Macquarie Park’s largest urban green space, Catherine Hamlin Park has officially commenced construction. Surrounded by John Holland Macquarie Square mixed use development site this space creates a new community connection point for workers and families in the area.
Led by the City of Ryde, the works will deliver a new c.$10 million public open space in the heart of the Macquarie Park. The official sod turning ceremony took place on 26th November 2025 with completion expected in October 2026.
At 7,000sqm, Catherine Hamlin Park will be a defining feature of Macquarie Square’s vision of a mixed-used precinct designed around amenity, wellness and connection.
Macquarie Square has been shaped around Catherine Hamlin Park, designed as the heart of the precinct. The vision is a connected workplace destination where nature, amenity and connectivity are central to daily experience.
As Dan Szwaj, Director at architecture practice Turner explains, “Everything started with the public space and Catherine Hamlin Park,” he says, because even before Macquarie Square is a workplace, “it’s this sweeping public domain”. With that in mind, the team set out to make the street-level environment a genuinely people-friendly experience with seamless connections to the Macquarie Park Metro station.
That philosophy shaped the masterplan itself. The ground plane has been carefully curated so that each building has a direct relationship to the public space, ensuring Catherine Hamlin Park remains a constant focal point for the entire precinct.
Catherine Hamlin Park represents more than a landscaping construction milestone. It is the civic centrepiece that completes the precinct’s connected vision, linking people to nature, fresh air, wellbeing and each other.
A new benchmark for public amenity in Macquarie Park
Delivered in parallel with the Macquarie Square development, Catherine Hamlin Park is being undertaken by the City of Ryde Council, with a focus on creating a healthier, more active and more social public environment.
The park will include a range of features to support daily use and community benefit, including:
The park has been designed as an active part of everyday precinct life rather than just a passive green space. From early morning exercise to open-air meetings, the park will offer a rare and uplifting workplace adjacency to nature within Macquarie Park.
The City of Ryde announcement notes that this is a shared investment of c.$10 million by the NSW State Government and the City of Ryde. Located less than 300m from the Macquarie Park Metro Station, this funding reflects Macquarie Square’s role as a mixed-use precinct and meeting place at the heart of the Macquarie Park.
The park honours the legacy of Dr Catherine Hamlin AC (1924–2020), a remarkable humanitarian and Australian of global impact.
With works now underway, Catherine Hamlin Park will become the green heart of Macquarie Square. The commencement of construction is an important step toward delivering an activated precinct experience it was designed to enable, where public space and workday life come together in one connected setting.
Sydney’s new revolutionary Metro City and Southwest Line, launched August 19, offers a seamless connection for Macquarie Square commuters travelling to the CBD, Western Sydney and surrounds.
Located 20 minutes from the CBD, Macquarie Square’s visionary office precinct is just a 3-minute walk to the Metro station where commuters will have access to trains running every 4 mins during peak hours. Fast, frequent and reliable, turn up and go service, Macquarie Square commuters can now experience speedier travel times and direct, easy access to the CBD and wider Sydney.
Not only was John Holland key to delivering the tunnelling infrastructure for the Sydney Metro City and Southwest line, from Chatswood to Sydenham, John Holland also built Waterloo Station to the south of the city. The new M1 Line revolutionises how Macquarie Park connects with the rest of the Sydney. Trains leaving Barangaroo now arrive in Macquarie Square just 18 minutes later and travellers can experience a Macquarie Square to North Sydney trip in just 15 minutes.
“At John Holland, our purpose is to transform lives with everything we do. The new Sydney Metro City line delivers on exactly that. Conveniently located just 3 mins from Macquarie Square it facilitates easy, fast connections to the CBD and wider Sydney, making Macquarie Square an ideal place to live, work, or play”.
Mathew Jonston, Building and Development, John Holland
The new Metro infrastructure also facilitates links to other modes of transport, thereby drawing in potential employees, clients and stakeholders from much wider catchment areas.
A multi-billion-dollar investment in public transport, Sydney Metro represents the most significant change in Macquarie Park for a generation.
“The Sydney Metro is the final piece to the puzzle, it’s only a 3-minute walk from Macquarie Square. I believe this new transport infrastructure is being underestimated by tenants and will change the whole relationship Macquarie Park has with other CBDs like North Sydney and the City. To think you can be in Martin Place or Barangaroo in 20 minutes seamlessly on the new Metro is a game changer for the entire precinct.
