This architectural typology that has been used for decades across Europe, of creating a dissonance between the original heritage structure and the new, so that you know where the future began, is a welcome addition to large scale civic infrastructures. It is still difficult as our Aurecon engineering team can attest, to avoid the heritage police even when trying to protect existing structures. But the effort at Sydney Central is critical to set the identity for an entire new precinct. While the station may be a destination, the entire southern end of the city is to be revitalised linking the station, the university precinct (3 universities within 1km) and commercial and social structures. Central will once again be central. And the light rail will also connect the 40 platforms to the rest of the downtown. Actual integrated land use and transport planning, decades in the making, seeing the light of day. A combination of two layers of government across multiple agencies + public and private capital creating a renewed economy, place, experience and sensory delight. The short term news cycle can’t deal with the long-term truth. This stuff is incredibly difficult, complex in imagining, designing, funding, delivering. And yet there it is. Somebody should organise a march to demand more of it - Town Hall Station and Pitt and Park Metro next! Wynyard is already reborn. It all happens quietly. And the thousands of people involved should all be very proud of these fantastic achievements.
This architectural typology that has been used for decades across Europe, of creating a dissonance between the original heritage structure and the new, so that you know where the future began, is a welcome addition to large scale civic infrastructures. It is still difficult as our Aurecon engineering team can attest, to avoid the heritage police even when trying to protect existing structures. But the effort at Sydney Central is critical to set the identity for an entire new precinct. While the station may be a destination, the entire southern end of the city is to be revitalised linking the station, the university precinct (3 universities within 1km) and commercial and social structures. Central will once again be central. And the light rail will also connect the 40 platforms to the rest of the downtown. Actual integrated land use and transport planning, decades in the making, seeing the light of day. A combination of two layers of government across multiple agencies + public and private capital creating a renewed economy, place, experience and sensory delight. The short term news cycle can’t deal with the long-term truth. This stuff is incredibly difficult, complex in imagining, designing, funding, delivering. And yet there it is. Somebody should organise a march to demand more of it - Town Hall Station and Pitt and Park Metro next! Wynyard is already reborn. It all happens quietly. And the thousands of people involved should all be very proud of these fantastic achievements.
Somehow this reminds me a bit of some of Zaha Hadid's works.