1+2 Architecture acknowledges the Palawa people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita, the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Macquarie Point Masterplan
LOCATION + TRADITIONAL COUNTRY
The Palawa, Hobart, Tasmania
CLIENT
Macquarie Point Development Corporation
STATUS
Un-built (2015)
AWARDS
Shortlisted - 2016 Australia National Award for Urban Design, Policies, Programs and Concepts – Large Scale
media
Not applicable
PHOTOGRAPHY
Not applicable
The Macquarie Point Strategic Framework and Masterplan 2015–2030, titled New Territory from Old Ground, was a collaborative urban renewal project commissioned by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation (MPDC). The team was led by John Wardle Architects (now Wardle), and supported locally by 1+2 Architecture.
Its central ambition was to transform one of Hobart's most significant urban precincts- a former railway and industrial site, into a connected, mixed-use extension of Hobart's city centre, while recognising the site's industrial history, its distinctive landscape setting and its relationship to Sullivans Cove. Publicly launched in July 2015, the masterplan was guided by principles of human scale, an authentic understanding of history and place, realistic and effective economic modelling, and social and environmental sustainability.
KEY COLLABORATORS
+ Masterplanning Team:
1+2 Architecture
Leigh Woolley Architecture & Urban Design
Place
The 9.5 Ha Macquarie Point site occupied an unusual position between Hobart's central business district, Sullivans Cove, the working port and the Cenotaph headland. Although close to the city centre and waterfront, the site was physically separated from the harbour's edge by port land and infrastructure. It was therefore both a major opportunity for urban renewal and a challenging site to integrate with its surroundings.
Process
The masterplan translated the site's broader aspirations into a physical framework for future development.
Key design strategies included:
1. A mixed -use urban precinct combining residential, commercial, cultural, tourism and public uses intended to create activity at different times of the day and establish a functioning piece of the city, rather than a single purpose development.
2. A network of public spaces, pedestrian connections and human-scaled laneways, prioritising movement of people, while providing designated vehicle access and parking areas.
3. Adaptive re-use and contemporary interpretation of industrial heritage, including a re-purposed Goods Shed as the gravitational heart.
4. A built form responsive to Hobart’s scale and landscape, informed by the character of the city, orientation, views and the relationship to the Cenotaph headland.
5. A framework for feasible, staged and sustainable development enabling more gradual, realistic and natural evolution of the site and expansion of the city over time.
Impact
The site has since been the subject of successive visions and development proposals, reflecting changing priorities and ambitions for this significant piece of the city. While the 2015 masterplan was not adopted for implementation, it contributed to the broader planning discourse surrounding Macquarie Point, which is now proposed as the location for a new stadium.
Awards + Jury Citation
