A competition entry for the urban reactivation of Sydney Central Station creates a prized urban precinct bringing people and nature back into the city.
Multifunctional landscapes are able to turn mono-functional transit infrastructure into vibrant places that connect people to nature and open up the city to unlock commercial and residential value.
So, how do we reclaim infrastructure barriers in a city where every square metre is under pressure to perform?
Historically, tar and tracks have eroded the public domain surrounding Sydney Central Station.
This has devalued much of its charm and civic value, creating an exposed, congested barrier where people no longer feel safe or welcome. Plus increasing pressure for development erodes the very fabric that is required to attract people back to the CBD.
The concept proposes the pedestrianisation of spaces around the station and Belmore Park is enhanced as an event space with an ecological stormwater re-use park.
A bridge crossing the railway becomes an elevated public park. The Grand Concourse roof opens to connect to the rooftop park and market square. The northern station façade is re-activated as a backdrop for a much-needed civic square.
Mounded landscapes with windbreak trees create a protected environment for people to picnic and play, an antidote to the high density, shaded inner city. Fruit trees and market gardens allow locals to grow their own food, reconnect neighbourhoods to nature and encourage healthy, resilient lifestyles.
The ‘infrastructure as landscape’ approach transforms transport sites into generous and inviting meeting places with health and economic benefits
