In less than 250 years, Sydney has evolved from fledgling colonial outpost to thriving global city, itÆs emerald harbour or the iconic opera house the envy of the world. But behind the postcard-perfect images, itÆs a city struggling with its own success. A city quite literally bursting at the seams, with a population of 5 million, and growing at a rate of 100,000 every year. A city with a proud past that can have a wonderful future. But for that to happen, it needs something that itÆs never had - an effective, comprehensive plan for urban development and design. This is the point of departure for Ed Lippmann, renowned and respected Sydney Architect. HeÆs seen firsthand the problems that have come from the cityÆs lack of planning and he has a unique perspective on how they might be avoided in the future. Sydney XXXL, digs deep into SydneyÆs history, charting the financial and political interests that have shaped its development, and - most importantly - identifying the key decisions that have to be made to accommodate future population growth in a more livable, sustainable city.