The City of Sydney has announced the appointment of the design team that will lead the delivery of a new town square in the centre of Sydney. Architectural practice JPW was selected as lead consultant and Aspect Studios as landscape architect, following a competitive expression of interest and tender process.
The project, which the council committed $150 million to this time last year, involves the construction of a new public square opposite the city’s Town Hall. It has been in planning for several decades, with the City of Sydney having progressively acquired sites opposite the Town Hall since 1985.
The acquired sites are currently occupied by an assortment of commercial buildings, which will be demolished to make way for the square. Last year, the council voted to pursue compulsory acquisition of the seventh and final remaining property at 542–544 George Street in order to accelerate the project.
Bordered by George, Pitt and Park Streets, the new Town Hall Square is envisioned by Lord Mayor Clover Moore as the “city’s living room, […] the heart of the city.”
“With ample trees and seats, it will be a place to sit on a weekday lunch break, home to large-scale events and gatherings like festivals, markets, celebrations and protests, and a meeting spot as iconic as the Town Hall steps,” she said.
A media communique notes that JPW and Aspect Studios have been appointed given their delivery of some of Sydney’s “most outstanding and awarded” public places. These include JPW’s design of the Martin Place Metro Precinct (with Tzannes and Grimshaw) in 2024 and Aspect Studios’ landscape design for the new Sydney Fish Market (with architecture by 3XN and BVN), opened earlier this year.
The council’s website notes that they are currently exploring an Aboriginal name for the project, in accordance with their naming policy.
Their intention is for the new Town Hall Square to connect with two other city squares – one at Circular Quay and another at Central Station – all linked together by the recently pedestrianised George Street, which was envisioned by Danish urbanist Jan Gehl.
In May 2025, it was reported that construction on the new Town Hall Square was set to start in 2028, with an opportunity for the community to provide feedback on a draft concept later this year.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
