Nuha Saad has worked in the field of public art for over 15 years, during this time she has successfully delivered over ten major projects. Saad’s work features prominently in public buildings and urban renewal initiatives, including large-scale commissions for local councils, government agencies, and private developers. A selection of Saad’s public art projects are highlighted below.
WHERE SONG BEGAN – CURRENT
Public Art Commission for Strathfield Council
Commissioned by Create NSW and the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Nuha Saad is thrilled to announce that she has been awarded a major public art commission by Strathfield Council as part of the Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program (PRUAIP) – a $198 million initiative by the NSW Government that’s set to transform open spaces and strengthen active transport links along the iconic Parramatta Road corridor. Commissioned by Create NSW and the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, this project will see the installation of three unique public artworks along Parramatta Road in Homebush Sydney, each designed to celebrate this ancient song line and the local birdlife that calls the area home.
Titled “Where Song Began”, the series will create playful ‘stepping stones’ , micro-sites and restful spots along this busy urban thoroughfare. Saad will be working with Caroline Comino Architects on the design development, manufacture and installation of the three public artworks.
As part of the project Nuha Saad was excited to have co-lead a fun and creative bird watching + sketching workshop at Mason Park Wetlands at Homebush. The workshop was led by artist Mimi Tong and Nuha Saad, with Dr. Andrew Huggett – Ornithologist, sharing his knowledge of the native and local bird species that live in the area. The communities sketches were displayed in a group exhibition at Strathfield Library and some will become part of the final public artworks.
WULABA PARK AT WATERLOO, GREEN SQUARE SYDNEY 2016
For City of Sydney, Commissioned by The Meriton Group
Wulaba Park is a public art commission at Waterloo for the City of Sydney, commissioned by The Meriton Group. the project was part of the large Green Square infrastructure development undertaken by the City of Sydney. Saad worked closely with Sturt Noble Landscape Architects to create a series of artworks collectively titled Fun Field, that were integrated throughout the park design. The works built upon the themes of colour, play and discovery and what started as a private development for the residents in the surrounding apartment buildings has become a much-loved destination, making a visit to the park a magical and memorable experience for the whole community. Wulaba Park was nominated as one of the 10 best playgrounds in Australia (Guardian, April 2016) and won the Bruce Mackenzie Landscape Award CMAA Think Brick Awards (2017).
Finalist AILA Australia’s Best Playground Competition
Winner 2017 Bruce Mackenzie Landscape Award CMAA Think Brick Awards
MEDIA
The Guardian Ten of the best Australian playgrounds
City of Sydney Fun Field
SKIPPEDY SKIP FENCE, GLEBE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYDNEY NSW 2008
Commissioned by The City of Sydney
The Skippedy Skip Fence was commissioned by City of Sydney as part of major upgrade of Glebe Point Road. The fence is a 2.4 metre high, 80 metre long multi- coloured metal school fence. The accompanying coloured bus shelter is fabricated of coloured resin within a metal frame. These colourful artworks were designed to enhance and highlight Glebe’s vibrant contemporary culture. Glebe Public School turned 150 years old in 2008 (when the fence was launched), and the fence became a celebration of this fact, cementing positive relations between the school and the community.
From Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP, City of Sydney:
The artwork, Skippedy Skip by public artist Nuha Saad, is a colourful and inspiring work of art and a centrepiece of the City’s upgrade of Glebe Point Road. “The colours of the fence symbolise the diversity of the residents of Glebe and add a vibrancy and vitality to the street,” Ms Moore said. “The artist has made the school fence as colourful and eclectic as Glebe itself, a true tribute to the area’s rich and diverse heritage. Glebe has changed over 150 years, but Glebe Public School has always focused on what we all want from our education system – to give children the best chance to discover their talents and interests and realise their full promise in life,” Ms Moore said. Artist Nuha Saad said her artwork is based on wooden picket fences found throughout the Glebe area. “The school fence acts as a link to Glebe’s vibrant contemporary culture and its architectural and social history and combines aspects of Glebe’s Victorian architectural past with a contemporary art aesthetic,” Ms Saad said.
MEDIA
City of Sydney Skippedy Skip
EMBRACE MONUMENTS, MELTON STREET SOUTH, AUBURN 2023
For Cumberland City Council
Commissioned by Create NSW and NSW Department of Planning and Environment
Nuha Saad was thrilled to contribute to the Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program (PRUAIP), a $198 million initiative by the NSW Government aimed at enhancing open spaces and boosting active transport links along the Parramatta Road corridor. Saad’s commission for Cumberland City Council, supported by Create NSW and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, is located at Melton St South, Auburn within the Cumberland City Council area in Western Sydney.
