The City of Sydney has today (11 August 2027) revealed the concept design for a new public square opposite Sydney Town Hall. Designed by architects JPW and landscape architects ASPECT Studios, the square is expected to be completed in 2031.

Four decades after the Council purchased the site to enable the square, the vision for the square is becoming reality. Designed to host major events and provide a space for people to gather or enjoy their lunch outdoors, the new plaza will be surrounded by a curved grove of distinctly Australian trees.

“A grove of native trees will provide shade and softness in a warming climate, generous seating will invite people to linger, and cool moving water brings movement and a sense of delight. The tree canopy will light up and ensure the square is safe and welcoming,” said Sacha Coles, global design director at ASPECT Studios at the project’s launch.

“The square’s personality will change across the seasons, with ample shade in summer and sun-filled places throughout the colder months,” she continued. “It is a calm and generous setting where Sydney itself becomes the focus. Open and flexible, the square is conceived as a stage for Sydney’s civic life, both for today and for generations to come.”

“Within one of Sydney’s most significant heritage precincts, where thousands of people arrive each day by bus, light rail, train and metro, the square will be uniquely Sydney,” said Matthew Morel, director at JPW. “The square will provide generous, flexible civic space found in the world’s great cities. It is designed for Sydney to come together for major events and celebrations, and for the everyday moments of pause, meeting and enjoyment that define urban life.”

The Council has committed to giving the square a First Nations name, using a local Aboriginal word in line with the principles and guidance in its Naming Policy. Both public infrastructure and symbolic gathering space, the square will serve the growing number of people expected in the city, which is forecast to double by 2050.

“Like other major cities around the world, we need large, lively, welcoming civic spaces for the growing number of people living in and visiting Sydney,” said Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO. “A new square at Town Hall will provide people with much-needed space to move between transport modes and a welcoming city entrance, in what is one of the busiest parts of the CBD.”

Prior to the square’s development, in 2027 the City of Sydney will be upgrading the area between Sydney Town Hall and St Andrew’s Cathedral, with new paving, seating and lighting to further improve the entire precinct.

A development application for Town Hall square will be lodged in the coming months, providing the community with an opportunity to provide feedback on the design.

Renders: Choi Render, supplied by City of Sydney.