12 November 2013
The agreement between Crown Resorts and the NSW Government will give Sydney an iconic tower that will become another symbol for the city, says the Urban Taskforce.
“Good city planning evolves over time as new uses lead to new building forms and this is what is occurring at Barangaroo,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “The original master plan diagram for Barangaroo was of one kilometer long flat grassed park in a triangular shape but this has evolved into a more interesting people friendly series of organic flowing spaces with bays, coves, a headland park on a hill and a continuous curving waterfront walkway.”
“The form of the hotel resort continues the organic theme into a high rise tower which responds to the flowing character of Sydney Harbour.”
“A new inboard sheltered park, the size of a couple of football fields, set back from the waterfront adds another type of public space to the Barangaroo site. Amazingly, despite the changes over recent years the 22 hectare site still has half of its area as public open space.”
“The ultimate success of the southern precinct of Barangaroo will depend on the detailed resolution of the public domain and of the shops and restaurants that provide activation to the foreshore promenade.
“Barangaroo always needed a special marker which was originally provided by the hotel on the jetty in the Harbour. The spirit of this marker has now been carried onto land in the form of the new hotel with its very expressive architecture by internationally acclaimed architects, Wilkinson Eyre.”
