Examining the development of public space in foreshore Sydney: Barangaroo case study Kane Pham Submitted in complete fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Research January 2017 Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building University of Technology Sydney Abstract Urban development in Sydney since the 1970s has attempted to satisfy the needs of both a global audience and local citizens. Urban development and planning strategies have formed distinct and opposite development directions that fortify the mandate of the NSW Government and federal government to attract global capital, while the nested hierarchy of government has reduced the strength of local government to deliver equitable commons that provide open public spaces for their citizens. The thesis conducts a case study analysis of the Barangaroo precinct development tracing changes in the provision of public space through a review of the design competition documents, concept plans, modifications and associated media, to uncover and understand the implication of the Barangaroo precinct development on the quantitative and qualitative public space outcomes. The development of Sydney, Australia’s Global City, has favoured the imperative to provide an economic framework to enhance its position relative to other state capital cities and in a global context. This has stymied the development of public spaces where public space as an object of exchange and extraction is more highly valued than its social utility and outcomes are poor in the delivery of large urban developments. The thesis draws on a range of theoretical tools recognising cities as transdisciplinary spaces. An assemblage framework is applied to integrate more explicitly the often tacit sociospatial inputs within the economic discourse that dominates the urban entrepreneurial agenda. The methodology of conducting a parallel analysis of the quantitate and qualitative changes in the Barangaroo precinct development was used due to the complexity of the development and also due to the range of available data that was not easily comparable. The key findings from the thesis reveal an erosion of both the quality and quantity of public space in relation to the private gain from development. The Modifications made to the original Concept Plan over the course of the development have been the key points of reference revealing these often misleading and disparate pieces of information. By disassembling and reassembling these relationships, a greater understanding of the urban regeneration discourse is exposed through the Barangaroo case study. CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP This thesis is the result of a research candidature in pursuit of a Masters by Research degree. I certify that the work in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as part of requirements for a degree. I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help that I have received in my research work and the preparation of the thesis itself has been acknowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis. Signature: Student: Kane Pham Date: This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the principal supervisor of this thesis Senior Lecturer Urtzi Grau for his insight and advice that has helped to develop this document into a cohesive contribution. Thanks also to Professor Lee Pugalis for additional perspective and professional support. Parts of this thesis have benefitted from the feedback from participants and anonymous reviewers from presentations at the State of Australian Cities Conference 2015, Urban Affairs Conference 2016 and Architecture Media Politics Society Conference 2016. Thanks to my mother Ann Pham and sister Lisa Pham for patience and understanding during particularly trying times. Thanks also to my friends and colleagues who have offered relational conversations to distract from, resuscitate and resituate this work. Kane Pham Sydney 2017 CONTENTS Introduction A review of the literature Theoretical tools The public Chapter 1. Expansion and consolidation of the foreshore: In anticipation of Barangaroo Political economy of the city Global competition: Local impacts Waterfront developments surrounding Barangaroo Chapter 2. Barangaroo – The competition Call for entries The shortlist Materialising the masterplan Chapter 3. Barangaroo – Precinct development & political drivers Interventions & implications Spatial legacies Chapter 4. Barangaroo – Social impacts & the urban fabric Multiple loci – The exterior & the interior Is it still a ribbon? Connecting Sydney’s foreshore Inclusive atmospheres or the end of the public Future implementations – An autistic city Conclusion Variations on a theme Barangaroo and The State of Australian Cities References Publications 2015 Pham, K., 2015. Vanity unfair – Examining the impact of development authorities on the designation and development of public space: Barangaroo Case Study. In State of Australian Cities Conference, Gold Coast, December 2015. 2016 Pham, K., 2016. Clearing stock of the invisible: The impact of cosmopolitan power on the supply of affordable housing. In Day, K. (ed.) AMPS Conference Publication Series 7. Future Housing: Global Cities and Regional Problems. Swinburne University, Melbourne, 9–10 June 2016, pp. 83-92. INTRODUCTION This thesis offers a theoretical and practical examination of the Barangaroo precinct foreshore revitalisation development in Sydney. Since the inception of the Barangaroo precinct development in 2005, the design and development of Barangaroo has become a key site of the city that materialises the conflicts that are centred on the prioritisation of private over public interests. This thesis examines the contestation of the development of public space in Sydney through the Barangaroo precinct development. This precinct was designed through an international urban design competition, the East Darling Harbour International Design Competition, that saw 137 entries submitted from around the world. The importance of Barangaroo, formerly East Darling Harbour, the last undeveloped waterfront site in the City of Sydney, was recognised by the NSW Government which took control of the project under planning instruments that classify the project as a ‘major project’. The conditions that surround this development evoke memories of the adjacent Darling Harbour development in the 1980s that is currently being redeveloped to address regional competition from Melbourne and Brisbane. Considering Sydney as both a city and agglomerative region, the development is significant in the maintenance of Sydney’s position as the pre-eminent Australian city and there are valid concerns that the development benefits both the public and the private. The following timeline lists the key dates needed to understand the context of contemporary development around the Darling Harbour cove, as well as the key dates of the Barangaroo precinct development. Date Event 1971 Earliest signs to consider redeveloping Darling Harbour into a mixed-use precinct to transform Sydney into a globalising city 1984 Announcement of the Darling Harbour redevelopment to designed as a landmark project to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary 1984 A special purpose development vehicle, the Darling Harbour Authority Act was drawn to prevent opposition to development allowing construction to proceed relatively unencumbered towards the 1988 deadline 1 1988 Completion of the Darling Harbour redevelopment 1993 Announcement of the Star City casino development 1995 (1997) Completion of the temporary casino with the permanent casino opening in 1997 2005 March Call for entries by the NSW Government launching the East Darling Harbour International Design Competition (Barangaroo) 2005 July 137 entries received from an international field 2005 August 6 finalists announced to proceed to the second stage 2005 December Second stage of the competition began 2006 March Hill Thalis, Bierkemeier & Irwin (HTBI) announced as the winners of the competition 2006 July The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) were assisted by the winners HTBI to prepare a concept plan to be submitted for planning approval 2007 February Approval was given by the NSW Department of Planning. The project was divided into three precincts, Barangaroo South as the commercial precinct, Barangaroo Central as the mixed-use precinct, and Barangaroo Reserve as the headland park 2008 November The NSW Government had created a special purpose delivery vehicle the Barangaroo Delivery Authority and announced that they would assume the responsibilities of managing the project from SHFA 2009 A controversial unsolicited proposal was presented to the NSW Government for a casino to be developed on the Barangaroo site with the details held secret as commercial-in-confidence 2010 Construction of Barangaroo South began 2010 December First significant modification of the concept plan (Modification 4) was approved. This was also the first stage of detailed planning of the development becoming public with vocal public opposition of the development critiquing both lack of transparency through the process and impact on the public outcome 2016 June Modification 8 of the concept plan was approved. Most significantly, approval was granted for a 270 meter hotel and integrated casino resort on the foreshore edge 2 Figure 1. Location of Darling Harbour and Barangaroo. Source: The