I really encourage large companies to come for a tour of the new precinct, walk through the Glasshouse and see first-hand the quality of the buildings and what can be created for your company. I’m very confident that your perception of Macquarie Park will change as did mine."
Marcus Pratley - Leasing Director, Cadigal
“Macquarie Park is perfectly located between the Northwest, the Sydney CBD and other north shore suburbs. With the new metro rail line now open, major organisations now have a seamless experience for their staff and clients to get to and from this precinct. Cutting the commute has never been more important for organisations as they look for strategic initiatives and new public transport infrastructure enable their workforce to drastically reduce travel times to and from work and enjoy a more productive workplace and work life balance.
Coupled with Macquarie Park’s largest park, now under construction, Macquarie Square provides the best-in-class precinct, park and office buildings.”
Rob Gishen, Leasing Director, Colliers
Don’t miss the opportunity to grow with Sydney’s 2nd largest business district. Contact us for leasing opportunities:
Robert Gishen
0412 432 647
Marcus Pratley
0432 006 748
In a major milestone, construction has kicked off on our Macquarie Square development – a visionary commercial precinct connected to 7,000m2 of urban green space!
Right now, our teams are busy delivering complex in-ground services works to create the new roads to service the future development lots at Macquarie Square. The upgrade works to service the precinct include new water mains, sewer connections, gas connections, diverse telecommunication pathways, low voltage and high voltage electrical provisions along with a brand new stormwater drainage system.
From the air – you get a sense of the size and scale of the job ahead!
A completed Macquarie Square will have five state-of-the-art A-Grade commercial office buildings connected to Catherine Hamlin Park, and all underpinned by world-class Sydney Metro, which was also built by John Holland. The Macquarie Square community will soon have access to new roads, parking, tree-lined streets and footpaths.
It’s a truly connected precinct that will support liveability for generations to come, backed by John Holland’s Building and Property expertise. Learn more: https://macquariesquare.com.au/
#MacquarieSquare #ItsAllConnected #Building #Development
Rising 14 storeys above Catherine Hamlin Park, it will be the tallest building at Macquarie Square. Recently, we caught up with Rodd Perey, Principal and Group Design Technology Manager at Architectus to discuss the inspired and lofty ambitions for Central House.
Thank you for speaking with us, Rodd. What role has Architectus been playing at Macquarie Square, and Central House in particular?
Rodd: Initially we were engaged by John Holland in the delivery stages of the first building to be completed at Macquarie Square, the Glasshouse. It was a highly innovative project to be part of and we had a very good experience. It all went quite smoothly, and the result was a fantastically good building, a very exciting space to be in. We also had some prior involvement with the initial master planning exercises for Macquarie Square, so the precinct certainly wasn't unknown to us when we began working on Central House.
How does Central House fit within the wider masterplan at Macquarie Square?
Rodd: The Glasshouse is an amazing building. But when it was completed, it was clear what was still needed within Macquarie Square was that hub with amenities, social spaces, and a really interesting mix of facilities – because modern commercial precincts simply can’t survive on office buildings alone. That’s where Central House comes into its own. Of the four main buildings, it’s the one with the strongest and most direct interaction with Catherine Hamlin Park. It’s the one with the bulk of the food and beverage facilities. Importantly, it’s also the one with opportunities for delivering a variety of office spaces, especially for businesses interested in smaller footprints. Central House has been designed to offer a mix of spaces and that’s definitely going to appeal to a different mix of tenants.
It feels like it will offer tenants quite a dynamic, mixed-use space?
Rodd: It really will – and initially it was going to be even more diverse! We have a lot of experience with mixed-use developments and it’s always a balance. You want to foster that vibrancy and diversity, but trying to integrate too many things can also create issues. Whilst it’s a large building, Central House actually has quite a tight envelope with the long park interface. Yes, a few things came out over time, but where we’ve landed is this really interesting mix of work and amenity spaces. The main features are Food & Beverage spaces, the commercial podium and the commercial tower above.
Given the site was quite challenging, how important was it to find ways to work around those complications and turn them into opportunities?
