Overview:
Vishal Lakhia is a registered architect and urban designer with more than 19 years’ experience across the private and public sectors in NSW. He has contributed to a broad range of architectural and urban design projects, including master plans, development control plans, development applications and urban design strategies.
In an advisory capacity, Vishal provides independent architectural and urban design advice to a number of NSW councils as a Design Excellence and Design Review Chairperson and Panel Member. He also serves the NSW Land and Environment Court as an Urban and Architectural Design Expert Witness.
Alongside these advisory roles, Vishal operates as a sole architectural and urban design practice specialising in master planning, urban design strategies, peer reviews and development advisory work. His architectural work focuses on small to medium scale residential projects, including houses, dual occupancies, multi dwelling housing, mid rise apartment buildings, and social housing.
Vishal combines strong design capability with clear and thoughtful communication. His approach is grounded in empathy, collaboration and a commitment to shaping architecture and urban places that are enduring, humane and responsive to their context.
Qualifications:
Master of Urban Design
[Urban Design & Planning]
The University of Sydney, Australia (2007-2009)
Bachelor of Architecture
APIED, Gujarat, India (2001-2006)
Advisory Roles:
North Sydney Design Excellence Panel:
co-Chair (2024-ongoing)
Liverpool Design Excellence Panel:
Alt. Chair and Member (2021-ongoing)
Randwick Design Excellence Advisory Panel:
Alt. Chair and Member (2023-ongoing)
Waverley Excellence Advisory Panel:
Alt. Chair and Member (2024-ongoing)
Burwood Design Review Panel:
Chair (2022-ongoing)
Hornsby Shire Council Design Review Panel:
Member (2025-ongoing)
Inner West Architectural Excellence Panel:
Chair, and Convener of the Design Review Panel (2019-2025)
Expert Witness (Architectural & Urban Design), NSW Land & Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW (2019-ongoing)
NSW Architects Registration Number 11262
NSW Design & Building Practitioners
Registration No. 0004199
ABN: 71 286 960 707
(t/a) Vishal Lakhia Architect
North Sydney NSW 2060 Australia
0420 650 150
Selected Projects:
NSW Land & Environmental Court Appeals - Architectural and Urban Design Expert Witness:
Turramurra 88 Pty Ltd v Ku-ring-gai Council - TOD proposal with 88 apartments at 3-3A Beaconsfield Parade Lindfield NSW (Hearing)
Turn Oze Pty Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council - LMR proposal for a residential apartment development at 19-23 Forbes Street Hornsby (Section 34)
8 Marvell Street Pty Ltd v Byron Bay Council - Residential apartment development at 8 Marvell Street Byron Bay (Section 34)
NSW Supreme Court - Single Appointed Expert - Djamal Pty Ltd v D M Meara - Architectural Design Advisory Report
NSW Supreme Court - Waugoola Street Gordon - Architectural Design Advisory Report
Seashell Group Pty Ltd v Inner West Council - 37-39 Fisher Street Petersham - Shop top housing proposal (Section 34)
Metis Developments Pty Ltd v Mosman Municipal Council - Residential apartment development at 93-101A Awaba Street Mosman (Hearing)
Maurice Dry Cleaners v Inner West - 150 Smith Street Summer Hill - Co-Living (Section 34)
M&B Maxwell Property Group v Inner West - 323 Darling Street Balmain - Adaptive reuse apartments (Section 34)
IDC Property Pty Ltd v Inner West - 119 Booth Street Annandale - Co-living (Section 34)
R & G Creations Pty Ltd v City of Shoalhaven 8-12 Princes Highway Mollymook (Section 34)
E & R Property Trust v Inner West - 1-13 Parramatta Road Annandale - 4 storey mixed use development (Section 34)
Warehouse on Park v Inner West - 17 Federation Road Camperdown - An adaptive reuse proposal for converting a 3 storey warehouse building in to a residential flat building (Section 34 and Hearing)
William Assets v Inner West - 16 William Street Leichhardt - A 3 storey boarding house (Section 34)
Anprisa v Inner West - 40-76 William Street Leichhardt- Adaptive reuse, alterations and additions of the former Cyclops toy factory buildings and the associated warehouse buildings to convert them in to 190 residential apartments (Section 34)
Emag Apartments v Inner West - 127 New Canterbury Road Lewisham (The Huntsbury Hotel) - An adaptive reuse proposal for converting an existing heritage pub to a boarding house (Section 34)
Emag Apartments v Inner West - 2 Station Street Marrickville - A high-rise boarding house building proposed over a basement car park. (Section 34 and Hearing)
Master Plans & Architectural + Urban Design Concepts:
