VALE Darrel Conybeare

With great sadness we announce the passing of Darrel Conybeare, co-founding Director of Conybeare Morrison (CM+) and Street Furniture Australia.

Darrel is perhaps best known for his pioneering work improving the design of cities in Australia and internationally, over a career of more than 60 years as an architect, city planner and urban designer, and for his lifelong commitment to the quality of the public domain through the design and manufacture of street furniture.

His celebrated work to transform Macquarie Street and Circular Quay for the 1988 Bicentennial Celebrations, together with his creative master planning input for the Sydney 2000 Olympics are but two of his major high profile career achievements which showcase his passion and drive for city making. He helped establish urban design in its infancy as an essential design process and defined the true spirit and art of the discipline.

After being awarded First Class Honours and the University Medal at Sydney University in 1962, Darrel studied in America at the University of Pennsylvania attaining a Master of Architecture and Master of Civic Design, going on to work at high profile practices, including, by invitation, that of Charles and Ray Eames in Los Angeles. On return to Australia, he made a major contribution to the 1971 City of Sydney Strategic Plan as environmental and urban design director, before founding an ambitious multidisciplinary practice, Planning Workshop, and going on to establish Conybeare Morrison (1980), Street Furniture Australia (1986) together with Bill Morrison, and Context Landscape Design (1991) with both Bill and Oi Choong.

Darrel was an inspiration with his curious and constant stream of new ideas, and his gentle and thoughtful leadership style. He was a champion of city making, a true visionary, teacher, poet, mentor and a friend to many.

A celebration of Darrel’s life was held on Tuesday 11 February 2025 at Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay, on Sydney Harbour in a fitting tribute to his contribution to the establishment and practice of urban design in Australia. Speakers provided a colourful picture of Darrel from childhood onward and included family members, school friends, clients and high-profile members of the architectural profession. It was a joyful but sorrowful farewell.