Roderick Simpson

Roderick Simpson is a registered architect and urban designer. Prior to being appointed as the inaugural Environment Commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission, he was director of the Urban Design and Urbanism programs at the University of Sydney until 2016. His work has focused on sustainability since the early 1990s and more recently resilience. His current focus is to shift practice from planning’s narrow focus on transport and productivity to give equal importance to ‘blue and green infrastructure’ as a starting point for planning and the need to recognise the importance of urban design at all scales and stages of urban development.

Rod is currently an Adjunct Professor at UNSW Art Design Architecture, is a Member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and was a Trustee of Sydney Living Museums 2011-2022. He is chair of the Western Sydney University External Advisory Panel and member of the State Design Review Panel.

Rod has had a wide range of professional experience having worked as an architect and urban designer in his own practice, in numerous multidisciplinary teams consulting to local, state and commonwealth governments, industry and advocacy groups. A number of these projects have received awards for excellence in their respective fields including planning and urban design, designed residential and community buildings and award winning affordable housing.