Coffs Harbour Central Plaza - NSW

Location:  Coffs Harbour, New South Wales

Client:  Coffs Harbour City Council

Collaborators:  Davis Architects, Artscape ( now Creative Road),

This was a concept competition called through the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects  (AILA).

Coffs Harbour (population 72,000) is large regional city located on the north coast of New South Wales, 540km north of Sydney.

The project site included a large open urban plaza, on the main central shopping spine of downtown Coffs Harbour. linking shops and parking facilities. Originally constructed in the 1980, the area required rejuvenation to entice pedestrians and shoppers back into the area. The purpose of the competition was to generate a functional yet contemporary and dynamic concepts for the space that will give fresh ideas for the space.  The Council sought an iconic, playful and creative public square and walkway.

Landsite's concept drew from the local region, specifically the Solitary Islands marine park, located alongside the Coffs Harbour coast. We designed an all-weather gathering space that would allow for continuing use for shopping, periodic markets, entertainment, while improving the visual amenity of the adjacent carpark area. Our design included seating, outdoor dining areas, a sunken amphitheatre, glazed canopy, a living green wall and new planting scheme.