The Government Architect NSW (GANSW) provides strategic design leadership in architecture, urban design and landscape architecture.

At GANSW we:

  • Champion - Promote, educate and advocate for design awareness and excellence on behalf of Government, its agencies and partners
  • Connect - Foster public and private sector partnerships, collaboration and design collaboration across built environment initiatives
  • Advise - Provide strategic and independent advice and quality review to support best practice and outcomes for design projects

By integrating design expertise, we work across government, the private sector and the community to improve social, environmental and economic outcomes for NSW and all of our communities.

In acknowledging the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the land and their unique cultural relationships to place, GANSW seeks to uphold the idea that If we care for Country - It will care for us.

A view of Central Park on Broadway in Sydney with pedestrians passing by.

Image Credit: GANSW

Aligning Movement and Place

The outline document provides an introduction to the Movement and Place Framework. It sets out a better approach to understanding places in relation to movement infrastructure, to assist state and local government as well as practitioners to balance movement and align movement and place in the design, planning, construction and operation of NSW’s transport network.

Find out more about Movement and Place
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Image Credit: GANSW

Good Design is Government Policy

Better Placed is a policy that provides a set of principles and guidance to support good design in NSW.

Read about our policies
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Image Credit: GANSW

Publications

We research and prepare documents that provide policy, principles, advice and best practice examples to support good design.

These include Policies, Guides & Manuals, Case Studies and Advisory Notes

View all our publications
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Image Credit: GANSW

Projects

We deliver strategic spatial frameworks for complex government led precincts and support for project formation and definition.

Read about Projects
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Image Credit: GANSW

Design Review

We provide a range of independent design advice and quality review including with the recently established State Design Review Panel pilot (SDRP).

Read about Design Review
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Image Credit: GANSW

Greener Places

Greener Places is a draft policy produced by GANSW to guide the design, planning, design and delivery of Green Infrastructure in urban areas across NSW.

Find out more about green infrastructure and the policy

Featured documents

Design Guide for Heritage (New)

PDF, 4.3MB

This document offers a resource for good design in heritage places. It is a collaboration between GANSW and the Heritage Council of NSW.

Design Guide for Heritage (New)

Environmental Design in Schools (New)

PDF, 1.2MB

This manual can be read alongside the GANSW Design Guide for Schools which provides guidance on new schools and major upgrades in NSW. It has been prepared by GANSW in collaboration with Schools Infrastructure NSW.

Environmental Design in Schools (New)

Urban Design in Regional NSW (Draft)

PDF, 9.6MB

This draft has been prepared specifically for regional NSW. It provides guidance for creating healthy built environments in regional areas of the State. It is a collaboration between GANSW and Department of Planning and Environment.

Urban Design for Regional NSW (Draft)