15-Year Transformation of Sydney’s Waterfront Complete

Marking the culmination of a 15-year urban regeneration project that has revitalized Sydney, Australia’s harbor front, the Barangaroo South precinct is officially complete. In 2009, the NSW Government’s Barangaroo Delivery Authority appointed Lendlease as developer to transform what was once an inaccessible container port on the western edge of Sydney’s CBD, into one of the city’s most thriving mixed-use destinations.

Today, Barangaroo South is home to more than 1,800 residents, 23,000 workers, 95 retailers and welcomes 33,000 visitors each day. The precinct stands as an international benchmark for large-scale urban regeneration.

International Towers Sydney, the three flagship commercial buildings at the center of Barangaroo South, together with engineered timber buildings Daramu House and International House, attracted major corporate tenants from the outset, including Westpac, PwC and KPMG, who are still there today. These workplaces remain some of the most sought after in Sydney’s CBD with over 95% occupancy.

Barangaroo South is also Australia’s first mixed-use carbon-neutral development, an accolade achieved through energy-efficient and innovative infrastructure, including a district cooling plant with a harbor water heat rejection system, a recycled water treatment plant, onsite solar and an embedded electricity network. The precinct has maintained its Climate Active Carbon Neutral certification since 2019, affirming its reputation as the gold standard in large-scale, sustainable urban renewal. Additionally, its world leadership status has been validated by the Green Building Council of Australia’s 6 Star Green Star Communities recertification (Pilot v.2).

First Nations cultural values were embedded throughout the planning and delivery of the project. The precinct honors Barangaroo, a prominent First Nations woman, through its name. Public art, street name, and design elements across the precinct reflect and celebrate First Nations cultures and connections to country.

With the completion of Barangaroo Reserve and Barangaroo South, Sydney now enjoys a 14-kilometer continuous harbor foreshore walk from Woolloomooloo to Anzac Bridge — connecting communities and creating new ways to experience its iconic waterfront.

Images: https:/barangaroo.com/