A fresh food market, an amphitheatre and a playground set among native gardens are among the amenities the state government revealed today for Perth’s newest public plaza, Yagan Square.
The square, which is part of the Perth City Link project, will be located inside the historic Horseshoe Bridge and is expected to be open in early 2017.
The archways of the bridge will also be used for shops, cafes and a bike parking centre.
Yagan Square, looking south-east from the William Street mall.
Premier Colin Barnett said a key feature of Yagan Square would be a “digital canopy”, to provide shelter during the day and lighting displays in the evening.
The canopy's design was inspired by the lake system that ran through the CBD until the 1800s.
Mr Barnett said he expected the square would become a destination for people to meet and connect with the state’s heritage, environment and culture.
He said a particular focus had been on making sure the design was influenced by the site’s past and provided links to the Noongar culture.
Elements of the site will incorporate stories from the Whadjuk Noongar people and explore themes of place, people, animals, birds and landscape.
The upper level of Yagan Square, looking west towards the ampitheatre.
“Significant consultation with the community, including extensive engagement with the traditional owners, has contributed to the design,” Mr Barnett said in a statement.
Planning Minister John Day said the plaza would also feature pop-up retailers, food trucks, and regular events, which would have a capacity of 8,500 people.
“The area will be more than a transport connection and thoroughfare between the CBD and Northbridge,” Mr Day said.
“It will be a meeting place for residents and visitors to Perth.”
Looking east at Yagan Square towards the markets.
Yagan Square is designed to complement the vast commercial development being undertaken at Kings Square, which is also part of the Perth City Link.
Developer Leighton Properties is close to topping out at the KS2 office tower, which is slated to become the Perth headquarters of international oil and gas giant Shell once it is complete next year.
The four Kings Square towers, which are all currently under construction, have a combined total of 52,033 square metres of office and retail space.
Other tenants signed up at Kings Square include health insurer HBF, which is slated to take up the entire 12-storey KS4, and KBR, which is likely to take up between 4,000 and 5,000sqm in KS3.
Construction company John Holland is expected to move into the 21-level KS1, which it is currently building.
The towers will also incorporate a significant retail, business services and hospitality element, while the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority ran an expressions of interest campaign for a hotel operator at Kings Square midway through this year.
An announcement on the successful proponent for the hotel development is expected in coming months.
