WALSH BAY PLOTS WATERFRONT SQ EVENT SPACE

DESIGNS for a new event space on Sydney’s foreshore at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct have been revealed by Arts NSW.

Dubbed ‘Waterfront Square”, the Stage 2 State Significant Development Application proposes a “vibrant new public realm, including a focal multiuse” overwater space, wedged between Pier 2/3 and Wharf 4/5.

Paperwork for Waterfront Square (pictured) filed with NSW Planning & Environment shows the shaded outdoor space will feature steps down to the water for multipurpose use.

The type of events flagged that could be held in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct span special events, arts festivals, open air cinemas, food, wine & product showcasing, as well as corporate and commercial events.

“A new layer of carefullyintegrated infrastructure enables the Waterfront Square to function for day-to-day occupation, for small ‘pop-up’ events and small & large scale managed events”, the plans state.

Waterfront Square will be “cost-effective and flexible”, and could host a maximum of four one-day major events annually for up to 10,000 people, as well as a mix of arts & cultural festivals for up to 7,500 people (up to six per year) and an unlimited number of community events for 5,000.

Also uncapped is the number of private events (for up 1,000 people) that will be able to be conducted at the precinct.

Event activation will be spread across three scenarios - Waterfront Square Events, Precinct Wide Events and City Wide Events.

Event installations, lighting, projectors, screens and other production equipment will be available utilising rigging points to the sides of facades.

Massive 9.6mX6m LED screens would be installed to the adjacent Shore Shed apron for visual displays, while temporary barges with additional screens & installations may be floated into the precinct’s internal waterway for functions.

The project is currently on public exhibition until 16 Dec.