Rodd: It was critical. But, having said that, every site has its complexities and that’s one of the things we always try to embrace in the design process. I believe you get far more interesting mixed-use buildings – and better buildings – as a result of being able to resolve those conflicts in creative ways. As our cities become more and more dense, we should expect our buildings to have more and more mixed-use components. The days of the ‘pure’ office building with a lobby, no café and 30 to 40 floors of identical floor space are long gone. People want something better. They want something much higher performing in terms of sustainability. They want to maximise on-site opportunities and amenities. As designers we need to deliver that by providing all kinds of different functionalities within a precinct – and there’s no better example of what’s possible than Macquarie Square.
What were some of the key design considerations for Central House?
Rodd: We aimed to create a hub with Central House acting as the connector for the entire Macquarie Square precinct while fulfilling our commercial requirements. One of the key design influencers was optimizing the building's relationship with Catherine Hamlin Park. However, the park's location to the south of the site presented some design challenges, specifically with regards to providing adequate sun exposure and an enjoyable alfresco experience. To address this, we pushed the balance of the food and beverage space towards the western side of the park precinct and wrapped it around the corner of the building, ensuring controlled areas that capture sunlight.
The ground plane design also features a functional space on the eastern side, which is more permanently in the shade due to its lower elevation compared to the adjacent roadway. Additionally, a separate lobby café in the north-east corner provides a different amenity and street activation. Notably, the site's natural drop in level allowed us to create two primary entrances to Central House. The first is a lower ground entrance with all the food and beverage offerings, directly accessible from the park and the west. The second is a more discrete entrance to the commercial office tower, higher to the east of the site, providing the commercial podium with its own address and street access.
You mentioned Central House is likely to appeal to a different type of businesses than other buildings at Macquarie Square. Can you talk a bit more about that?
Rodd: Central House is designed to attract smaller businesses and teams, with commercial floorplates of approximately 1,800 square metres in the podium and 1,000 square metres in the tower above. This unique feature is different from other buildings in Macquarie Square with more substantial floor plates that are essentially the same on every level. Central House's flexibility and potential for subdivision are expected to attract a diverse mix of tenants, including creative businesses who cannot commit to larger spaces. Additionally, the tower's height of 14 storeys provides terrific views, while the podium level roof terrace is ideal for design studios or similar businesses. Furthermore, the direct adjacency to Catherine Hamlin Park on the south side of the building is highly appealing to tenants, as Central House's design places it virtually right in the park among the trees.
What type of workspace experience can people expect at Central House?
Rodd: As we’ve already discussed, it’s going to be versatile space with a lot of flexibility for subdivision with easy and almost endless configurations. We have done quite a few test fit-outs through our Interiors team here at Architectus. Like all the buildings within Macquarie Square it’s going to filled with the highest levels of ‘smart building’ connectivity. Central House tenants will enjoy all manner of technology and services that monitor the building constantly with electronic sensors and actuators to make it the most comfortable experience possible, and also the most energy efficient experience. Our Interiors division have spent a lot of time thinking about the post-Covid workplace right now, but also what's it going to look like as the nature of work continues to change over time. Tenancies will be all about spaces for collaboration and places to casually interact, rather than having banks of fixed workstations. As we all know, people don't necessarily sit at the same desk any more – especially when they can carry their entire work life around with them on a laptop! It’s really important to ask, why do people go into the office? It's to collaborate, to do some brainstorming and to sit around the table, face to face. The workspace experience at Central House will facilitate that. It certainly isn’t a data entry centre. It’s a place for connection and collaboration in all its forms.
You talked earlier about the interaction with sun and shade on the ground plane. How would you describe the access to natural light on the commercial floors of Central House?
Rodd: The building is fantastically positioned for sunlight. The commercial floor plates are only about 25 metres across, so there’s very little deep space that’s far away from a window. We’ve analysed that closely with contour mapping and there are only a few areas that won’t have direct access to natural light, and they’re directly in front of the lifts which is an ideal place for meeting rooms. The rest of the floors will be flooded with light. It’s actually meant that our design response has needed to include quite significant and innovative sun shading that – whilst not blocking the views – allows tenants to easily control the thermal load for comfort and also optimise energy efficiency.
