Winning Design for Rhodes East First Stage Revealed

The winning design for the first stage of Billbergia’s Rhodes East masterplan in Sydney’s inner west has revealed.

A collaboration between SJB and Land And Form Studio was chosen from three entrants in the design competition for 25-27 Leeds Street by a jury made up of representatives from City of Canada Bay Council, the NSW Government Architect and Nation Architects.

According to Billbergia, 25-27 Leeds Street “will establish a biophilic and permeable precinct—expanding on the long-term regeneration of the greater Rhodes area from the former industrial brown-field land”.

“We’re breathing new life into the Parramatta River foreshore to make it greener, more accessible and more attractive,” Billbergia managing director John Kinsella.

“The project will deliver 6000 sqm of public open space, including a retail and dining precinct and will open up the waterfront promenade with an interactive river edge for the community to enjoy.

“This project will reimagine the Rhodes waterfront and forms a critical piece in the NSW government’s rejuvenation of the Parramatta River waterfront from the Sydney Opera House to Parramatta Park.”

▲ A render of the winning design from SJB and Land And Form Studio.

SJB director Nick Hatzi said the practice had a long-running connection with Rhodes, completing the first masterplan for the regeneration of the suburb in 2005.

“We’ve delivered many mixed-use buildings in the area including, most recently, Rhodes Central by Billbergia which forms the retail heart of the suburb,” Hatzi said.

“Our proposal for Leeds Street opens up new connections to the water and reflects SJB’s approach to permeable and civic-centric mixed-use development.

“As the first development under the masterplan, we hope this precinct sets a high benchmark for the incoming community.”

Land and Form director Ro Iyer said the winning proposal’s public domain design embraced the geographical setting and confluence of where the Parramatta River meets Rhodes.

“The foreshore design represents this transition from natural to urban, creating an iconic destination that looks to restore and enhance important ecological assets and allow people to actively engage with the Parramatta River, setting a high-quality precedent for the Rhodes East Precinct,” Iyer said.

▲ A render of the Leed Street project, the first stage under the Rhodes East masterplan.

Billbergia and SJB were awarded Development of the Year–Mixed Use at The Urban Developer National Awards for Industry Excellence and best high density development at the UDIA NSW Awards for Rhodes Central.

Construction of Billbergia’s fourth residential high-rise on the Rhodes peninsula in Sydney’s inner-west began in June, at which time the final fifth tower was in the early development stage. 

Part of its $2.5-billion Rhodes Central precinct, the Oasis will comprise 126 apartments spanning 15 levels, including six one-bedroom apartments, 64 two-bedroom and 56 three-bedroom apartments. 

The tower is rising from a prominent site at 39 Marquet Street within the 2ha Rhodes Central neighbourhood, where Billbergia is planning to deliver 1500 apartments as well as a central retail and dining plaza. 

In August, Billbergia’s four-tower residential precinct at Arncliffe was approved.

The developer is partnering with the NSW government and not-for-profit community housing provider Evolve Housing to deliver the $253-million redevelopment which includes a 17-storey tower of social housing.