ASPECT Studios designed the public domain of Darling Quarter, a new commercial, retail and cultural development which sits at the eastern edge of Darling Harbour, the most visited tourist destination in Australia.

The main attraction of this unique project is the world class children’s playground, the largest in the Sydney CBD. The integrated play design creates an adventurous experience suitable for all abilities. The bespoke water play design elements were sourced from Germany, many of which have never been used in Australia.

Through its new pedestrian streets, Darling Quarter builds a strong relationship to the city and reinforces the passage to Cockle Bay and beyond.The project revitalises the existing public open space. It provides a family focused core, with an extensively redesigned playground, new retail and commercial precinct and generous grassed community greens which build on the successful public domain elements such as Tumbalong Park and the urban stream. Improved ground plane materials set a new benchmark for Darling Harbour, with an emphasis on high quality, simple, robust elements.

An emphasis on legible organisation and the activation of edges and connections has reinvigorated an important gateway between the CBD and Darling Harbour and provide regional focus for play and family activity.