Waterloo Estate, Australia's largest social housing estate, spans 18 hectares near Sydney's CBD, accommodating nearly 2,500 residents in high-rise towers, terraces, and single-storey cottages.
The site is set for redevelopment under the NSW government's Communities Plus initiative, which grants public land to developers on the condition that 30% of the new housing is allocated for social housing. With over 51,000 people on the NSW housing waitlist, the first phase, Waterloo South, will add only 100 additional social housing units under this plan.
As a key hub for Sydney’s public housing and a place of deep cultural significance for its traditional Gadigal owners and the broader urban Aboriginal community, the redevelopment of Redfern Waterloo remains highly contested. Under the previous NSW Coalition government, plans proposed that up to 34% of the 3,000 new homes be designated for social and affordable housing.
I developed a personal connection to the community having grown up in the James Cook tower — that inspired my proposal for Sculpture Park.
Convert the proposed space into a sculptural garden, containing unique sculptures commissioned by the Australian government, each celebrating the individuality of 28 cultures that cohabitate within the towers of Waterloo.
This proposal invites community and cross community engagement, while also driving tourism to the area by holding monthly local markets, becoming a destination spot in Sydney for arts and culture.
