Green light for new community building at Parramatta Square

Construction will soon begin on a new civic, cultural and community building at the Parramatta Square precinct following its approval by the Sydney Central City Planning Panel.

Designed by a consortium of Australian firms DesignInc and Lacoste + Stevenson in collaboration with French firm Manuelle Gautrand Architecture for the City of Parramatta Council, the new $130 million community building, 5 Parramatta Square will comprise of a public library, café and meeting rooms available for the public across its six storeys.

Design features of the multipurpose sustainable building also include an open layout, tessellated facade and LED lighting, along with light projections and digital artworks on the building’s exterior. The City’s historic Town Hall building will be seamlessly integrated into 5 Parramatta Square.

A three-hectare mixed-use precinct in the heart of Parramatta CBD, Parramatta Square is located next to Parramatta train station with a future light rail stop planned on Macquarie Street. The community building is the final addition to the precinct.

“I’m thrilled to see Council’s long-term vision for one of Australia’s largest urban regeneration projects get the green light,” City of Parramatta lord mayor Bob Dwyer says.

“With its striking design and incredible versatility, this new civic building will be the beating heart of the Parramatta CBD, where our community can meet, work, study, and relax. I can’t wait to see 5 Parramatta Square go from blueprint to reality.”

Construction of the building will begin following the appointment of a builder by the Council in February 2020. The building is expected to open in April 2022 along with the remaining Parramatta Square precinct.

Image: Supplied