Sydney’s iconic Fish Market today unveiled the final design for its major transformation which is set to be complete by 2023. The $250 million redevelopment features a roof inspired by fish scales.
Sydney Fish Market general manager Bryan Skepper said the new look celebrates the Australian landmark.
“This is an incredibly exciting day for us, for NSW fishers and fishmongers and for seafood lovers everywhere,” said Skepper.
“This design will draw global attention to Sydney and quickly become one of the city’s most famous structures. The new market building will be a true community meeting place that takes the Sydney Fish Market experience to a new level.”
Sydney Fish Market and UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation worked together for three years on a plan for the seafood market. The design was commissioned last year and is being led by Danish architects 3XN, in partnership with Sydney firms BVN and Aspect Studios.
“The new building includes everything our customers are looking for – more public space, more dining options, boardwalks and a community feel. It also delivers what our fishers and fishmongers need in 21st century technology with improved facilities that help keep the seafood fresh and make it easy to trade. Extended opening hours and the expanded retail and dining marketplace will enable us to accommodate our growing patronage which is projected to double in the coming years,” said Skepper.
The new centre will be home to an expanded seafood cooking school, food kiosks, restaurants, bars and outdoor spaces for social events. There are also plans for new public wharves, a waterfront promenade, a new ferry stop and new civic and community spaces.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said that the purpose-built retail and wholesale facility will be “the centrepiece of a new harbour-side precinct” and will act as a “vibrant economic and community hub” that supports NSW’s fresh seafood industry.
“The Sydney Fish Market currently attracts more visitors annually than the Great Barrier Reef and accounts for around 20 per cent of international visitors to the Sydney region,” Berejiklian said.
“It is already the largest fish market in the southern hemisphere, trading approximately 14,500 tonnes of seafood per year. This brand new fish market will draw locals and visitors to Blackwattle Bay to experience the excitement of an authentic market and auction floor, and taste some of our finest seafood in state-of-the-art surrounds.”
The old fish centre’s renovation comes after a survey revealed that 1,000 Sydneysiders supported a new look for the Sydney Fish Market. The former newspaper warehouse deteriorated over the last 50 years and needed a lift.
“After 50 years here at Blackwattle Bay, people love the Fish Market experience and our produce, but they are let down by the facilities. About 75 per cent of Sydneysiders support the proposed redevelopment,” Skepper said.
The Sydney Fish Market is the biggest fish market in the Southern Hemisphere. A survey found 50 per cent of Aussies rated the seafood facility as an important landmark in Sydney while the other half said they should support the local fishing industry.
Construction is expected to begin in mid 2019 and the market will continue to operate uninterrupted during the redevelopment.
