Sustainable Urban Living: Ecology-driven Renewal for Sydney

Join us for the next event in the Committee for Sydney’s Global Speaker Series, proudly hosted with Placemaking NSW and Macquarie University, as part of the Power of Public Spaces project.

Hear from renowned Spanish urbanist Salvador Rueda Palenzuela, creator of Barcelona’s Superblocks — a bold approach to reclaiming streets for people and embedding ecological systems into the heart of city life.

As Sydney grapples with a climate and housing crisis and with the transformation of White Bay now underway, this conversation will explore whether Superblock principles could guide the future of our city — and what ecological urbanism can teach us about restoring connection to Country, community, and the harbour.

Following Salvador’s keynote, a panel of local experts will join Salvador in conversation:

• Anita Mitchell, Chief Executive Placemaking NSW
• Annie Tennant, Director, Design and Place, Placemaking NSW
• Abbie Galvin, NSW Government Architect
• Rowena Welsh-Jarrett, Director, Rowena Welsh-Jarrett, First Nations Cultural Heritage

This is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the world’s leading voices in sustainable urban transformation — and to explore how global thinking can shape local renewal.

About Salvador Rueda Palenzuela:

Salvador is the Director of the Urban and Territorial Ecology Foundation and former Director of Barcelona’s Urban Ecology Agency. A pioneer of ecological urbanism, he developed the Superblocks model to reshape urban mobility, improve health, and return public space to communities. His work has influenced cities across Europe and Latin America and is a blueprint for urban renewal grounded in systems thinking, sustainability, and social equity

The Committee for Sydney is proud to collaborate with Placemaking NSW, Macquarie University and Power of Public Spaces to present this event.