How would you describe the façade? What are people going to see as they walk towards Central House?
Rodd: They’re going to see a very slick, modern metallic façade with vertical sun shading fins, as well as horizontal awning elements that create interesting patterns. There’s a strong visual contrast between the podium and the tower that rises above it. We've put a lot of thought into where to emphasise the horizontal elements in the façade and where it’s best to emphasise the vertical elements. The fins on the tower, in particular, are closely-spaced and create a very bold and striking look. They’re bronze in colour, that creates a distinct aesthetic within Macquarie Square. It’s quite a contrast to the façade of the Glasshouse which is defined more by its large white frame.
Central House has been designed to deliver a 5-star Green Star rating. Can you talk us through some of the sustainability features?
Rodd: Again, it’s all about getting the fundamentals right. First and foremost, that’s about sun control. It has driven so much of the design aesthetic for Central House. Within the building’s controllable elements, we’ve used very efficient mechanical systems. Beyond that, Macquarie Square is a brilliant location for sustainability with excellent access to both public and active transport options and, as you’d expect, there will be excellent end-of-trip facilities with secure bike storage. There will also be solar panels, high-performance shading, double-skinned glass, a green roof with mature trees, and fully integrated landscaping that essentially blends the building seamlessly into the park. There will no doubt be other opportunities to improve efficiency and environmental performance even further too.
Just finally, Architectus has created many mixed-use commercial developments. What stands out about this one?
Rodd: As an architect, I found the Central House project to be a rewarding intellectual challenge despite its complexity due to the site constraints. The public connections are going to be very good. It has a pedestrian easement that basically forms the front of the building that connects the whole precinct. It interfaces seamlessly with the park, with all the food and beverage options almost spilling on to it. There’s a grand stairway, a lift for accessibility, so it’s providing an incredibly high level of amenity. It has been challenging to find ways to deliver all these features, but our ongoing dialogue with John Holland has been excellent, and they have been receptive to our ideas. The working relationship has been fantastic, and we are eager to see Central House completed and tenanted.
Tenancy enquires for Central House are open now through Macquarie Square leasing agents, Rob Gishen & Marcus Pratley. Get in touch today
Recently, we caught up with Dan Szwaj, Director at Turner – acclaimed Sydney architecture, urban design, interiors and experiential design studio. Dan discusses the evolution of John Holland’s ambitious Macquarie Square masterplan and the vision behind this landmark precinct.
Dan, what role has Turner played at Macquarie Square?
Dan: John Holland first brought us on board to refine the broad masterplan that had already been created for Macquarie Square. Our work involved a lot of detailed design thinking, which really started to inform the shape of the precinct as it is today, right down to the language and naming of the individual buildings. Whilst it was always clear the masterplan would have a commercial workplace focus, we invested a lot of time and energy into understanding the site context and exploring what makes it so unique. We wanted to create a precinct of the future, centred around Catherine Hamlin Park. Why would someone want to work here? Who would want to come here? What makes it different to other locations? Answering these fundamental questions was a really important part of the process.
What were some of the things that stood out most when you first became involved?
Dan: The thing that really stood out was the project’s proximity to the new Sydney Metro rail line, which will open in 2024. It’s very close, directly across Waterloo Road. Its location, together with the notion of a ‘30-minute city’, was definitely a big catalyst for us. Access is a major consideration for any modern workplace. Can you get people there easily? At the moment, the journey (to Macquarie Park) is still a bit convoluted. But I think in another year or so, we’re going to see big changes in terms of how the Sydney Metro reframes these journeys and makes everything so much more accessible, with services every 4 minutes in peak periods. That’s been really interesting, quite fundamental, and it certainly guided a lot of our thinking.
Macquarie Square is a major precinct, centred around a significant (7,000sqm) public green space, Catherine Hamlin Park. How did you go about detailing such an expansive masterplan, with so many different elements?
Dan: Everything started with the public realm and Catherine Hamlin Park, because even before Macquarie Square is a workplace, it’s this sweeping public domain. That street-level environment is what we all interact with first, so we were determined to make it a very ‘people friendly’ experience. The journey to work should be enjoyable, lunchtime should be a time to relax or connect with colleagues and the time after work should offer a space to unwind.
