Location: Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Australia.

Architect: ClarkeHopkinsClarke.

Australia’s population is expected to reach 40 million by 2048, putting a strain on major cities. Consolidated Land And Rail Australia (CLARA) is tackling this challenge with its ambitious masterplanning project to establish up to eight Smart Cities between Sydney and Melbourne, connected via High Speed Rail. The first city in the CLARA Plan is CV2, which is designed as a network of compact, walkable, mixed-use urban neighbourhoods, connected by an efficient public transport system and surrounded by natural amenity. The masterplan puts pedestrians at the heart of all public spaces and removes private vehicles from the public realm, replacing them with a trackless tram network and MaaS transport. Community infrastructure like schools, transport and recreation facilities will be delivered first to build a sense of community from the outset. CV2 is water- and energy self-sufficient and features higher density mixed-use activity centres located on transit routes ensuring high accessibility and connectivity throughout the city. The public realm is central to shaping each neighbourhood’s character, creating a central focus with squares and plazas and defining neighbourhood edges with canals, parks and green boulevards. Community services and civic buildings will play a significant role in CV2 urban neighbourhoods, providing the spaces for communities to gather and share experiences and celebrations. The city is connected to nature via an extensive green network of urban forests, parks and agricultural areas and an attractive blue network of waterways, which provide liveable and high-quality urban spaces. Solar panels, green walls and roofs and water-sensitive urban design will feature heavily throughout the city, making sustainability a visible and recognizable part of the urban landscape. CV2 is a connected, sustainable and liveable city, designed for people first.