B r e n d a n
M a h o n e y
Sydney’s newest opera house Urban Design Graduation Studio · S e m e s t e r 2 2 0 0 8
BELMORE SQUARE AS AN EDGE CONDITION
BELMORE SQUARE HAS A DUAL FRONTAGE
THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: BELMORE PARK IS RECOGNISED AS AN EDGE CONDITION TO THE SYDNEY CBD AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTER-CULTURES OF SYDNEYS INNER CITY SUBURBS. THE SITE OF THE OPERA HOUSE EFFECTIVELY SITS AS THE LAST PERIMETER BLOCK OF THE CBD. THE PARK SERVES A DOUBLE FRONTAGE, TO THE NEW OPERA HOUSE AND THE TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE THAT IS EDDY AVENUE AND THE CENTRAL RAIL TERMINAL, CONNECTING SYDNEY’S OUTER SUBURBS TO THE CBD.
THE STRATEGIES THAT RESPOND TO THIS URBAN CONDITION: 1. RESPONSE TO THE PERIMETER CONDITIONS - THE BUILDING WRAPS THE PERIMETER OF THE SITE AND ADDRESSES THE STREETS OF CAMPBELL, PITT AND CASTLEREAGH AS A GENERIC CITY COMMERCIAL BUILDING. HAY STREET, RATHER, IS RECOGNISED AS AN EDGE TO THE CBD, AND THE BUILDING OPENS AT HAY STREET TO ADDRESS THE URBAN SQUARE IT FRONTS (FORMERLY BELMORE PARK). 2. THE BUILDING RESPONDS TO THE RETAIL DATUM OF NEIGHBOURING STREETS, WITH THE GROUND PLAN OCCUPIED BY RETAIL FRONTAGES TO PITT, CASTLEREAGH AND CAMPBELL STREET. THIS RETAIL STRIP IS DUAL ENTRY, PUNCTURING THROUGH THE BUILDING COLLONADE THAT FRONTS THE PARK. THE RETAIL EDGES CONTINUE ALONG THE PITT STREET RAMP, WHICH IS GUTTED TO ALLOW FOR POROSITY INTO THE SITE. RETAIL KIOSKS PROTRUDE FROM THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE RAMP TO ACTIVATE THE LENGTH OF THE PARK. 3. THE CONTINUATION OF THE PUBLIC URBAN SQUARE (FORMERLY BELMORE PARK) INTO THE SITE. THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE PEDESTRIANISATION OF HAY STREET AND THE RAISED ENTRY FLOOR OF THE OPERA HOUSE ABOVE THE RETAIL DATUM. 4. THE BUILT FORM RETHINKS THE MECHANICS OF A TYPICAL OPERA HOUSE. THE BU8ILDING IS A PLAY ON THE ‘PLUG-IN’ ELEMENTS OF AN OPERA HOUSE, THAT BEING THE FLY TOWER AND THE AUDITORIUM. THESE ARE FIXED, CONTROLLED ELEMENTS, THEIR FORM DERIVED FROM ACOUSTIC AND LIGHTING PERFORMANCE (FORM=FUNCTION). TYPICALLYS, THE ANCILLARY SPACES OF AN OPERA HOUSE SURROUND THE FLY TOWER AND AUDITORIUM TO CREATE THE EXTERIOR FORM OF THE BUILDING. THE DESIGN OF THE BELMORE OPERA HOUSE IS CREATED FROM THE HEIRARCHY OF THE AUDITORIUM AND THE FLY TOWER. THESE ELEMENTS ARE SERVICED FROM THE BACK BY A GENERIC CITY BUILDING THAT WRAPS THE REAR PERIMETER OF THE SITE. THE IMMEDIATE STAGE AMMENITIES ARE THEN CONDENSED AROUND THE FLY TOWER, ALLOWING THE ONLOOKER FROM BELMORE SQUARE TO VIEW THE MECHANICS AND MOVEMENT HAPPENING AROUND THE STAGE. THE FLY TOWER AND SEATING HALL ARE THEN ORIENTATED ON THE AXIS CREATED BY THE CENTRAL RAIL TERMINAL AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SQUARE. THIS SETS THE STAGE FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO PUBLIC BUILDINGS THAT FRONT THE URBAN SQUARE THAT WAS ONCE THE DERELICT BELMORE PARK.
B r e n d a n
M a h o n e y
Sydney’s newest opera house
existing active retail edges proposed active retail edges potential for future activation
existing active retail edges proposed active retail edges potential for future activation
existing active retail edges proposed active retail edges potential for future activation
Urban Design Graduation Studio · S e m e s t e r 2 2 0 0 8
B r e n d a n
M a h o n e y
Sydney’s newest opera house Urban Design Graduation Studio · S e m e s t e r 2 2 0 0 8
rehersal spaces
theatre controls / lighting
stage prep
stage / immediate stage services
entrance foyer
first floor
second floor
third floor
forth floor