Whilst (landscape architects) McGregor Coxall are delivering the park itself, we’ve certainly spent a lot of time thinking about that space. The ground plane within the masterplan has been carefully curated so that each of the different buildings has a direct relationship to the public realm, to ensure the park is always a real focal point. We’ve also kept in mind that not everyone wants to go to a café or a restaurant at lunchtime. Just having the ability to get outside and sit under a tree, feel the grass between your toes, connect with nature, and enjoy the park experience is so important. Ultimately, our role within the public realm design is to make sure the park gets enough sunshine, is easily accessible and that each of the buildings has a meaningful connection to it. I really think we’ve achieved that.
Looking at the Glasshouse already delivered by John Holland at Macquarie Square – and those buildings still to come – the masterplan features a wonderful variety of spaces and buildings. What was your thinking there?
Dan: That is very intentional. We looked closely at the built form and wanted to have a real diversity of building scales, heights and footprints to reflect the diversity you’d naturally experience in urban environments. We certainly didn’t want all five buildings to look and feel exactly the same. Who wants to work in a ubiquitous plain box? Each building within the precinct has its own character and materiality. In designing a masterplan like this, you really need to think about the scale of the individual buildings, the position they hold within the precinct, and the relationship they have with each other, as well as the park and the public spaces that connect them. Looking back now, I think this was one of the key things we added to the project – diversifying the Macquarie Park skyline.
What about access to, and within, Macquarie Square?
Dan: A lot of thought and refinement has gone into the way people get to and from the precinct, as well as Catherine Hamlin Park. We wanted the entire masterplan to be highly permeable, allowing tenants and visitors to access it and walk through in many different ways. There’s a network of streets and pedestrian laneways and we’ve looked closely at the scale and relationship of those to create a variety of street-level experiences, whilst ensuring clear delineation between car and pedestrian movements. Building separation was also a key design consideration. We carefully located each building within its envelope whilst including ample separation to avoid the sense of overcrowding. The result is a street-level diversity that you’d normally only experience in a bustling city or urban area.
What have you enjoyed most about working on Macquarie Square?
Dan: At Turner, we thrive on designing urban renewal projects for people to use and love, and this project is no different. I’ve really enjoyed shaping the overall masterplan with John Holland and taking the original vision to a whole new level. Our design creates a great experience for people at street-level, connects successfully with the surrounding precinct and delivers a fantastic workplace for tenants. It’s been a very satisfying process to be part of.
Tenancy enquires for Central House are open now through Macquarie Square leasing agents, Rob Gishen & Marcus Pratley. Get in touch today.
On Thursday 29th September, John Holland hosted an event for 80 industry guests at the historic landmark The Mint in Sydney’s CBD. The event was in celebration of the anticipated launch of Stage Two of the acclaimed Macquarie Square mixed-use precinct in Macquarie Park.
Following the successful completion of Stage 1 – The Glasshouse, 100% leased to Transport for NSW, Stage 2 will see Central House provide office tenants the opportunity to position their organisations in one of Sydney's most innovative and connected precincts. Designed with the workplaces of the future in mind and positioned at the doorstep of the immense greenspace that will be the 7,000sqm Catherine Hamlin Park, Macquarie Square presents a unique and unmissable opportunity.
John Holland’s CEO, Joe Barr, spoke about the transformative precinct on the night:
“Developments like Macquarie Square have the power to transform beyond the obvious new buildings and open spaces they create. They also connect people to new careers and jobs that are closer to home. They create places where businesses like retail, food and entertainment can thrive, bringing a whole new experience to the people that live, work and play in the area”.
John Holland’s EGM for Building and Development, David Lehmann also spoke at the event, adding:
“The vision for Macquarie Square is all about connectivity. Connecting people through world-class public transport, to their workplaces, to their social lives through the best of food, retail and entertainment. We wanted a mixed-use precinct that gave people access to the best of everything”.
You can find for more information on Stage 2 of the project here
John Holland has officially launched Stage 2 of the acclaimed Macquarie Square mixed-use precinct at 45-61 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park.
Following the successful completion of Stage 1 – The Glasshouse, 100% leased to Transport for NSW, Stage 2 will see the opportunity for office tenants looking to position their organisations in one of Sydney's most connected precincts centred around the future Catherine Hamlin Park.
