NEW PUBLIC PAVILION FOR SYDNEY’S WATERFRONT
04 Feb 2021
The winning design of a competition for a public pavilion at Barangaroo, NSW, has been announced.
A new public pavilion that will transform Sydney’s waterfront is closer to reality after the winner of a design competition for Barangaroo was announced by NSW Government. Selected from 170 entrants, the design for the Pier Pavilion at Watermans Cove by architect Jessica Spresser, in conjunction with Peter Besley and Arup, was selected for having timeless appeal and a symbiotic relationship to its surrounding, according to Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes.
“We opened the national design competition in June to test the vision and innovation of some of the country’s best architects – and we weren’t disappointed with what was submitted,” Mr Stokes said. “As a young, emerging architect, Jessica’s design is sophisticated and iconic, celebrating the natural elements of land, sea and sky that compose the site.
“Our vision for Barangaroo has been to ensure that more than half of the area was dedicated public space. Seeing the potential of how the area will look, through the eyes of talented architects, is a thrill for me as Minister for Public Spaces.”
The pavilion design includes a green rooftop garden and 123 columns built using white ‘oyster concrete’ from local oyster shells.
A jury comprising leading figures in the Australian architectural community narrowed more than 170 entries to five finalists before deciding on Ms Spresser as the winner. Ms Spresser said she was “incredibly honoured” to have been selected from a strong field of entries. “Personally, this means a great deal as a young Australian architect and I thank Infrastructure NSW for putting together this competition,” Ms Spresser said. “The pavilion is designed as a democratic gathering space under a landscape canopy and will act as a meeting place, a site for events, a memorable part of the city and an oasis of tranquillity.”
The pavilion will be open year-round for people to gather and relax at Sydney’s iconic harbour and will be used for a broad range of programmed events. With the winner selected, the design will undergo refinement before Infrastructure NSW lodges a development application for construction.
Image via NSW Government