The CplusC team enjoyed working collaboratively to explore concepts for this public design competition held by the City of Sydney Council. We would like to share part of our submission for the new aquatic centre, playing field and park, which will form part of the commercial, retail and cultural heart of the greater Green Square redevelopment.
By setting the development back from the existing heritage structures, including the former Sydney Children’s Hospital brick and sandstone building, the proposed art hub and gallery are afforded the public space they deserve. CplusC took a unique approach to the major flood easement that divided the site. A removable timber boardwalk was proposed for circulation over the easement and to link all aspects of the program.
Some of our key concepts were:
- Human scale public amenity at each corner of the site where pathways and roads intersect to connect the site with its future surrounds
- An urban scale concourse (the boardwalk) activated by children’s waterfall baths along its edge, and through the sounds of water cascading from the lilypad shade structures and children at play
- An outdoor theatre or ‘moonlight cinema’ as a platform for public art and digital media which activates the site after hours
- Waterfall shade structures for children playing in the terracing recreational pools
- A development where edge conditions of the site and the program are well considered and resolved at conceptual level
On 17 June 2014, five finalists were shortlisted from 144 entries. We congratulate the shortlisted entrants and wish them well in developing their schemes.
