A new design to reimagine the former Spotlight and Anaconda site in Newcastle West has been unveiled following an architectural design competition.
The proposed redevelopment of 711 Hunter Street, Newcastle West, extends from Hunter Street to King Street and along the northern side of National Park Street.
A three-member independent jury under the governance of City of Newcastle and the NSW Government Architect’s Office unanimously selected the innovative design by Plus Architecture.
The winning design has an estimated construction cost of $100M with an overall height of 90 metres, featuring 267 dwellings across two towers, 1400 square metres of commercial floorspace and 322 parking spaces.
Stand-out design elements strongly supported by the jury included the ‘meeting place’ concept, a public domain to facilitate and encourage people to meet, and the visual link between National Park Street and the Army Drill Hall.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the architectural design competition had delivered design excellence for the redevelopment of 711 Hunter Street, leading to positive outcomes for the city.
“Newcastle’s city skyline is set to be further transformed when this significant redevelopment in the West End comes to life,” Cr Nelmes said.
“The construction associated with a redevelopment of this size will generate jobs and help buoy Newcastle’s economy, which is a positive as we come up against the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and look to the future.”
Manager Regulatory, Planning and Assessment Michelle Bisson said the competition raised the Newcastle benchmark of architectural design excellence.
“Ongoing revitalisation and development is continuing to transform Newcastle, particularly in the West End, and 2022 is shaping up to be another exciting and busy year for our city,” Bisson said.
“Once constructed, 711 Hunter Street will boast a hallmark building that will stand the test of time for future generations to admire.”
St Hilliers Property Project Director Paul Smith said the design competition had been a great way to bring the best architectural talent and ideas forward.
“The quality of architectural design presented by Plus Architecture is really impressive, and we look forward to further refining the design by incorporating the jury’s recommendations before proceeding to the next phase,” Smith said.
“With a development of this significance, we will work closely with Plus Architecture to set sustainability targets and quality design outcomes during the more detailed development application phase, including a focus on thermal comfort, energy, waste and water.”
This year, a development application for the site is expected to be lodged by St Hilliers and The Spotlight Group.
Information source: City of Newcastle