From Brisbane to Rotterdam: Architecture student explores global models for flood resilience

The Australian Institute of Architects’ Queensland Chapter has announced Sophie Barrett as the recipient of the 2025 Philip Y. Bisset Planning (Architecture) Scholarship. The prestigious award provides a $15,000 grant to support international research that contributes to the advancement of architectural knowledge and practice, reinforcing the Institute’s commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. 

Sophie, a final-year Master of Architecture student and current team member at m3architecture, has developed a research proposal focused on water-sensitive urban design — a critical issue for Queensland’s future as the impacts of climate change intensify. Her research seeks to explore how international approaches to integrating water systems within urban design can inform Brisbane’s response to rising flood risks and urban densification pressures. 

“In 2025, over 10,000 new properties in Brisbane were identified as flood-affected,” Sophie said. “If our city is to continue to grow sustainably, we must design neighbourhoods that can withstand heavier rainfall while reducing stormwater runoff. My research will examine global precedents — from Wuhan’s Sponge City program to Rotterdam’s water squares and Copenhagen’s cloudburst boulevards — to identify scalable strategies that can strengthen Brisbane’s flood resilience and help our communities thrive.” 

Her proposed program includes site visits to key examples of climate-adaptive urban design across China, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, including Wuhan’s Sponge City projects, Hamburg’s HafenCity redevelopment, and Copenhagen’s climate-adaptive streetscapes. Using insights from these international models, alongside tools such as the Water Sensitive Cities Scenario Tool, Sophie aims to develop practical, place-based approaches for integrating water management into Queensland’s urban planning and design frameworks. 

The judging panel commended Sophie’s submission for its clarity and direct relevance to Queensland’s future urban challenges. “Sophie’s research demonstrates a sophisticated research objective concerning how architecture intersects with environmental systems, policy, and community resilience terms of water-sensitive design. The study has the potential to deliver a meaningful contribution to the way Queensland plans and builds in a changing climate.”   

At m3architecture, Sophie has contributed to a range of educational projects, from master planning and developed design to construction documentation. Her current work includes developing internal finishes for a new industrial school, assisted in the concept and documentation phases of a new Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) school library.  

“These scholarships are an investment in the next generation of architectural leaders,” said Anna Svensdotter, Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Architects, Queensland Chapter. “Sophie’s work represents the kind of forward-thinking research our profession needs — bridging architecture, planning, and climate resilience to create more adaptive and sustainable communities across Queensland.” 

ENDS