BOURKE ST

Following a protracted and complicated process undertaken by other parties, MAKO Architecture were engaged by DAHUA to take a fresh look at this key site, ultimately leading to the successful stage 1 approval for mixed use development. The site contains significant active water infrastructure and as such is littered with prohibitive easements. Furthermore, the City of Sydney had proposed a large park on the part of the site that is least burdened by easements. Our challenge was to create a convincing and cohesive public domain whilst not impinging upon the easements. and to provide residential typologies that were best able to manage the noise impact of present and future road infrastructure. As a result of an extensive site opportunities and constraints exercise, we proposed at the fortification of critical connections through a central heritage square and provided positive definition to the public domain with built form and landscape structures. Subsequently to the stage 1 consent being achieved, the site has been the subject of two design excellence competitions and is on track to be delivered as an exciting new precinct.