A speculative sketch for a Hobart city block

In the heart of Hobart, a sprawling city block is on the market and attracting plenty of discussion about its future use.

At Cumulus Studio, Keith Westbrook and Peter Walker explored this question through a speculative sketch. The design imagines 4–5 storey housing wrapped around the site’s edges, framing a central courtyard that brings light, greenery, and community space into the heart of the block. To the south, a larger commercial building provides the economic anchor, helping balance the financial viability against much-needed housing.

For a site of this scale, achieving financial viability means embracing higher density. But the built form must also respond sensitively to Hobart’s context. That means carefully consideration of scale, proportions, roof forms and materials that sit comfortably in the city.

This sketch isn’t a proposal, it is an adaptation of a scheme we (led by Keith Westbrook) did for another client several years ago which didn’t go ahead but it illustrates how a bold, context-responsive density might unlock a new chapter for Hobart’s city centre.