A new harbour cove and boardwalk designed by landscape architect Grant Associates has opened to the public in Barangaroo in Sydney’s new business district.
Watermans Cove features a crescent-shaped cantilevered waterfront walkway to allow people to get close to, and enjoy, the water, creating an entirely new public space on the city’s foreshore.
The fully-accessible, amphitheatre-style boardwalk extends out to create a new public pier. Huge sandstone blocks provide informal seating areas and native species trees create a shady backdrop to the open waterfront. A feature Fig tree has been planted on part of the original dockside structure.
Watermans Cove is a key feature of Grant Associates’ designs for two hectares of the public realm at Barangaroo South – a 7.5 hectare, mixed-use scheme being developed and delivered by global urban regeneration specialist Lendlease. The scheme aims to revitalise this central part of Sydney’s foreshore, formerly a terminal for containers, into a world-class, vibrant waterfront precinct. The public realm also provides the waterfront setting to the dramatic Crown Resorts leisure complex designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects.
The walkway at Watermans Cove represents a significant step forward of a plan led by the Government of New South Wales to create a continuous walk around Sydney’s harbour foreshore. This section of waterfront has been inaccessible to the public for over 100 years because of its industrial use.
Another key element of Grant Associates’ designs for Barangaroo South is a one-hectare public park called Hickson Park, which is due to open in December 2020. This park will provide a green link from Sydney’s Central Business District into the heart of Barangaroo’s retail and dining precinct, which is adjacent to the slender new residential towers designed by the acclaimed architect Renzo Piano.
Andrew Grant, director at Grant Associates, commented:
“Our aim for Watermans Cove was to create a memorable and distinctive new public space right on the water’s edge that took full advantage of its beautiful Sydney Harbour backdrop. We hope people will enjoy the boardwalk’s closeness to the water, and savour its views, especially to watch the sunset. It has been a wonderful process to return this unique space back to people after being out of bounds for so many years.”
Commenting on the opening of the new foreshore at Waterman’s Cove, Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian said:
“Watermans Cove is a completely new public space and with steps down towards the water, it’s an incredible place for residents, workers and tourists to relax and take in the sights of our beautiful city.”
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said:
“What was once a foreboding industrial wasteland is now a picture-perfect postcard celebrating great design, great architecture and great open spaces.”