Public Sydney is a landmark study of the city seen through its most powerful public spaces, from streets and parks to civic squares and harbour edges. First published after years of fieldwork, this new and thoroughly revised edition draws on more than two decades of effort, research and recording, and asks a simple question: what makes a city beautiful, functional and memorable?
About This Book
More than 100 key sites are presented in plan, section and elevation. Meticulous drawings, led by Philip Thalis of Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects, are paired with historical and contemporary images and incisive essays. Together they trace the layered history, harbour-shaped geography and design intelligence that give Sydney its distinct urban character, and show how its public realm has been shaped over time.
The authors bring complementary perspectives. Thalis is a practising architect, a Professor of Practice in Architecture at UNSW and a former City of Sydney Councillor. He received the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 2024. Cantrill is an urban designer at the City of Sydney who received the Urban Design Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
Key Features
- More than 100 key public sites drawn in plan, section and elevation
- Meticulous architectural drawings paired with historical and contemporary images
- Incisive essays on how Sydney’s public realm has developed
- New maps, images and essays in this revised edition
- Over two decades of research and recording
- Written by two award-winning figures in Australian architecture and urban design
What You’ll Discover
- How history and harbour geography shaped Sydney’s public spaces
- The design thinking behind the city’s streets, parks and civic places
- Why shared spaces remain central to Sydney’s identity, vitality and everyday life
- Fresh insights on the past, present and future of the city
Specifications
- Authors: Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson Australia
- Format: Hardback
- Extent: 240 pages
- Size: 39.7 x 26.8 cm
- ISBN: 9781760765415
- Publication date: 3 November 2026
Perfect For
Architects, urban designers, planners and policymakers, historians, students of the built environment, and anyone fascinated by the life of cities and Sydney in particular.