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The 2020 Sydney Urban lab set out to explore human to animal relationships, specifically our relationship to endangered species in an urban context.

Set during one of the worst bushfire seasons ever experienced in Australia, and one which is estimated to have seen one billion animals perish, the studio looked at how we can better incubate and accommodate diverse animal species within cities.  

The project was sited on Moore Park, in eastern Sydney, and aimed to radically re-wild this entire territory for the purpose of sustaining and enhancing Sydney’s endangered species and their associated habitats.  

About 2020 Sydney Urban Lab Chair: Professor Richard Weller 

Richard Weller is Professor and Chair of Landscape Architecture, Meyerson Chair of Urbanism, and co-executive director of the McHarg Center at The University of Pennsylvania (Penn). Weller has published over 100 academic papers and six books, and his creative work has received numerous awards in international design competitions and been exhibited in major museums around the world. In 2017 and 2018, he was named by Design Intelligence as one of North America’s most admired teachers of design. His research has focused on scenario planning for cities and megaregions, and most recently on global flashpoints between biodiversity and urban growth. 

Tutors and guests included Jason Cuffe, Georgina Darling and Chris Kelly (Hassell), Beth George (University of Newcastle), Philip Thalis (Hill Thalis), Philip Coxall (McGregor Coxall), Anton James (JMD), Rod Simpson (Greater Sydney Commission), Dieter Hochuli (University of Sydney), Sue Barnsley (Sue Barnsley Design), Helen Lochhead (UNSW), Philip Oldfield (UNSW), Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard (UNSW), Linda Corkery (UNSW).