Creation of the new 7,000sqm Catherine Hamlin Park central to the Macquarie Square precinct will provide a new benchmark of public amenity and wellness to tenants and visitors. Designed to integrate and encourage physical and social activity.
Mark Crudden - Development Director of John Holland says the new development takes its lead from The Glasshouse, providing unparalleled expansive park views, architectural design excellence, premium daylight to typical office floors and best-in-class end-of-trip facilities, designed to create the ideal work/life environment for tenants.
In parallel with the Macquarie Square development the delivery of Catherine Hamlin Park, 7,000sqm of parkland green space will be undertaken by Property NSW and the City of Ryde Council. One of the key benefits with the Macquarie Square precinct is the relationship the buildings have with this green space, which is designed to integrate and encourage physical, mental, and social activity. Whether it’s for early morning yoga or exercise, open-air meetings, a little post-work team building or even a quiet lunchtime snooze, there’s nothing else like it anywhere in Macquarie Park – and it’s right at the doorstep for Macquarie Square tenants.
“The Australian workplace is changing rapidly and, increasingly, employers know it,” explains Andrew Ridge, Senior Development Manager at John Holland. “It was already happening well before Covid, but now the flight away from the CBDs is accelerating as forward-thinking employers demand the highest levels of flexibility, amenity, sustainability and, above all, value for their leasing dollars. On all counts, Macquarie Square delivers spectacularly.”
“As you can see from The Glasshouse – surely one of the most visually and technologically inspiring workplaces anywhere in Australia right now – Macquarie Square is already the workplace of tomorrow,” Ridge continues. “With the upcoming additions to the precinct, its appeal will only get stronger and stronger, not to mention the opening of the new Metro line in 2024 which will put Barangaroo less than 20 minutes from your door.”
In addition to Central House, Stage 2 of Macquarie Square also includes c. 1,500sqm of premium ground-floor food and beverage offerings, surrounding Catherine Hamlin Park – the largest urban public green space in Macquarie Park with 7,000sqm of activated parklands, outdoor dining terraces and high-speed Wi-fi throughout*.
Rob Gishen - Leasing Director from Colliers International says “The Macquarie Square development brings a completely new offering to Macquarie Park. Like the Glasshouse, Central House will bring a new standard of commercial space and provide companies a blank canvas to reset their real estate strategy and adopt new workspace designs. The feedback we have had from tenants and other key stakeholders who have been onsite all agree that John Holland has raised the bar in terms of building quality and design. The way all the buildings integrate with Catherine Hamlin Park makes it a truly unique offering.”
Marcus Pratley - Leasing Director from Cadigal says “Without doubt Macquarie Square has set a new standard for Prime Grade office accommodation in Macquarie Park - but what really excites us about this development is the delivery of Catherine Hamlin Park. Due for completion in 2023 Catherine Hamlin Park will be the largest green space (7,000sqm) in the Macquarie Park office precinct. All the Macquarie Square buildings have a direct connection with the Park, creating something truly unique. Catherine Hamlin Park will benefit all Macquarie Park tenants, but only Macquarie Square will have the space on their doorstep.
The Sydney Metro is really the final piece to the puzzle, due for completion in 2024, only a 3-minute walk from Macquarie Square. I believe this new transport infrastructure is being underestimated by tenants and will change the whole relationship Macquarie Park has with other CBDs like North Sydney and the City. To think you can be in Martin Place or Barangaroo in 20 minutes seamlessly on the new Metro is a game changer for the entire precinct.
I really encourage large companies to come for a tour of the new precinct, walk through the Glasshouse and see first-hand the quality of the buildings and what can be created for your company. I’m very confident that your perception of Macquarie Park will change as did mine." says Pratley.
Tenancy enquires for Central House are open now through Macquarie Square leasing agents, Cadigal and Colliers.
Planning for the third and final stage of Macquarie Square is underway.
*To be delivered by others
ROBERT GISHEN
0412 432 647
ROBERT.GISHEN@COLLIERS.COM
MARCUS PRATLEY
0432 006 748
MARCUS.PRATLEY@CADIGAL.COM.AU
OWNED, DEVELOPED
AND BUILT BY JOHN HOLLAND
WWW.JOHNHOLLAND.COM.AU
