Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander business to bring Sydney’s newest public plaza to life

Nestled between George and Pitt streets, in the tourist hub of our city, an architecturally striking development has taken shape.

Lendlease’s development at 180 George Street is set to transform the Circular Quay precinct. And the City of Sydney is looking for a creative, business-savvy Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander tenant to join its retailers, bars, restaurants and corporate offices under a subsidised rental agreement.

At the heart of this new precinct is a public plaza, a key component to the voluntary planning agreement between the City of Sydney and Lendlease to provide public benefits at this site. In fact, alongside a 55-storey office tower, retail lined laneways and a reinvented Jacksons on George, around half of the site is dedicated to the public. This is the first major public plaza on George Street in decades.

View the 180 George Street precinct, showing the plaza building with its suspended canopy artwork central to the impressive space in the video below. Video and images courtesy Lendlease.

At the heart of 180 George Street is the striking plaza building

The plaza building design by British architect Sir David Adjaye in partnership with Indigenous artist Daniel Boyd draws design inspiration from Indigenous architecture, culture and gathering. The public artwork takes form as a 20m-high, perforated steel canopy suspended over the public plaza and will be one of the largest Aboriginal installations in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connections

We’re looking for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander tenant to manage, curate and program a 2-storey multi-purpose space and activate the public plaza at the foot of Sydney’s tallest office tower.

This unique space could bring cultural, creative or retail ideas to life. The ground floor could for example operate as a small café, host a cultural or educational display or retail area. The upper floor is a flexible space that could be used as a meeting place or community gallery providing a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and cultural practice.

The successful tenant can apply for a rental subsidy and a 5-year lease term through our accommodation grants program.

Finding a successful tenant

We’re looking for an operator who:

• can activate the space with clear community benefit and successful profit making. Activations could include outdoor dining, small events and live music.
• can deliver an operating model that demonstrates support, engagement or a connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
• is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander owned, operated or led business.

Reinvigorating the Circular Quay precinct

This unique building will play an integral role in reinvigorating the Circular Quay precinct and a major architectural addition to George Street.

The precinct comprises:
- 55-storey premium-grade office tower, including a 3 floor business innovation space to be managed by Innovillage under a City of Sydney accommodation grant
- public plaza
- retail-lined laneways
- bicycle hub located directly beneath the plaza building
- public art installation
- hospitality venue on the former Jacksons on George site

Construction of the plaza building, canopy and public plaza was completed in early 2023. Applications close Monday 27 February 2023. Find out more.