Extrablack, helping shape Parramatta City for its future
Parramatta’s time has come.
Long known as the heart of Western Sydney, Parramatta is quickly becoming something much bigger, a connected, diverse, ambitious city that’s ready to take its place on the global stage. And from where we sit as a team of designers who care deeply about cities, people and place, it’s an exciting story to be part of.
At the centre of it all is a bold vision: Parramatta 2050, a strategy that’s shaping how the city grows economically, culturally, and visually. It’s about creating jobs, new public spaces, better infrastructure, and richer experiences for locals, workers and visitors alike. But just as importantly, it’s about making sure Parramatta still feels like Parramatta.
Extrablack's role is subtle and hidden but there when you need it.
That’s where thoughtful design comes in especially place branding, wayfinding, and urban signage systems. These are the tools that help people understand where they are, how they get around, and why a place matters. They’re also where we, as a creative studio, love to roll up our sleeves and contribute.
Extrablack has been involved in a number of city shaping projects that touch different times in peoples days. From arriving to work by ferry Extrablack was involved in the design of the arrival experience and guiding people to their next destination.
Children’s swimming lessons, sports carnivals and the general public enjoying Parramatta Aquatic and Leisure Centre, is another meaningful role Extrablack has played, helping people know they have arrived, to navigate their way from the carpark, to the change rooms, the correct pool, and along the way learning about Indigenous stories through tasteful, collaborate artworks.
When it comes to the CBD, Extrablack has created a beautiful leasing campaign for 110 George Street, in the Eastern CBD precinct and a compelling story on how to live, work and play at 99 Phillip Street, a well considered, amenity focused Build To Rent, BTR, development a block away from the River and a short walk from the almost complete Powerhouse Museum.
Across the river, Extrablack is working with the City of Parramatta again, to create a new place, signage and wayfinding solution for the exciting reimagined Riverside Theatres. This project, along with the Powerhouse, will create an international culture and arts precinct, putting Parramatta squarely on the international theatrical venue and arts map.
Back in at Parramatta Square, Endeavour Energy’s new Head Quarters were designed by WMK. Extrablack worked with WMK and Endeavour Energy to design an integrated workplace signage and wayfinding system that guides and reassures users, their guests and visitors. Woven throughout the workplace experience are considered Indigenous motifs and moments of art and story telling.
The Big Picture: Five Precincts, Five Distinct Stories
By 2050, Parramatta is aiming to add 150,000 new jobs across five key precincts. Each one has a different focus and a different design challenge waiting to be solved:
Health & Innovation District (Westmead and North Parramatta): A global hub for health, research and education. We see opportunities here for clear, calm wayfinding and storytelling that supports patients, professionals, and visitors in equal measure.
Headquarters District (CBD): The city’s business and cultural core. It’s a place where signage and civic branding need to feel cohesive, professional, and welcoming because the centre of a city should feel easy to understand and enjoyable to move through.
Model City District (Camellia and Rosehill): A future-focused zone for green industry and smart city infrastructure. This is where we can experiment with sustainable materials, fresh visual languages, and urban signage that feels as forward-thinking as the district itself.
Future Jobs District (Silverwater): Think advanced manufacturing, logistics and big ideas. Clean, functional, industrial wayfinding and placemaking could make this district feel both future-ready and highly navigable.
Celebration District (Sydney Olympic Park): Sports, festivals, concerts, this is the precinct made for fun. And it calls for bold, flexible event signage, iconography and experiences that scale up (or down) depending on what’s happening.
What Makes Parramatta Different?
Parramatta’s not just growing. It’s growing with purpose.
The city has mapped out six game-changing ideas that are shaping its future, and we think they’re the kind of ideas that matter, not just for policy, but for people. They include:
Building strong partnerships with First Nations communities and reflecting Country respectfully through signage, language and spatial design.
Becoming Western Sydney’s jobs engine and creating a city that works for workers.
Embracing creativity as part of its identity, not an afterthought, but a driving force.
Becoming a national destination for culture, sport and celebration, which opens the door for vibrant, event-ready environments.
Revolutionising education with world-class university connections and knowledge sector growth. Think: clear wayfinding for global students and future-focused branding.
Creating an unrivalled River City, where ecology, recreation, and movement come together through thoughtful signage and layered storytelling.
What Does This Mean for Design?
For us, this is a dream brief.
We get to work with cities in transition all the time and Parramatta is right in that sweet spot where branding, signage, and wayfinding can make a real difference. We’re talking about helping people feel grounded, confident, and connected as they navigate the city whether they’re here for a meeting, a degree, or a night out.
And it’s not just about being functional (though that matters). It’s about creating places with soul. Places that feel intuitive, authentic, and unmistakably Parramatta.
Let’s Talk About the River
We’re especially excited about Parramatta’s renewed focus on its river. The city is now facing the River, it has a new ferry terminal, bike and pedestrian paths along its banks, and the cultural and arts are making their presence known with the Powerhouse Museum close to completion and the new reimagined Riverside Theatres will help frame the river and attract international artists and live theatre productions making the River a central spine to culture, arts and parks.
The Central River Parklands are going to be a key part of how the city breathes, connecting green and blue spaces, walking trails, community spots, and scenic outlooks. It’s a designer’s dream: interpretive signage, integrated trail markers, gentle brand moments, and opportunities to tell stories that go deeper than a map.
It’s a City for Everyone
What we love about this vision is how inclusive it is. Parramatta 2050 isn’t just about shiny new towers, it’s about housing affordability, multicultural inclusion, and accessible public space. From multilingual signage and accessible wayfinding to youth-friendly civic design, there’s a real effort to make sure nobody gets left behind.
That kind of thinking is right up our alley. We believe design should welcome people in, not push them away.
Parramatta is Connected and Ready
The final piece? Connectivity.
Parramatta is linking up with Sydney, the nation, and the Asia-Pacific. Whether it’s through transport networks, education corridors or business precincts, it’s all about helping people feel oriented and empowered.
That’s where signage systems, precinct identities, and city-wide brand consistency make the invisible visible. And it’s where we, as a collaborative and experienced studio, can help bring clarity to complexity.
A future focused city
Parramatta’s future is full of potential. And we think design, done with care, creativity, and a clear understanding of place, has a big role to play in helping this city shine.
If you’re working on Parramatta and want a creative partner who gets cities, loves collaboration, and knows how to turn complex urban stories into clear, beautiful outcomes, we’d love to chat.
Let’s help Parramatta find its voice, its rhythm, and its place in the world.
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