Collaborative Effort Set to Transform Gosford’s Civic Heart with Innovative Mixed-Use Precinct

A design team comprising Plus Architecture, Architecture AND, and CHROFI has emerged victorious in a design excellence competition for the Gosford Alive development — a regionally significant project set to revitalise an entire city block in Gosford’s civic centre.

The winning concept for the former Kibbleplex shopping centre site aims to dramatically enhance the urban landscape and address the city’s housing need. Reimagining a place for people at the edge of the city, the new precinct will provide approximately 650 high-quality homes while contributing to the area’s vibrancy through a mix of public and communal spaces at the ground level.

A collaborative project, CHROFI led the design of the civic plaza and ground plane, with tower 1 serving as a focal point overlooking Kibble Park. Plus Architecture envisioned residential towers 2 and 3, defining inviting public spaces at ground level and contributing to the overall coherence of the master plan. Architecture AND designed residential towers 4 and 5, engaging with the newly established east-west link and the serene Rumbalara Reserve, whilst Arcadia worked across the master plan, providing landscape consultancy services.

The multi-stage design of Gosford Alive has been a significant endeavour, with diversity of thought playing a crucial role in shaping the winning proposal. Amit Julka, Director at Plus Architecture, explains, “Given the scale of the project, the contribution of varied expertise and experiences have been critical. The result of deep collaboration, our proposal seeks to reflect the way cities naturally accrete over time, with many hands shaping the output and expression of the buildings.”

This collaborative approach has yielded a design that not only creates a real piece of city but also engages with its surroundings. Andrew Burns, Founder and Principal at Architecture AND, highlights this achievement: “The collaboration between a diverse group of practices has resulted in diverse architectural expression, in form, geometry and material — to create a real piece of city, in dialogue with the dramatic Rumbalara escarpment to the perimeter of the site.”

The team’s design approach was structured around a response to three scales: the city, the neighbourhood, and the home. At the city scale, the project aims to contribute positively to Gosford’s urban quality, creating a precinct that will serve residents for generations. The neighborhood scale focuses on establishing a new community where residents feel connected to the place and each other. At the home scale, the design provides individualised, resource-efficient living spaces that bring people closer to nature and Gosford’s beautiful surroundings.

The 1.4-hectare development will feature approximately 650 dwellings and 5,000 sq.m. of retail and commercial space, whilst an activated public realm will extend from Kibble Park through the site, creating a vibrant pedestrian experience. Tai Ropiha, Director at CHROFI, emphasises the project’s dual focus: “It’s a wonderful opportunity to work with our design partners on a project that at once, frames Kibble Park, a key civic space within the city’s urban spine, while at the same time, enabling residents to enjoy close connection with Gosford’s unique topographic landscape.”

Designed with longevity in mind, the project incorporates numerous sustainable design elements, including passive heating and cooling, biophilic green roofs, responsibly sourced materials, solar access, and rainwater harvesting. Native planting and generous ground plane landscaping will help minimise the heat island effect, further enhancing the site’s environmental performance.

A richness of experience for residents, extending beyond just the physical limits of their apartment, has been a prime driver for the design team. Clear wayfinding from all buildings through well-proportioned and activated open spaces provides connectivity to the city and transport links. Driven by a desire to provide a design solution that contributes positively to the life of the city and its occupants, the Gosford Alive development is set to become the lifeblood of this burgeoning community.

The design excellence competition was managed by Urbis, on behalf of Universal Property Group, with the jury chaired by Government Architect NSW. The next phase of the project will see the submission of a State Significant Development Application (SSDA), envisioned to take place towards the end of 2024.