While the rate of urbanisation isn’t necessarily slowing down, the boundaries between city and nature are somewhat blurring. In fact, our cities are becoming both edible and wilder – and more connected than ever before. Manicured lawns and fussy flower beds give way to veggie patches, uninspired rooftops burst with fresh produce and once-neglected laneways bloom with native wildflowers. Architects, designers and city planners’ desire to embrace the untamed side of our urban ecosystems is clear – and this ambition blends cutting-edge technology, storytelling and the wisdom of the land.
So, below is a list of a few emerging landscape and urban trends where concrete jungles mingle with native bushland, history is written in salvaged bricks – and residents don't just admire their landscapes, they actively shape them.
Productive landscape
Urban agriculture is flourishing in Australia – and it’s taking root in the most unexpected places. Rooftop gardens are becoming more popular than Melbourne’s signature rooftop bars, while underused spaces burst with community food forests and veggie patches. Beyond a clear benefit of providing fresh produce, these initiatives collectively tackle some of the challenges that come with urban density. They shorten the distance from farm to table, reduce food-related emissions, and foster a deeper sense of connection – both to our food sources and to each other.
Concrete jungle goes wild(er)
While the urban landscape is getting more productive, it’s also going back to its wild origins. Reflecting the heavily engineered nature of our cities, parks and green spaces have traditionally been quite structured. This is now changing, as designers, architects and city planners are cleverly weaving pockets of untamed nature back into the urban fabric in the bid to rewild our cities.
The parks are less manicured and more forest-like, native climbers scramble up walls of bustling CBD laneways and we’re all perfectly familiar with Sydney’s One Central Park’s now iconic lush facade incorporating a myriad of native plants. These – at times rather tall – pockets of intentional wildness aren't just about biodiversity and mitigating heat islands. They also serve as a powerful reminder that humans are intrinsically connected to the natural world, fostering a deeper environmental consciousness even amidst an urban lifestyle.
Materials with memory
This dynamic quality highlighted by the increasingly untamed presence of greenery in the built environment is a reminder of the city’s constantly evolving nature. This transitional quality is reflected in the way designers are embracing materials that tell the story of Sydney's past and present – the Barangaroo development, where sandstone from the site's excavation was repurposed into public seating and retaining walls, is a prime example.
Salvaged industrial elements find new life as sculptural park features and old railway sleepers find their ways into landscaping projects, and more and more urban facades utilise bricks from demolished heritage structures. In its simplest form, this is of course recycling – but it is also a tangible connection to the past.
Water as a precious resource
Drought cycles are a harsh reality of Australian life, and sustainable landscaping is decidedly shifting from mere water efficiency to a deep respect for this vital resource. Rainwater isn't something to be swiftly drained away – it's an opportunity. Permeable pavements help recharge aquifers, while swales and wetlands naturally filter runoff, creating lush urban oases. We're also seeing a move away from thirsty exotic plants towards hardy natives that celebrate our unique flora. And while some might see it as designing for scarcity, Aussie designers and architects see it as designing in harmony with the cyclical nature of our climate.
Tech-enabled stewardship
While re-wilding and embracing past stories are certainly crucial, technology has its place, too. In fact, smart tech is revolutionising landscape design, offering exciting tools for architects and designers to create landscapes that are both ecologically sound and user-friendly.
Sensor networks in parks can help optimise irrigation based on real-time weather conditions, conserving precious water resources, while intuitive apps can be used to alert residents to volunteer opportunities to care for green spaces. At the same time, drones are getting put to work to monitor the health of rooftop gardens and assess the cooling benefits of urban tree canopies. In many ways, the empowering potential of tech is rewriting the way we design and interact with our surroundings – it’s facilitating a collective responsibility for the landscapes we inhabit, creating a future where design, sustainability, and community participation seamlessly intertwine.
These trends are both an optimistic rejection of manicured landscapes and a bold embrace of spaces that are productive, ecologically vibrant, and deeply connected to their geographical context. With every rooftop garden, rewilded park, and cleverly salvaged element, architects, designers and city planners aren't just shaping physical spaces – they are creating a more sustainable, connected, and uniquely Australian vision of urban living.
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Image: The University of Queensland's Reconciliation Garden.
