Tim Conybeare and Peter Phillips explore some ambitious possibilities in a proposition for Adelaide, a city in South Australia. Adelaide’s developing road network that might be good for motorists, but it could also spark the creation of something truly special for people and nature.
The possibilities include reclaiming and relocating sites that hold untapped potential: former industrial spaces in the Adelaide’s West could be used to create a network of green public spaces with integrated urban development. Repairing waterways could benefit people and nature in equal measure. Major infrastructure projects could be capitalised upon, to maximise city shaping opportunities, expand active transport links and create new parks. A more liveable Adelaide is in reach, but only if we are ambitious in our thinking and tireless in our advocacy.

Infrastructure means more than roads
The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project being advanced by the Australian and South Australian governments is aimed at completing a dedicated, non-stop north-south transport corridor through the length of Adelaide. Are we thinking ambitiously enough about how this project – a once in a generation project in terms of its scale – could benefit the city more widely? What could its completion mean beyond its important yet functional goal of improving Adelaide’s transport network?
The T2D project, which will tunnel the major north-south transport route beneath the city’s inner western suburbs, presents an unprecedented opportunity to reclaim urban space for regeneration, public use and ecological restoration. By markedly decreasing surface traffic, the project is set to improve air quality and could foster the creation of green belts that seamlessly connect the urban core to the coast, enhancing mobility and connectivity to natural spaces.
Reclaiming space for life
More than a transport corridor, the T2D project envisions city shaping as a key benefit, with increased infill mixed use development, a holistic enhancement of urban life, better connecting communities and promoting ecological rejuvenation. We’re excited by the ambition of the project, and we would like to think a little more ambitiously about how to capture the opportunities it creates.

For instance, as industry moves further out from the city, the increasing availability of the previously light industrial lands immediately west of the city offer enormous potential to contribute to housing supply and supporting population growth in line with the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan objective of increasing population density across the city to 46% over the next 30 years.
With these two drivers in mind, we would like to share a vision for the transformation of the city’s west, using a series of tactical urban responses that capitalise on the benefits the completion of the North-South Corridor will bring to the city, while improving the environmental condition, liveability and housing supply across the western suburbs.
Repairing waterways
Using First Nations led design principles that focus on caring for Country and seeking a deeper connection with land, water and sky, the numerous creeks that run from the hills to the sea could be daylighted and restored – Keswick Creek could be transformed into a linear park with shared path facilities connecting to existing bike networks and an improved green Richmond Road that includes off-road cycle facilities, while the Cowandilla drainage channel (incorporating Water Sensitive Urban Design and stormwater treatment for the broader catchment) would help to increase the urban tree canopy, enhancing the city’s resilience to climate impacts. These measures mitigate urban heat, improve air and water quality, and demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship.

Restoring these waterways to a more natural state would improve stormwater management, reduce flood risk, and enhance the area’s ecological health. Creating linear parks along these waterways would provide attractive and functional green spaces for the community, encouraging biodiversity and offering residents access to nature.
Public connections
Introducing a tram spur line down Henley Beach Road to the coast as well as along a re-imagined Richmond Road, through the centre of the Airport site and to West Beach (potentially continuing along the coast south towards Glenelg and linking with the Glenelg tram line to form a loop back to Greenhill Rd) would improve accessibility and connectivity, reducing reliance on private vehicles and contributing to a reduction in traffic congestion and pollution. Tram lines through the area would support denser, transit-oriented development, making it easier for residents to access services, employment, and recreational activities.

Re-zoning Richmond Rd to an Urban Corridor Zone would facilitate medium to high-density residential development along a key transport route, activating the area and providing housing that supports sustainable urban growth. Coupled with enhanced public transport and active transport options, it would create a vibrant, connected community that is attractive to a diverse demographic.
Caring for Adelaide
Adelaide’s uniqueness lies in its perfect balance of nature, culture, affordability, and accessibility, making it a highly liveable and appealing city to live. Framed by the Mount Lofty Ranges, the Gulf of St Vincent, and the northern plains, the city is surrounded by world class food and wine regions, with a diversity of cultural offerings that compare with many global cities of a similar scale.
The challenges inherent in such a transformation, such as land acquisition, funding, contamination remediation, and ensuring meaningful engagement with Traditional Owners, require thoughtful planning, collaboration, and a commitment to innovative solutions. Through careful management and a focus on sustainable and inclusive growth, the vision for Adelaide’s western suburbs can be realised, making it a more liveable, resilient, and dynamic part of the city.
Looking West: A Proposition to Repair Adelaide
Landscape Architect: ASPECT Studios
Image Credits: ASPECT Studios