Arup Brisbane 2032

Sometimes, being a multidimensional design agency requires time travel — and a good story to move you. That truth was at the heart our latest collaboration with Arup, the global urban planning consultancy.

Complementing its United Nations sustainability pledges, Brisbane is approaching the Games as an opportunity to center connectivity, social equity and environmental stewardship in a citywide transformation. Arup is an integral partner in planning and infrastructure implementation ahead of the Games — the kind of vital work that, when done well, can unlock new reserves of prosperity for a city and its people. But a big lift remains to be done on the ground. We sought to tell a quick, galvanizing story that would put stakeholders in motion, while also leaving the white spaces of this future cityscape tantalizingly blank.

The structure of the film draws inspiration from three prerequisites Arup has defined for Brisbane’s Olympics-caliber transformation: One, those who move through the cityscape should expect and encounter smooth, reliable transit. Two, the First Peoples on whose land the nation of Australia exists must be equal stakeholders in the broader transformation project. Three, development should be approached with an eye toward reuse and sensitivity toward natural habitats.

Narratively and aesthetically, we felt these lofty messages were best served by an isometric 3D style, which allowed for seamless transitions between rendered elements. It also gives viewers the thrill of abstraction, where familiar features could coexist with conceptual visions for the city’s next chapter.

The film carries viewers through the smooth operation of surface rail networks to the construction of stadiums that bring cultural and economic impact to the communities in which they rise. As with most collaborations, the work evolved iteratively, with Arup helping refine storyboards alongside our creative teams to ensure visual impact and accurate storytelling.

Urban planners have long viewed the Olympics as a catalyst for ambitious projects. Ambition, however, only carries the vision so far. With this film, Arup and its partners wield a potent narrative tool that can help summon the will to bridge the distance between vision and reality.