Lighthouse at Darling Park

Henning Larsen’s design for Lighthouse at Darling Park links Sydney’s CBD to the waterfront at Darling Harbour, covering an area over the Western Distributor freeway that currently acts as a barrier between the city center, the waterfront, and the thriving Pyrmont district. The “ground” level in fact comprises multiple; an expansive, state-of-the-art retail program sits alongside and is woven into an expansive public park that stretches from the elevated main level to the waterfront below. Wide pedestrian paths frame a continuous public path through the development, and serve as the link between the shops, restaurants, and bars on site.

Lighthouse at Darling Park had to be a confident, clear, and poetic gesture in the urban setting. So that had to be a gesture felt at every level, from where the tower meets the skyline to, most importantly, where it meets people at the ground.

The ground-level comprises 10.000m2 of park space, the most expansive addition of public space central Sydney has seen in a century. Lighthouse at Darling Park is a microcosm of the Sydney itself, a city unique in its ability to entwine a friendly, local community atmosphere within a cosmopolitan city.

The two most important assets for any organization are its people and its real estate. Lighthouse at Darling Park is aimed at creating a comfortable and healthy working environment. Key to establishing a great workspace is understanding the users and their different profiles.

Lighthouse at Darling Park delivers a unique solution for the project by introducing a human centric design for the podium, incorporating an elevated outdoor street that cuts its way through the podium and boasting spectacular views to the water at every turn. It’s also partly sheltered from the prevailing wind with just enough breeze coming off the water to make it an ideal spot in the summer. Energy and climate modelling allowed for optimization of the microclimate in and around the development. This research allows the project to make good on its commitment to the public realm. Lighthouse at Darling Park offers an opportunity to set a precedent for people-focused design in an increasingly densifying world.