Winning design for Griffith Park Precinct unveiled

The City of Bankstown-Canterbury has unveiled the winning design to transform an under-utilised park in Bankstown.

Collins and Turner, Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture and WSP Indigenous Specialist Services won the municipality's first-ever design competition which generated more than 100 submissions, and four shortlisted teams.

The project will create a large, multi-purpose hall for up to 200 people and kitchen facilities, a meeting room for 40 people with a kitchenette, external covered spaces, and internal and external toilets, as well as upgrades to the surrounding green space with a rain garden, playful spaces and new footpaths.

"Griffith Park knits into Bankstown centre's framework of streets and places to host diverse activities and opportunities - cultural and commercial, bringing the life of the street through the precinct," said the design team.

"A series of rills, pools and wetlands structure the park, linking it to past connections to Salt Pan Creek and a strong First Nations heritage and identity.

"The community centre forms a soft welcoming southern edge. Spaces for movement, gatherings, meetings and learning are unified beneath a dramatic sweeping roof.

"A contemporary veranda conceived as a richly coloured three-dimension tapestry, a celebration of one of Western Sydney's most vibrant and multicultural communities."

The competition was judged by a jury comprising Andy Sharp (director planning CB City), Annabel Lahz (director Lahznimmo Architects), Laura Harding (director, Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects), Oi Choong (consultant landscape architect) and Simeon King (director, Turf Design Studio).

"Some of our most iconic landmarks around Sydney were designed in architectural competitions like this, and I have no doubt Griffith Park will be a talking point destination for our City," said Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Bilal El-Hayek.

"Choosing a winner was no easy feat and I would like to thank all the competitors for their thoughtful and inspiring entries. This competition has certainly lifted the bar of design in our City."

The council is seeking feedback on the winning design, which will also be on display at Bankstown Library and Knowledge Centre from 2 to 8 April and Bankstown Customer Service Centre from 9 to 12 April.