14 October 2016
The proposals to rejuvenate Macquarie Street will need come private commerce to generate activity to balance the formal public buildings, says the Urban Taskforce.
“It is good to see that the NSW Government is looking at ways to revitalise Sydney’s Macquarie Street which is lined by many government buildings,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “The Minister for Finances, Services and Property, Dominic Perrottet, has said ‘much of the heritage in the street is locked away and hidden from sight’.”
“The problem is that buildings built 200 years ago were very solid with small openings and that many are behind fencing. What would help the activation is to add some commerce like cafes and coffee shops as part of the sequence of buildings. These could be located to work with security requirements of the public buildings.”
“The Strategic Framework produced by the NSW Government Architect is a good basis for opening up dialogue on options to increase activation. It is also important that very tight design control occurs with such important heritage buildings so involving the Government Architect in the project is important.”
“It is most likely that many small changes that fit within a co-ordinated theme will be the answer to increased activation rather than major new buildings.”
“Macquarie Street was the street of processions in earlier days and the NSW Government along with the City of Sydney Council should look at bringing this tradition back again. Events is one way to activate spaces and processions, sculpture walks or art shows could also increase visitation to this important precinct particularly after George Street becomes pedestrianised with the light rail.”
