The housing crisis might be hitting hard for Sydneysiders (so much so that Sydney recently slipped in the rankings of the world’s most liveable cities), but that doesn’t mean that the growth of Australia’s largest city has slowed down. In fact, a huge new public transport system is opening over the next few months, the largest investment in public housing in the history of NSW will be rolled out over the next few years, and in 2026, the runways at Sydney’s second international airport are set to open, with a whole new CBD set to be built on its doorstep.
Back in February, the plans for the new city connected to Western Sydney Airport were revealed – with the government confirming that the development would be more than just a few airport hotels. The new city – set to be spread across more than 58 acres, five times the size of Barangaroo – will be the first major city to be built in Australia in more than 100 years. Now, more details on Bradfield City have been revealed – including plans for a huge NYC-style Central Park.
Set to be the main civic centre in the new CBD, Bradfield City Centre’s Central Park will be spread across two hectares in the very centre of the new sustainably-designed city. The open-air space will not only provide access to nature within the CBD, but it’s set to serve as an arts and culture hub, with public art integrated throughout.
According to the current plans (which are open for public comment until July 24), the park will feature a meeting space with capacity for more than 5,000 people, and other interactive public spaces designed to encourage play, education and celebration of culture (while also providing shade, seating and other essentials).
The design for the park is the result of a national design competition, which was judged by leading architects, including one of the designers responsible for Manhattan’s iconic High Line walkway, one of the world’s most well-conceived new public spaces.
As the first design competition in NSW to integrate "Designing with Country" as a core requirement, the park should set a new standard for how public spaces in Australia are formed. The winning design will honour the heritage of the Dharug people with an ‘Interwoven Heart’ featuring Dharug weaving and a ‘Skyring installation’ celebrating Sky Country. Plus, a minimum of 65 per cent of the tree canopy cover will be formed from native flora.
NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, is projecting the park will be “a beautiful and sustainable landmark city space that is going to be a gathering place for the people of Western Sydney for generations to come”.
Bradfield City Centre’s Central Park is due to open at the same time as the Bradfield Metro Station in 2026. You can learn more, view the plans and have your say over here (designs are on exhibition for public comment until July 24, 2024).
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