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Darling Quarter and Commonwealth Bank Place -- 2012 Global Award for Excellence Winner
June 20, 2012
About Darling Quarter
Developer: Lend Lease
Owner: Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Darling Quarter public domain, APPF Commercial: Commonwealth Bank Place
Designer: fjmt (architect and urban design), ASPECT Studios (landscape architect and public domain design)
Why Darling Quarter?
Darling Quarter is a major 1.5 hectare place making project that has transformed the public domain of Darling Harbour, one of Australia’s most visited destinations. The new A$ 500 million precinct integrates Commonwealth Bank Place (CBP), two large (total 57,000 m2 NLA) campus-styled 6 Star Green Star (world leadership) commercial buildings, within a public domain that comprises new pedestrian connections a retail terrace with new cafes, restaurants and bars, generous grassed community areas, a 300 seat children’s theatre and an innovative playground as its centre piece. The spectacular world-class 4,000sqm playground is one of the largest illuminated playgrounds in the country and a regional attractor to the city. The playground is one of Australia’s largest play areas that integrate interactive water play in an urban landscaped environment.

Commonwealth Bank Place, meeting rooms and breakout spaces at the edge of the atrium. Photo credit: Tyrone Branigan
Darling Quarter…
- Sustainable leadership – world leading precinct-wide environmental and social sustainable initiatives
- Place making initiatives to ensure community activation & longevity-playground, community green, kid’s theatre, retail
- Partnerships – between private developer, government body and tenant to create Sydney’s most vibrant precinct
- Financial model – Sydney’s largest commercial development underpinned public facilities & world class family precinct
- Lighting strategy – to ensure night activation and public engagement in the 160m long interactive digital facade