The NSW government has revealed intitial design concepts by Hassell, OMA and Populous in multi-billion plans to build Australia's largest convention and exhibition facilities along with a 900 room plus hotel complex on Darling Harbour.

A consortium comprising of AEG Ogden, Lend Lease, Capella Capital, HOSTPLUS and Spotless will design, construct, finance, maintain and operate the convention, exhibition and entertainment facilities. The architects on the project will be Hassell, OMA and Populous which specialise in convention centre and stadium design.

The hotel design will incorporate two hotels in one which will cater to different price points; the news comes after a report into The State of Australian Cities showed that there is an undersupply of hotel rooms with Sydney's average occupancy rate at 85 per cent which has driven prices up.

The exhibition centre will be over 35,000 sqm plus another 5,000 sqm of internal flexible space. This includes a 20,000 sqm exhibition space on the ground level, with a 13,000 sqm exhibition space situated above it and directly linked, allowing the combination to be used for the larger exhibitions. This stacked configuration has been deemed as best suited to high-density CBD environments and has been modelled on facilities in Hong Kong and Vancouver.

ICC Hotel at night

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell said the transformation of a 20-hectare precinct at Darling Harbour, stretching from Cockle Bay to Haymarket and Ultimo, would generate about $5 billion in economic benefit for NSW.

O’Farrell said Destination Sydney had been selected as the preferred bidder to partner with the NSW Government for the development, which has the working title “Darling Harbour Live”.

The theatre view from the east

“Along with the development of Barangaroo, this project will transform the western fringe of Sydney’s Central Business District and is the biggest and most exciting change to Darling Harbour in 25 years,” O’Farrell said.

“This plan fulfils a key election commitment and will create jobs for 1,600 people during the three year construction, which starts at the end of 2013, and provide ongoing employment for 4,000 people across the precinct.”

The opening date is set for December 2016.

The Haymarket - Little Hay Street

The NSW government has released its 'highlights' from the plan below:

The largest exhibition space in Australia at 40,000 sqm - the equivalent of five football fields. It includes 35,000 sqm of dedicated space and a further 5,000 sqm of flexible space.
The biggest total meeting room space in Australia at 8,000 sqm across 40 rooms, linked to both convention and exhibition areas.
The biggest Australian convention capacity - known as plenary space - able to accommodate more than 12,000 people over four different areas, allowing multiple events to take place at the same time.
Sydney’s largest ballroom, for at least 2,000 people - almost double the current capacity.
A red carpet, premium entertainment facility with a capacity of at least 8,000 people, suitable for both entertainment events and 'mega' conferences.
State-of-the-art technology throughout, such as free wireless connectivity across all facilities and 10 free Wi-Fi hot spots in the public open space.
Up to 900 hotel rooms in a hotel complex at the northern end of the precinct.
The new convention, exhibition and entertainment facilities will be built north of Pier St.
Renewed and upgraded public domain that has been increased by a hectare, including an outdoor event space for up to 25,000 people at an expanded Tumbalong Park.
A new neighbourhood at the southern end of the precinct, called The Haymarket, home to high-tech businesses, apartments, student accommodation, shops, cafes and restaurants.
The new urban neighbourhood will be created south of Pier St on the site of the existing Sydney Entertainment Centre and car park.
Improved pedestrian connections drawing people between Central, Chinatown and Cockle Bay Wharf as well as east-west between Ultimo/Pyrmont and the city.

Images and video courtesy of Infrastructure NSW.

Madeline Prince

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