About this event
Join us for our online CSU Green Cities event, “The NSW Housing Pattern Book: A Design-Led Response to the Australian Housing Crisis”
Tuesday, February 24, 5:00–6:00 PM EST
Wednesday, February 25, 9:00–10:00 AM AEST
Featuring guest speaker Abbie Galvin, NSW Government Architect,
and moderated by CSU board member Anna Rubbo, LFRAIA.
Talk Abstract
Pattern books have long been used internationally to democratize design—making well-considered, replicable housing more accessible, efficient, and equitable.
Access to safe, well-designed, and affordable housing is one of the most important issues facing many global cities and regions, including New South Wales, Australia. As the 2026 UN-Habitat World Urban Forum focuses global attention on “housing the world,” there is increasing urgency to address housing shortfalls across both the Global North and South. In New South Wales, as fewer people can afford a home—let alone one that is well designed—the NSW Housing Pattern Book revisits a historic model with contemporary ambition.
The NSW Housing Pattern Book builds on this historical tradition with the goal of making good design accessible to all.
Government Architect NSW (GANSW) led development of the Pattern Book at the request of the Premier of NSW and the Planning Minister. It is an experiment—with nothing to lose, and perhaps something to teach. The initiative focuses on low- and mid-rise housing types, often referred to as the “missing middle,” and was established to support new planning policies extending the permissibility of these housing types across NSW.
GANSW worked with award-winning architectural practices to develop 17 designs and collaborated with the NSW Planning Policy team to create bespoke planning pathways specific to the patterns.
Speaker: Abbie Galvin, NSW Government Architect
Abbie Galvin is the 24th NSW Government Architect, championing design quality across the state. Drawing on 30 years in architectural practice, she advances design excellence in public projects and contributes widely through writing, policy, programs, research, and design advocacy. Her leadership spans civic projects, housing, and sustainability, continuing a 200-year legacy of design influence in public life.
Abbie and her team’s work includes implementation of NSW’s first sustainable building policy for non-residential buildings, leadership of the State Design Review Panel, and development of The NSW Pattern Book for Housing.
Moderator: Anna Rubbo, LFRAIA (CSU Board Member)
Anna Rubbo, LFRAIA, is on the board of the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization and a Researcher at the Center for Sustainable Urbanization (CSUD) in the Climate School, Columbia University. Previously Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Sydney, in recent years she has focused on accelerating the take up of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in design practice and education. Currently she is director of the SDGs Local Learning Studio.
Sponsor Organization for Green Cities
Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization (CSU), UN-Habitat, AIA New York, AIANY Planning & Design, the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, Habitat Professionals Forum for Sustainable Cities, Creative Exchange Lab (CEL), Global Urban Development (GUD), and the Columbia University Center for Buildings, Infrastructure and Public Space (CBIPS).
