Winner named for $955m Sydney Central Station upgrade
Engineering firm Laing O’Rourke has won the $955 million contract to renew Australia’s busiest commuter hub — Sydney’s Central Station.
The project will deliver a spacious new underground concourse for the station known as Central Walk, and the new Sydney Metro platforms 27-metres under existing platforms 13 and 14.
The work is a key part of the New South Wales Government’s $20 billion Sydney Metro project, consisting of a stand-alone railway and 31 new stations.
Commercial Insights: Subscribe to receive the latest news and updates
Laing O’Rourke managing director Cathal O’Rourke says the company’s $100 million upgrade of Wynyard Station has put them in an ideal position to deliver the Central Station renewal.
“The Wynyard Station upgrade allowed us to develop construction techniques that will ensure minimal disruption throughout the life of the (Central Station) project,” says O’Rourke. “The station needs to be kept running, and its history and heritage protected, as we also upgrade it to the modern transport solution Metro offers.”
He says Laing O’Rourke will work alongside architectural firm Woods Bagot and the London-based John McAslan + Partners.
Woods Bagot principal John Prentice says the number of people passing through Central Station is forecast to grow from 270,000 a day to 450,000 in two decades.
With 96% of Sydney train services currently calling at Central Station, this interchange performs a critical function and impression of the city
“Our design approach (for Central Station) has been to walk in the shoes of the customer every step of the way to create a truly great experience,” Prentice said. “It will be much easier to navigate with more generous pathways for the 19m wide concourse and as much natural light as possible.”
He describes the project as a huge responsibility for the firm, given the significance of the 112-year-old Central Station. “As things have been added in the past, it has eroded its civic presence and clarity and its original intent,” says Prentice. “We want to build upon the former glory of Central Station as the most important station in Sydney and help return it to its former glory.”
Enabling the ongoing operation and at the same ensuring the safety of commuters were the priorities during the project, he says.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance says work will begin immediately. “As customers get on with their daily lives at Central Station, the Sydney Metro platforms will be constructed right under their feet,” Constance says. “We’ll be working hard to minimise impacts as much as possible, but we are committed to making this station better, and easier to navigate.”
Executive chairman of John McAslan + Partners, John McAslan, says they are looking forward to contributing to the landmark project. “The world’s leading cities, Sydney among them, are under extraordinary pressure in terms of the development of transport infrastructure in relation to urban fabric,” McAslan says. “With 96% of Sydney train services currently calling at Central Station, this interchange performs a critical function and impression of the city.”
The Central Walk should be open to commuters by 2022, with services to the new Metro platforms to start in 2024.
This article originally appeared on www.theaustralian.com.au/property.
