The City of Sydney has shared its proposed design for the reimagining of Dixon Street, the heart of Chinatown in Haymarket.
The City is seeking feedback on the concept design created by a collective of landscape architects, architects, lighting designers and cultural consultants, to breathe new life into the well-loved street.
The key vision for the area is to bring energy, flow and vibrancy back to the precinct to encourage and attract visitors.
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said the new concept designs would transform the southern part of Dixon Street.
“We listened carefully and closely to the community as we worked together with the designers to develop our vision for the heart of Chinatown,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Our concept deliberately reflects and incorporates traditional elements from the area in bringing a synergy to these proposals.
“New lighting, inclusive social seating and pavement upgrades will bring flow and energy to the street, where all members of the community can sit and enjoy the vibrancy, colour and energy of Dixon Street.
“The lighting proposals create illuminated ceiling threads between the gates that bookend Dixon Street South. These threads form a tapestry of colour that can change to celebrate seasons and festivals and are inspired by the five-coloured clouds.”
The five-coloured clouds are stylised Chinese auspicious clouds which represent good fortune in Chinese culture and are associated with the Taoist concept of Qi.
The work the City is proposing along Dixon Street south is being carried out in partnership with the community as part of the overall strategy for the Haymarket area.
The design concept also underscores the importance of the Chinatown Ceremonial Gates, which are set for restoration and heritage listing as part of the City’s broader strategy.
Designed using traditional Chinese materials and ornamentation, the red, green and gold tiled archways bookend this iconic destination.
“The gates provide a ceremonial entrance to the only surviving original Chinatown in the city centre. By restoring and heritage listing the gates, we will ensure they can be enjoyed for generations to come,” the Lord Mayor said.
While the future improvements focus on Dixon Street south, concept ideas have also been developed for Dixon Street north, which is owned and managed by the NSW Government.
ASPECT studios is the team behind the proposal, which is responsible for a number of high-profile public domain projects across Australia. The team is collaborating with experts in cultural and creative design including Sibling Architecture, Studio Yu and Mei and lighting designers Electrolight.
F
