sydney metro barangaroo pods
sandstone floater
–

December 2021
Collaboration

architects / stanic harding
landscape + visual artist / JMD design

The competition required generating an alternative design for the appearance of the nine services and utility structures that form part of the Sydney Metro's new Barangaroo Station on Hickson Road, Sydney.

Our response explored the rich material history of sandstone in Millers Point. Abstracted sandstone textures were applied on screens to diminish the physical presence of the nine pods to form simple objects that make a contribution to the public realm. We were interested in manipulating the relationship between the foreground and the background, and how this altered the perception of the heritage wall beyond. The heritage wall, viewed as ‘an artifact’, becomes the dominant physical element.

In our proposal, the sandstone floater is a vehicle for bringing together the disparate strata and fragments of stone and masonry of Millers Point. The incisions, infills, and naturally cut rocks reflect a history of intervention and a shift from the natural landscape to a highly modified urbanscape.