Projects
Cockatoo Island Master Plan
Design Framework
‘A new benchmark for sustainable development in Sea Country.’ Jury Citation
Winner of the 2024 AILA National Landscape Architecture Award for Cultural Heritage
A new chapter of change
The Cockatoo Island / Wareamah Master Plan presents a vision for the island’s reactivation as the heart of Western Sydney Harbour. It weaves together the island’s layered history with new and expanded visitor experiences, adaptive reuse and staged transformation over time. Tyrrell Studio were engaged to lead the design team for this iconic Sydney island. The Master Plan was finalised in 2024 following an extensive consultation process.
The design strengthens four distinct layers of history and heritage along with improved circulation, land use and infrastructure.
Visualisation of the master plan looking west with an immersive evening program underway.
Mapping Sea Country
We began by mapping the Sydney Harbour context: its aquatic diversity, tides, currents, topography and bathymetry. We modelled landform and buildings to understand island-specific patterns of wind and sun on humans and plant life. We sifted complex layers of meaning to preserve historical significance and determine a logic for new uses, spaces and paths. Months of careful study ensured that a deep knowledge of place underpinned early conversations with collaborators and stakeholders.
Tidal currents have created deep channels to the northeast of Sydney Harbour and protected shallow coves to the southwest.
The position of Cockatoo Island / Wareamah in Sydney Harbour creates four viewsheds or ‘harbour rooms’ of unique proportions, tidal systems and weather characteristics.
The shape of the island changed over time: headlands become more prominent, bays straightened and compressed, edges flattened and clifftops became more sheer.
The island has been shaped by wind and tide for millions of years, managed by First Nations peoples for thousands of years, and manipulated for colonial and industrial use for hundreds of years. As periods of use became shorter, the intensity of adaptation increased.
Cockatoo Island / Wareamah is the largest island in Sydney Harbour.
Winds and temperature define comfort factors at different times of the year, contributing significantly to the visitor experience. We modelled the island and ran weather simulations to understand how exposure and topography influenced visitor comfort across the seasons.
The Master Plan offers Cockatoo Island Wareamah a future as rich as its past. With careful design, the island’s natural and cultural values will continue to uphold their national and world heritage significance.
Visualisation of the Master Plan looking west showing new arrival sequence, marine ecology reefs and potential future accommodation.
Four journeys to explore
The Master Plan values and promotes Cockatoo Island / Wareamah’s UNESCO World Heritage status while making the full spectrum of history more legible. Sedimentary layers of sandstone and progressive periods of construction help to tell the interwoven stories of this place.
By working with the fundamental characteristics of the island, the design weaves together four distinct layers of history and fuses them with improved circulation, land use and infrastructure. Visitors can choose to explore the natural history of the island, connect with Country, hear stories of convicts, prisoners and schoolchildren who were imprisoned, as well as understand the proud histories of dock working, ship building and defence.
Four journeys to explore: Natural history of the island; Connecting with Country; Convicts, prisoners and schoolchildren; Dock working, ship building and defending Australia.
Four journeys to explore: Natural history of the island; Connecting with Country; Convicts, prisoners and schoolchildren; Dock working, ship building and defending Australia.
Four journeys to explore: Natural history of the island; Connecting with Country; Convicts, prisoners and schoolchildren; Dock working, ship building and defending Australia.
Four journeys to explore: Natural history of the island; Connecting with Country; Convicts, prisoners and schoolchildren; Dock working, ship building and defending Australia.
The island has withstood decades of transformation, retaining its scars in sandstone. The Master Plan leaves room for rawness and maintains the original character as much as possible.
The island has withstood decades of transformation, retaining its scars in sandstone. The Master Plan leaves room for rawness and maintains the original character as much as possible.
The island has withstood decades of transformation, retaining its scars in sandstone. The Master Plan leaves room for rawness and maintains the original character as much as possible.
Cockatoo Island / Wareamah’s colonial, maritime and industrial uses are still visible in buildings and geology. Together these physical remnants form an exceptional cultural landscape.
Visualisation of the Master Plan looking east showing slipways pool, northern parkland recreation and camping.
Visualisation of the Master Plan looking south west showing Parramatta Wharf, events space, marine ecological reefs and northern parkland.
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