce meaningful change in our city in the decades that follow.

If we consider the city as the venue for these Games, what Brisbane looks and feels like in 2032, and in the decades that follow, matters as much as anything that happens during that event.

The Australian Institute of Architects Queensland Chapter (Left), The Urban Developer (Right)

The Four Areas of Focus

The advocacy puts forward four areas that resonate strongly with us as architects working in this city.

A Brisbane 2032 Design Coordination Unit. Established within the Office of the Queensland Government Architect, this would provide the coordinated design leadership needed to ensure the Games produce coherent, quality outcomes across the city rather than a series of disconnected projects.

A 2032 Green Grid. A connected network of green infrastructure across South East Queensland, including an urban Olympic Forest, that would cool our city, support biodiversity, and create public space that residents continue to benefit from long after the Games.

A precinct-based approach to venue planning. Rather than treating each venue in isolation, this recognises that the spaces between and around venues matter just as much as the venues themselves, and should be planned in collaboration with Games partners from the outset.

Place-based funding models. A shift in how investment is understood, from short-term cost to long-term value, so that design and place outcomes are recognised as strategic assets that serve communities for generations.

All of these share a commitment to thinking beyond the event itself: asking what kind of city we want Brisbane to be, and using the momentum of the Games to get there.

We'd encourage anyone working in the built environment in South East Queensland to read it, share it, and add their support.