Designing a Connected City – Part 3: Solutions

After unpacking the challenges holding Woolloongabba back, Scott Clements and Nader Ibrahim (O2LA) now shift the conversation to the solutions and how smart planning can turn a fragmented precinct into a truly connected urban destination.

One of the biggest opportunities sits within the transport network itself. By repurposing the existing busway corridor into a tunnel and co-locating vehicular and bus traffic along Stanley Street, the precinct can finally remove the barriers that currently carve it into isolated islands. Taking cars out of the pedestrian realm opens the door to streets people actually want to walk, linger, and spend time in.

The vision? A low-speed, high-amenity high street – revitalised with hospitality, retail and day-to-day services that support both residents and the future arena. A place that feels welcoming, comfortable, and activated at all hours of the day.

Scott points to Little Stanley Street in South Bank as a great reference: a slow, human-scaled street sitting opposite expansive parklands, lined with retail and homes, and buzzing with life because it simply feels good to be there. Despite being adjacent to a major transport corridor, it thrives because people are prioritised in the design.

Woolloongabba already has the raw ingredients to achieve something similar – beautiful heritage buildings, character laneways, and opportunities to increase density and activity around key movement paths. What’s missing is the connected public realm that stitches it all together and elevates the area from low amenity to a truly vibrant precinct.

Part 4 will dive into how connected shade can reshape Woolloongabba’s identity. To hear the full conversation early, click here: https://lnkd.in/g3CqiSPV