Former South Sydney Hospital Site - stage one

Full description

BACKGROUND: This project is a large-scale collaboration involving the rejuvenation of the former South Sydney Hospital site. Led by the City of Sydney, JMD (James Mather Delaney - the practice of Anton James) worked with architects, engineers, landscape architects and urban designers including Peter Stutchbury Architecture, Design5, Sprout, CAB, Fox Johnston, Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture and CHROFI. JMD were responsible for the interface work between several projects ensuring infrastructure, services, materials and design language maintained a consistency in the public realm. Furthermore JMD designed a playground, an active recreation area and the public realm, integrating public art, vehicular access, building entries and level changes within the heritage precinct. CONTRIBUTION: This project is part of Australia's largest urban renewal project: the rejuvenation of Sydney's Green Square neighbourhood into a community and cultural precinct. It has breathed new life into the former heritage-listed buildings. 'The integration of carefully curated "installations" with a collection of heritage buildings gives the community a platform for enjoying new activities and celebrating the history of inner-city Sydney,' the jury said of the project. This project further extends JMD's use of the design method developed through James' research that understands and applies design as 'a voicing, scaling and siting of projects.' SIGNIFICANCE: At the 2018 Australian Urban Design Awards, the project was one of the winners of the Built Projects - Local and Neighbourhood Scale category, with the jury impressed by the transformation of a formerly impenetrable area into a vibrant and accessible precinct. Organised by Architecture Media and convened by the Planning Institute of Australia, the Awards recognise 'contemporary Australian urban design projects of the highest quality and to encourage cities, towns and communities to strive for best practice in all projects.'