Dickson Rothschild was the Masterplan Manager for Sydney Olympic Games ‘overseeing design and operational planning for the site including the legacy plat ‘which set out a vision for the reuse of the site beyond the games. Operational planning, managing multiple stakeholders and consultants and maintaining the central message of the green games was particularly complex.  

Masterplanning on this scale is a rare global phenomenon, one that called for extraordinary vision and lateral thinking over an intense 2 year period. ‘Working in lockstep with the Olympic Committee, DA's began with consultation, planning policy review and structure planning, Our role extended to everything from directing the detailed planning for accessibility and managing crowds and transport across greater Sydney during the games and advocating for a railway ‘station to service the site to set a framework to achieve generational benefits for Sydney as a whole. Redesigning many aspects of the Sydney Olympic Bid Plan to achieve a long-range vision beyond the immediate political objectives of the Olympic Committee was instrumental in redefining this city’s global status and benefiting its current and future citizens.        

The overall master plan sets major sporting facilities along an urban core axis with the hard-fought railway station and major stadium at its heart. A loop road ‘creates the edge to the urban core with a grid of streets defining urban infill. The major regional open space — Bicentennial Park — creates a robust green ribbon between the urban core and the Paramatta River

Image credits: Visualisations SOCOG; Photos SOCOG