Landscape as Infrastructure
Mark Saint Pol, Julia McLachlan, Werner Venter, Hugo van Niekerk, Luke Coughlan, Gavin Cook

Reclaiming Central Station and a City as Part of Nature

Historically, tar and tracks have eroded the public domain surrounding Central Station and have created an exposed environment where people no longer feel safe or welcome.
Central must become a lively, memorable destination, that reflects Sydney’s identity as a diverse and vibrant City as Part of Nature. Buildings and infrastructure cannot be dividers of public space but should support people and landscape connections that build vitality.
Our project turns the Grand Concourse into a spectacular landscape conservatory with access to a new public park above the station platforms. An extensive landscape deck with nature areas, food gardens, a market square, and a skate park provide a protected vantage point with spectacular sun-filled views of the Sydney skyline.
A lawned amphitheatre inserted into Belmore Park performs ecological support to the precinct as a sponge to absorb polluted stormwater, mitigating flooding in the city. The northern station façade is activated to overlook a much-needed Central Square for civic events. Landscaped roof decks over the tram ramps connect Belmore Park up to the Station Podium and onto the Central Plaza tech hub making it the new green anchor tenant for the neighbourhood, providing access to desirable and healthy inner-city living. The rooftop park stitches adjacent communities together unlocking economic opportunities for the area.
Landscape as infrastructure embraces the public domain as the green heart of Central Sydney, catalysing a revolution in city-making and sending out a connecting blue / green lattice of multifunctional infrastructure that turns public facilities into vibrant places for people.