Barangaroo and Pyrmont Case Study

5 Found helpful • 15 Pages • Essays / Projects • Year: Pre-2021

The aim of this report is to compare the transformation processes taking place in Pyrmont and Barangaroo through discussing the similarities and differences between the two areas. In 1826 Pyrmont became one of the busiest seaports in Australia due to the increase in industries and factories in the area. It was an important part of the city’s wool storage, sugar refining, flour milling, shipping industries and Maritime and Industrial precinct. By 1900, the population had grown from approximately just 5,000 people to 19,000 people. After reaching its peak in these early years, by the 1950s Pyrmont fell into decline. As a result of pollution and lack of space, many large industries closed or moved to newer areas like Port Botany. Gradually the area became more and more abandoned until hitting its lowest population of 1,590 people in 1981. The Pyrmont area then became an entry port for post-war migrants and has now been renewed into one of the most successful and thriving commercial and residential communities in Sydney. Similarly to Pyrmont, Barangaroo is also undergoing industrial changes/transformation; what originally was a shipping area and has recently been and is continuing to be redeveloped with residential and commercial buildings. In the mid 1920’s the first wharf was built at Walsh Bay followed by the wharves of Millers Point, increasing the amount of industries opening in this buzzing area. In 1900 the NSW Government took control of the area and rebuilt the wharves, roads and shipping infrastructure for the new century of trade. During the Great Depression, Barangaroo hit a period of decline. The main road, Hickson Road, was known as ‘The Hungry Mile’ because the men would walk from wharf to wharf in search of work. In the 1960s, a large concrete apron built for shipping demolished most of the entire previous built environment. Due to changes in shipping technology and the inability to create heavy freight rail access to the site, Barangaroo was deemed unsustainable. Industries shut down and soon the area became completely deserted. In 2003, the state government announced that a selection of these wharfs would be transformed into a new urban precinct, in 2007 the Barangaroo Concept Plan was approved and in 2012 the redevelopment commenced. It is currently the largest urban renewal project in Australia. By completion of the project Barangaroo is expected to have a working population of around 23,000 and a population of circa 2,000 people.

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