Design Collaborative

25/02/2026

Our Directors James Lidis and David Rippingill attended the UDIA NSW Luncheon with the NSW Planning Minister—valuable insights, great networking with industry peers, and excellent food (always important).

27/01/2026

Excellent news for many of our clients. After 12 years, the controversial lockout laws in NSW have officially been abolished. This means:

✨ No more 3:30 am “last drinks” rule

✨ No more blanket lockouts in Sydney CBD, Oxford Street & Kings Cross

✨ No more mandatory plastic cups, drink limits or automatic RSA marshals just because it’s late.

These changes mark a new chapter for Sydney’s nightlife and hospitality scene — with vibrancy reforms aimed at supporting live music, venues and safe late-night fun.

Public safety is still a priority, but restrictions are now applied case-by-case rather than across the board. This shift is all about letting NSW venues thrive while keeping people safe.

12/12/2025

An enjoyable afternoon for our Senior Staff at the UDIA NSW Christmas.

Excellent food, good conversation and interacting with like minded professionals.

09/12/2025

We will be taking a well deserved break over the Christmas period.

Our office will shut down Friday the 19th of December 2025 in the afternoon.

We will reopen on Wednesday the 7th of January 2026.
Messages can be left via voicemail and we will get back to you a soon as we can.

Enjoy your festive season and we will see you all the New Year.

Send a message to learn more

13/11/2025

Wishing our Director, David Rippingill, a "significant birthday, happy birthday" with a delicious Hojicha & Caramelised Pear Cream Cake.

13/10/2025

A huge congratulations to The Dry Dock Public House & Dining Room on being awarded Pub of the Year in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2026!

An incredible achievement and well-deserved recognition for the hard work, passion and dedication of James Ingram, Mike Everett and their team in delivering an outstanding pub and dining experience.

18/09/2025

James Lidis our Managing Director had an outstanding day speaking at the Hospitality Real Estate Summit.

This event brought together industry leaders, investors, and operators to explore the future of hospitality spaces and development. A great environment to share insights on urban planning and connecting with others shaping the industry.

A big thank you to the organisers for the opportunity. Overall feedback was a positive day, hearing from so many brilliant voices in the sector.

18/08/2025

We are pleased to share another great outcome – approval has been secured for the construction of a new three-storey mixed-use building in Summer Hill.
The project includes:
- Demolition of the existing building (with retention of the rear wall)
- Site remediation works
- 20 co-living rooms providing much-needed housing options
- Ground floor retail premises activating the street frontage
- Basement car parking for convenience
This is a fantastic step forward in delivering modern, sustainable, and community-focused housing while supporting local business opportunities.

12/08/2025

James Lidis, our managing Director will be speaking at the Hospitality Real Estate Summit taking place September 3rd in Doltone House, Hyde Park Sydney.

The Hospitality Real Estate Summit will bring together owners/operators of superpubs, pubs and taverns with investors, developers, sales & leasing specialists, capital markets, the AEC sector and Government to discuss the pub, club and hospitality property landscape today and the key trends shaping its future.

James will cover the importance of Location, understanding zoning and demographics to optimise asset valuation.

29/07/2025

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is focused on understanding how crime interacts with architecture, human behaviour, and the interplay between public and private spaces. By applying CPTED principles, neighbourhoods and cities are designed to minimise victimisation, discourage potential offenders, and foster environments that feel safe, community-centred, and resilient against crime.

Design Collaborative staff are trained in Crime Risk Assessments across various development types, helping implement CPTED principles to reduce crime risks and foster genuinely safe environments.

Photo courtesy of pexels-evgeniy-grozev 814830

27/05/2025

Director David Rippingill has been working closely with developers to bring co-living projects to life — and it is exciting to see this model gaining momentum.
Co-living offers a smart, community-focused solution to rising housing costs and changing urban lifestyles. It’s all about private rooms, shared spaces, and well-designed living that works for how people want to live today.
Where we can assist:
✔️ Helping developers navigate planning approvals
✔️ Working through zoning and design challenges
✔️ Making sure projects meet both community needs and council requirements
If you are a developer exploring co-living or just curious about how it all fits into local planning frameworks, we would love to chat.

Send a message to learn more