Parramatta Road Retail Concept

100 Parramatta Road wrestles with the conundrum of humanising an arterial road that has had its edges stripped bare of place by the disinterested eye of the motorist. The idea abandons the pretence that Parramatta Road can pedestrianise its edges while also overtly serving cars.

The project offers 400 metres, more than a minute, of commuter calm in contrast with the pervasive chaos of signage and messages selling otherness and elsewhere.

The project's wandering form and its green edge dampens the aggression of the traffic and sucks away the comfortable familiarity of the chaos. A sculptural edifice denies detail to the motorist and cocoons richer, pedestrianised leisure environments beyond.

The sinuous monumentality of the form trades in being memorable and dares the daily commuter to, perhaps, one day, stop and get out of the car. Having dared, there is the potential for the wandering seductions and distractions of the alleyways and courtyards beyond to displace the addiction to driving.

Located at the geographic centre of metropolitan Sydney, 100 Parramatta Road hosts indoor and outdoor entertainments designed for 'whole metrolopolis' appeal, tempering sprawl by making wasted journeys occasionally productive and enriching.