The centrepiece of Saad’s project, Embrace Monuments, features thirteen turned wooden posts, each painted in a vibrant palette of high-gloss colours. The installation is spread across two clusters along the street, with the larger cluster – comprising nine posts – positioned near Auburn North Public School. The sculpture’s design aims to infuse the streetscape with colour, form, and a sense of playfulness, providing both the school children and the wider community a space to connect with and enjoy.
KALEIDOSCOPE, BOTANY ROAD ALEXANDRIA 2021
For City of Sydney, Commissioned by The Atlas Group
Nuha Saad was commissioned to create a series of artworks for a residential development on Botany Rd, Alexandria. Collaborating with Tilt Industrial Design, who were tasked with detailing the design, construction, and installation, Saad crafted five sculptures collectively titled Kaleidoscope. These sculptures respond to the surrounding architecture, characterized by multi-level, stepped structures and dynamic forms.
The collection includes five sculptural columns of varying irregular shapes and heights, each adding a unique visual element. In addition to the sculptures, 30 hexagonal artworks are embedded into the concrete benches throughout the site, arranged in a pattern that further enhances the aesthetic. Together, these artworks form a cohesive ensemble designed to integrate seamlessly into the space, infusing the area with vibrancy and colour. Their presence not only enriches the environment but also fosters a sense of place, encouraging a deeper connection with the site.
THE NEW CITY BEAUTIFUL PROJECT, ROSEBERY SYDNEY 2017 – 2019
For the City of Sydney, Commissioned by The Meriton Group
For the New City Beautiful project, artist Nuha Saad was commissioned to create three public artworks across a large development site in Rosebery, Sydney, between 2017 and 2019. This project provided a unique opportunity to integrate art with architecture, colour, and form on a large scale, resulting in artworks that not only activate their respective sites but also inspire the surrounding community.
The New City Beautiful I (2017), located on Rothschild Avenue, is a striking 50-meter-long mural that brings vibrancy to the evolving streetscape of Green Square. Drawing inspiration from the colour wheel, the mural features a dynamic gradient where greens and blues flow into warm yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. The bold use of colour injects energy into the area, creating a kinetic visual experience. This mural was brought to life through Saad’s design by The Art of Wall.
For The New City Beautiful II (2018) on Rosebery Avenue, Saad collaborated with Tilt Industrial Design to install a monumental sculpture. This piece pays tribute to the area’s rich history, reflecting the architectural heritage of Victorian and Federation-era homes, warehouses, and factories that once shaped the community. The sculpture serves as a visual link between past and present, celebrating the area’s transformation while honouring its industrial roots.
The final piece, The New City Beautiful III (2019), located on Crewe Place, features a tiled wall installation comprising around 3,000 coloured tiles. This abstracted landscape creates a textured and immersive visual experience, offering a serene and uplifting presence in the streetscape. The work is designed to enhance the public space, inviting community engagement and offering a visual respite for all who pass by.
VELVET NOSTALGIA, ANZAC PARADE KENSINGTON SYDNEY 2017
ArtMoves for Transport for NSW
Nuha Saad’s Velvet Nostalgia was originally commissioned for ArtMoves 2017, a public art initiative funded by Transport for NSW, that transformed the streets of Kensington and Kingsford in Sydney’s south-east. As part of the project, seven artworks were installed along Anzac Parade, with Saad’s vibrant sculpture positioned at the corner of Addison Street and Anzac Parade in Kensington. Initially intended as a temporary three-month installation, the work was later acquired by Randwick Council and is now a permanent fixture in the area. Velvet Nostalgia pays tribute to Kensington’s rich architectural heritage and the diverse migrant communities who brought vitality, colour, and a strong sense of belonging to the suburb.
DALMENY AVENUE CHILD CARE CENTRE ROSEBERY 2016
For City of Sydney, Commissioned by The Meriton Group
Crafted from Vanceva laminated glass, this artwork features a vibrant blend of primary, secondary, and tertiary coloured glass panels. Designed specifically for a childcare centre, the fence serves a practical function while also infusing the Dalmeny Avenue streetscape with a sense of playfulness and visual energy. Its bold, colourful design transforms an everyday boundary into an engaging and joyful element of the surrounding environment.
IN FORTY PIECES, HELEN LEMPRIERE NATIONAL SCULPTURE AWARD FINALIST 2004
Werribee Park Melbourne VIC March 2004
Nuha Saad was thrilled to be a finalist in the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award with her work In Forty Pieces in 2004. The Award staged at Werribee Park in Melbourne, was an Australian sculpture prize, that ran between 2000 and 2008. It was named in honour of artist Helen Lempriere.
Artwork details:
In Forty Pieces 2004
High gloss acrylic on pine (2 posts)
2700 x 528 x 704 and 2000 x 308 x 440 mm