Darling Quarter Activation Concepts

Darling Quarter is a community precinct within Sydney’s Darling Harbour. It features a large free kids playground, a community green, cafés and a wine bar, and takeaway food choices from around the world.

Lend Lease engaged the services of Village Well to develop a detailed place activation strategy for Darling Quarter that would create an authentic experience of the place and differentiate it from surrounding precincts in Darling Harbour.

Village Well worked closely with Lend Lease to steward a placemaking process to create a clear framework to guide the development of an authentic place, full of character and opportunities for spontaneity, as well as planned events.

To understand and develop the place vision for Darling Quarter, Village Well embarked upon a place research process. This included: conversations with the Lend Lease project team and key stakeholders on and around the site; place analysis; trader workshop and training; a workshop with future centre management; a review of the project materials; research into global best practice; and testing ideas with marketing consultants, Bashful.

Following the place research, Village Well developed a set of strategies and concepts to manage the governance of the site and provide a framework for implementation. The concepts looked at ways to:

• Utilise the community green as a ‘third place’ – to stop, relax and enjoy;
• Use the building façade to create a unique and distinct experience;
• Activate the site through programming of events, as well as regular theatre and music;
• Encourage repeat visitation and extend the length of stay by improving visitor amenities, especially for families;
• Develop how Darling Quarter businesses could trade sustainably and to ultimately improve the environmental and economic performance of the site.

Since its completion in 2011, Darling Quarter has been recognised as a leading community precinct, winning 5 international awards and over 39 Australian Industry Awards.