Newcastle’s East End Final Stage Designs Revealed

A collaboration between three architectural practices has won the design competition for Iris Capital’s Newcastle East Stage 3 and 4.

The plans put forward by SJB, Durbach Block Jaggers (DBJ) and Curious Practice have been selected for the final stages of the major redevelopment in NSW’s second-largest city.

Iris Capital chief executive Sam Arnaout said the complex and prominent site on Hunter Street made it “a critically important and significant development for the city”.

“The winning SJB, DBJ, and Curious Practice design unquestionably delivered in its purpose to achieve design excellence and has maintained the cathedral as the city’s prominent landmark structure with a family of beautiful buildings that follow the topography and mesh with the built form of the hill,” he said.

“The winning design also was considered as the best outcome to incorporate the numerous heritage elements and considerable level changes across the site.”

▲ SJB, DBJ and Curious Practice collaborated on the winning designs for the project.

SJB director Adam Haddow said that since 2013 the practice had been investigating the community of Newcastle, having worked on the original masterplan for East End and architect and as collaborator for stage 1 of the development.

“We are over the moon to have the opportunity to again collaborate with our peers—this time Sydney-based Durbach Block Jaggers and Novocastrians Curious Practice, to deliver the final stage of this once-in-a-lifetime project,” Haddow said.

“Our vision for the East End is rooted in a fine grain response that reimagines the retail offering and pedestrian activity of Hunter Street.

“The new public ‘market square’ has great potential to connect into council land, creating the link with Newcastle Christ Church Cathedral and the harbour to become the centre of the East End.”

▲ Stages 3 and 4 are the final pieces in Iris Capital’s East End redevelopment.