Barangaroo Reserve

Location
Sydney, Gadigal Country, Australia

Status
Completed 2015

Client
Barangaroo Development Authority

Type
Urban Design & Master Planning, Landscape

JPW in association with PWP Landscape Architecture were appointed lead consultant for the Barangaroo Headland Park, which forms the northern third of Sydney’s Barangaroo Precinct transformation from its previous working harbour front.

“At the start of the project we asked ourselves ‘why and is it possible to re-create a naturalistic headland?’… Barangaroo Reserve had to be much more than just a veneer of sandstone and vegetation.”

The true challenge lay in seeing nature as a complex and dynamic equilibrium. In understanding this balance, there is much to learn from our indigenous heritage and of living with the land than simply upon it.

As a member of the Barangaroo Design Excellence Review Panel over the past two years, I have seen the evolution of this visionary scheme, folded into the reconstructed landscape of Miller’s Point in a dramatic series of voids, light shafts and entrance ways…

Professor James Weirick
UNSW

View of path showing sandstone at Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney.

The design for Barangaroo Reserve drew inspiration from the natural headlands of Sydney Harbour in its characteristic sandstone landform and endemic vegetation.

Aerial view of the construction at Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney.

The reconstructed foreshore is made from large sandstone blocks excavated on site. We used every opportunity to evoke spatial and sensory sense of place – bringing together ecology and culture, the natural and built environment.

View of headland park at Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney showing people having a picnic under trees.

It is a new headland where nature and culture are entwined, where Baranagaroo Reserve and the park outside are just as much part of the cultural space inside. These spaces, from rockpools to grassy open areas and the hidden cavern within, have quickly become a much-loved part of Sydney.

View of Sydney HArbour BRidge from Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney showing Sandstone forms.

There has been extensive consultation with the arts community and the general community on the future use of the Barangaroo Reserve cultural facility, which together with its superb landscape setting, stands as the finest proposal for public works in Sydney since the Opera House.

Professor James Weirick
UNSW

View of interior showing the cultural and events space at Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney.

Street view of seating along waterway of Barangaroo Reserve at sunset.

ALIA NSW President’s Award 2015

AILA NSW Award for Parks and Open Space 2016

AILA National Award for Parks and Open Space 2016

American Architecture Prize, Winner Landscape Architecture 2017

Australian Engineering Excellence Awards, President’s Award 2016

World Architecture News Award, Winner Waterfront 2015

Next Project

Wuzhong Swan Lake Completed 2017

Barangaroo Reserve

As a member of the Barangaroo Design Excellence Review Panel over the past two years, I have seen the evolution of this visionary scheme, folded into the reconstructed landscape of Miller’s Point in a dramatic series of voids, light shafts and entrance ways…

The design for Barangaroo Reserve drew inspiration from the natural headlands of Sydney Harbour in its characteristic sandstone landform and endemic vegetation.

It is a new headland where nature and culture are entwined, where Baranagaroo Reserve and the park outside are just as much part of the cultural space inside. These spaces, from rockpools to grassy open areas and the hidden cavern within, have quickly become a much-loved part of Sydney.

There has been extensive consultation with the arts community and the general community on the future use of the Barangaroo Reserve cultural facility, which together with its superb landscape setting, stands as the finest proposal for public works in Sydney since the Opera House.

JPW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and honours their continuing connection to lands, waters, skies, and communities.

We offer our respect to Elders past and those present – as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work.

Barangaroo Reserve

As a member of the Barangaroo Design Excellence Review Panel over the past two years, I have seen the evolution of this visionary scheme, folded into the reconstructed landscape of Miller’s Point in a dramatic series of voids, light shafts and entrance ways…

The design for Barangaroo Reserve drew inspiration from the natural headlands of Sydney Harbour in its characteristic sandstone landform and endemic vegetation.

It is a new headland where nature and culture are entwined, where Baranagaroo Reserve and the park outside are just as much part of the cultural space inside. These spaces, from rockpools to grassy open areas and the hidden cavern within, have quickly become a much-loved part of Sydney.

There has been extensive consultation with the arts community and the general community on the future use of the Barangaroo Reserve cultural facility, which together with its superb landscape setting, stands as the finest proposal for public works in Sydney since the Opera House.

Next Project

Back to Projects

JPW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and honours their continuing connection to lands, waters, skies, and communities.

We offer our respect to Elders past and those present – as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work.