DesignInc Sydney’s Redfern Station Upgrade project has won the Landscape and Urban category at the Sustainability Awards 2024. The jury recognised the project for its “connection to country within the space” and praised its “codesign process with the community.”
The project achieved several key sustainability benchmarks, including an Excellent Design IS Rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council. Its features include water treatment and storage systems, renewable energy implementation, and the integration of green spaces and landscaped shared zones.
About the Project
The project, located on Gadigal Country in Redfern, New South Wales, was completed in 2023 as part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program.
The award-winning design draws inspiration from the site’s rich history as wetlands that once stretched from Eveleigh to Botany Bay. Design Director Richard Does explains that these wetlands, which produced morning mists among bushland and sand dunes, influenced the project’s distinctive features, including a gradated perforated screen façade that creates an experience of walking through mist.
Photo Credit: DesignInc
The upgrade’s sustainability credentials include several key features:
- Water Sensitive Urban Design integrated into the public domain
- Raingardens installed to filter stormwater runoff
- Solar panels on the Marion Street station entrance
- Rainwater capture systems for irrigation and cleaning
- Transformation of Little Eveleigh Street into a landscaped shared zone
The project preserved local heritage through the adaptive reuse of an industrial warehouse at 125 Little Eveleigh Street as a main entrance. The design pays homage to the area’s industrial heritage while incorporating indigenous elements through a “Designing from Country” methodology, developed in consultation with Balarinji and Curio Projects.
Photo Credit: DesignInc / Brett Boardman
According to DesignInc Director Mary Anne McGirr, the new southern aerial concourse and entries have improved accessibility and connectivity throughout the precinct. The jury particularly commended the project’s community engagement process and its success in achieving an Excellent Design IS Rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council.
Photo Credit: DesignInc
The project aligns with NSW’s goals for a low-carbon future through its delivery of environmental, economic, and social sustainability measures.
Published 8-January-2025