Urban Design Strategy and Concepts for multiple properties in the vicinity of Bella Vista Metro Station, including a submission to the NSW Department of Planning (2024)
Architectural & Urban Design Concepts for a mixed use building including a hotel, retail and offices at 28 O’Connell Street & 44-48 Hunter Street Sydney for the NSW Valuer General (2022)
Concept Master Plan and Urban Design Strategy for A 70 ha site around Macquarie Fields Railway Station (2020)
Architectural and Urban Design Brief and Strategy for a shop top housing proposal at 87-89 Macleay Street Potts Point (2022)
Urban Design Study and Master Plan for a medium density residential development at 124 Newbridge Road Moorebank (2018)
Urban Design and Architectural Study for a high-density mixed-use proposal at 270 Pacific Highway Crows Nest (2016)
Urban Design Study and Master Plan for a medium density residential development at 27 Brighton Avenue Croydon Park (2015)
Urban Design Study and Master Plan for Parramatta Camperdown Precinct (2016)
High rise residential tower at 22-24 Atchison Street St Leonards (2016)
4 residential flat buildings for a planning proposal located at Larool Crescent urban block in Castle Hill (2018)
Medium-Large Scale Residential and Mixed Use Projects:
Multi unit housing with 8 townhouses at 5-7 Rosebank Avenue Epping (2025)
5 apartments within a 3 storey residential flat building at 71A Burns Bay Road Lane Cove (2024)
Shop top housing with 3 dwellings at 5 Ryde Road Hunters Hill (2024)
33 co-living studios at Kenyon Street Fairfield (2024)
Residential flat building with 25 apartments located at 22-38 Yurong Street Darlinghurst (2018)
Mixed use proposal with 5 apartments at 324 Norton Street Leichhardt (2018)
12 residential flat buildings located on 3 lots, a total of 350 apartments at 281 Ingleburn Road Leppington (2018)
Mixed use proposal with 8 apartments at 280 Princes Highway Sylvania (2016)
Community Buildings:
Piccadilly Street Pre-School Long Day Care Centre (2024)
Public Sector Projects:
Urban Design Advisor to North Sydney Council for the Grosvenor Plaza Redevelopment Master Plan and Tender Evaluation process (2026)
Urban Design Advisor to Burwood City Council for Burwood North Master Plan, LEP Review (2025)
Urban design advisory services to Dungog Shire Council for peer review of Structure Plans, Master Plans, LEP and DCP controls across the LGA (2025)
Design Competition Convenor for a high-rise residential development at 64-68 Grand Parade Brighton-Le-Sands (2018)
Northern Beaches Council - Design Feasibility Report, Design Brief Writing and Architectural Design Options for an Emergency Services Centre (2018)
City of Botany Bay - LEP Zoning, FSR and Height Controls Review, Master Plan and Development Control Plan for the Mascot Station Town Centre Precinct (2014)
Parramatta City Council - Testing of the Parramatta Square Envelopes (2015)
Parramatta City Council - Testing of the Parramatta City Centre 2013 Development Control Plan (2013)
Parramatta City Council - Riverbank Urban Design Strategy and Design Options (2014)
Parramatta City Council - Public Domain Guidelines - First Draft (2010)
Parramatta City Council - Review of the City Centre Parramatta Development Control Plan 2011 controls (2010)
Parramatta City Council - Architecture and Urban Design Advice to the DA Team for Multi-Unit Housing Proposals (2011)
Small-Scale Residential:
Elouera Road Cronulla - Dual occupancy (2025)
Winning Street North Kellyville - Dual Occupancy (2025)
Mooki Street Miranda - Dual Occupancy (2025)
Fragar Road South Penrith - Dual Occupancy (2025)
Waters Road House in Cremorne - Dwelling house - Construction Documentation and Construction Certificate (2023)
Ourimbah Road Mosman - Dwelling house - Alterations and additions (2023)
Oceanview Avenue Dover Heights - Dwelling house - Alterations and additions (2023)
Hartington Street Rooty Hill - Dwelling house - design, development application and documentation (2021)
Jamison Road Penrith - Dual Occupancy - design and development application (2024)
South Street Marrickville - Dwelling house - design, development application and documentation - Alterations and additions (2022)
Connells Point Road Connells Point - Dwelling house - design, development application and documentation - Alterations and additions (2022)
Ross Street Waverton - Dwelling house - design and documentation (2016)
Social and Affordable Housing:
Homes NSW women’s accommodation at Fullarton Street Telopea (2025)
Group Home at Taworri Street Doonside (2025)
Group Home at Nancy Street St Marys (2025)
Group Home at Ashwell Road Blacktown (2024)
Group Home at Hill End Road Doonside (2024)
Group Home at Callagher Street Mt Druitt (2023)
Group Home at Roberts Road Greenacre (2023)
Group Home at College Road Campbelltown (2023)