Recently, the City of Sydney’s proposal for Town Hall Square was called in by the state government for review after a public outcry.
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proposal → call → outcry
Critics either opposed the demolition of buildings to create a square as a waste of public money or opposed the design itself.
Meanwhile, the City has spent decades of bipartisan planning and property acquisition to achieve its vision.
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City → oppose → vision
This has set the stage for a battle not only between two tiers of government, but also of ideology, with fiscal conservatism versus the common good.
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This → set → good
The concept for a square was originally proposed by then-lord mayor Doug Sutherland in 1982, with Sydney City Council resolving to acquire the seven properties required to complete the square.
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Council → propose → square
The first property was purchased in 1985 and acquisition continued up until 2019, leaving one remaining property for compulsory acquisition.
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acquisition → purchase → acquisition
These buildings will be demolished to create a public space.
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buildings → demolish → space
This is not the first time a government has demolished property to create open space for the public – indeed it is one of the hallmarks of making memorable spaces in great cities.
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it → demolish → cities
Perhaps the best-known example is French official Baron Haussmann’s creation of streets and boulevards that cut through the dense medieval fabric of Paris, bringing modern amenities of light, air, sewage drains and vehicle movement to a clogged city.
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that → know → city
Of course, cities need roads to function, but what about a public square like the one proposed?
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cities → need → one
It’s not essential for the city to function but as our cities become denser and as we experience the effects of global warming, we need to provide spaces for people.
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we → ’ → people
Piazzas in Italian cities often grew organically around urban life and focused on civic or religious monuments.
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Piazzas → grow → monuments
In the 19th century as the industrial revolution made cities denser and more crowded, municipal reformers identified the need for more open space.
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reformers → make → space
John Nash’s Trafalgar Square or Plaza Reial in Barcelona were both created through demolition of existing buildings.
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Square → create → buildings
Indeed, many Spanish cities used demolition to create geometrically perfect plazas architecturally framed by colonnades.
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cities → use → colonnades
They were created under monarchies or authoritarian governments but it is harder to do in a democratic society.
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it → create → society
Today’s neoliberal governments celebrate the public generosity of private developers when they create public space.
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they → celebrate → space
Spaces such as Rockefeller Plaza or Seagram Plaza in New York or our own Australia Square are seen as providing both public amenity and commercial benefits.
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Spaces → see → amenity
It is ironic then that we now criticise a public authority for having the audacity to want to add a public space for the common good of people.
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we → criticise → people
Have we so forgotten how great cities are made that our only salvation is for developers to create new public space on private land?
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developers → forget → land
Instead, we should be celebrating a city government prepared to create a public space for the common good.
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we → celebrate → good
This new square sits in the heart of the city, and would be opposite the historic seat of the municipal government, itself an ornate sandstone civic monument.
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square → sit → government
Regarding the design – the geometry is an elegant resolution of a complex space and is appropriately aligned with the Town Hall spire.
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geometry → regard → spire
The trees, while adding much needed shade and greenery, could struggle to reach the density and maturity shown in the images, given the sunlight and environmental conditions of an urban setting.
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trees → add → setting
Finally, a public space should have active edges, places where people can buy lunch, a coffee or a snack.
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people → have → lunch
Notwithstanding these minor quibbles, the City of Sydney is undertaking one of the greatest civic acts in making a public space for people.
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City → undertake → people
This is not a vanity project; it’s a legacy for future generations and shouldn’t be evaluated just on the financial cost.
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it → ’ → cost
It’s important that we continue to improve our cities for people.
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we → ’ → people
As we plan for the future let us remember the Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit.”
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they → plan → trees
Now let our lord mayor plant trees for the people!
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mayor → let → people
Philip Vivian is an architect, urban designer and managing director of Bates Smart, a contributor to Town Hall Vision in Sydney 2030-2050.
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Vivian → manage → Sydney
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