Project Overview
Lane Cove Council is looking to advance plans for a new Bus Rail Interchange and Plaza in St Leonards as part of its vision to create an identifiable ‘sense of place.’ This urban revitalisation creates a new area to work, live and play.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Tony Leung
Bing Qi
Sean Regan
Chuan Fu
Ordella Wall
Fay Feng
Tarek Zhu
Project Brief
The landscape of St Leonards is rapidly changing. We needed to create a new connected hub that links the community together. This plan centres on the development of a major new zone built over the existing North Shore train line on the south of the Pacific Highway, adjacent to St Leonards Station.
This new urban park area, built above the railway lines, integrates with the new Bus Rail Interchange and connects to the train station. Along newly activated lane ways and walkways there will also be new commercial and retail shopping spaces. This is flanked by mixed use residential towers.
The design intent for the public domain is to create a rich and inviting spaces for people to enjoy day or night. This concept incorporates hard and soft landscaping zones with a central water element at the gateway to the site. A series of pocket parks are provided and the retail edges are animated by seating areas and shade trees. New amenities will be bought to life, such as a new supermarket, childcare facilities and the green areas can double up as growers markets and big screen entertainment for major events.
Project Innovation/Need
Commercial properties are currently in oversupply in St Leonards. There is an opportunity for St Leonards to broaden its appeal and become a mixture of shopping and cultural activity. The proposed mixed-use developments will add excitement and value to the area.
The concept has been in the planning a along time, as part of the Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney’s goal to bring 8,000 more jobs and between 2,000 and 5,000 more dwellings to St Leonards by 2031, along with more open spaces.
We are also looking to provide affordable/key worker housing, enabling essential workers such as nurses, ambulance staff and others to be housed. A variety of high quality homes will be on offer. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments will suit a number of resident types, from single people to families.
Design Challenge
There have been many private land owners involved in this project. With more than 5-6 major land owners the challenge was to provide a master-plan that would allow ultimate flexibility whilst still encouraging leadership and a hollistic vision. It was important to keep the design intent aligned and approach the ground plane activation as one.
Sustainability
The project explores the use of recycled water for water features and the irrigation of all landscaped areas. All the street and garden lights will be solar powered and provide electricity back to the grid. All steps have been taken to reduce maintenance and associated costs. We have specified low water consuming native plants and recycled materials will create seating elements.
Urban Design
This award celebrates creativity and innovation in the process of designing and shaping cities, towns and villages, and is about making connections between people and places, movement and urban form, nature and the built fabric. Consideration given to giving form, shape and character to groups of buildings, streets and public spaces, transport systems, services and amenities, whole neighbourhoods and districts, and entire cities, to make urban areas functional, attractive and sustainable.
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