British architecture studio Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) has successfully completed the Barangaroo South masterplan in Sydney, Australia, transforming a formerly abandoned container port into a vibrant harborside commercial and residential district. Working in partnership with developer Lendlease, the project represents a significant urban renewal effort that has converted underutilized waterfront property into a thriving extension of Sydney's central business district.

"With the greatest respect for all people and supporting the vision that was to give back a new landscape to Sydneysiders at Barangaroo, we set out to be radical at Barangaroo South, to turn Sydney's back door into a new front door," explained RSHP senior design director Ivan Harbour. He added that the project's success "is testament to the skills of the thousands of people involved in its conception and realization, in the making of history."

The development's centerpiece consists of three office buildings known as the International Towers Sydney, which RSHP designed as the heart of the district. These office towers, completed in 2016 following the first phase completion in 2014, feature distinctive rounded ends and are arranged side-by-side at slight angles. According to RSHP, this configuration was specifically designed to provide "democratizing views whilst making space at street level for the fully accessible waterfront."

Barangaroo South also includes several other notable architectural achievements by internationally renowned firms. The district features One Sydney Harbour, a pair of residential skyscrapers designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, and the curved Crown Towers Sydney hotel created by architecture studio WilkinsonEyre. These buildings collectively create a diverse skyline that has become a new landmark for Sydney's western waterfront.

A key aspect of the masterplan is its commitment to public space and accessibility. More than two-thirds of the Barangaroo South site has been dedicated to public and recreational areas, including a park, a waterfront promenade, and an innovative amphitheater-like boardwalk that steps down toward the water's edge. This curved boardwalk provides direct public access to the harbor and creates a seamless connection between the urban environment and the natural waterfront.

To ensure connectivity with the broader Sydney metropolitan area, RSHP incorporated multiple transportation options into the masterplan design. The development includes pedestrian pathways and bridges, a ferry terminal for water transport, and a metro station that was completed by British studio Foster + Partners in 2023. These infrastructure elements work together to make Barangaroo South easily accessible from various parts of the city.

The project has achieved significant sustainability milestones, with Barangaroo South becoming Australia's first carbon-neutral district in 2019. This environmental achievement reflects the masterplan's commitment to sustainable urban development and sets a precedent for future large-scale projects in Australia.

"Barangaroo is more than a masterplan – it's a living part of the city that continues to evolve around the people who use it every day," said RSHP Australia managing director Avtar Lotay. He noted that as a practice based in one of the International Towers, RSHP experiences "daily the first-hand vibrancy and connection this place brings to Sydney's western waterfront."

Barangaroo South represents just one component of RSHP's comprehensive Barangaroo transformation masterplan, which the studio strategically divided into three distinct zones. The other two areas are Barangaroo Central, planned to feature low-density housing overlooking a park, and Barangaroo Reserve, a carefully landscaped area designed as a reconstruction of a historic local headland.

The completed development contributes to a broader vision of Sydney's waterfront accessibility. A promenade wraps around the entirety of Barangaroo's waterfront, forming part of a continuous 14-kilometer harborside trail that extends from Sydney's Anzac Bridge to the Royal Botanic Gardens, passing the iconic Sydney Opera House along the route. This connectivity enhances Sydney's reputation as a walkable, harbor-focused city.

Lotay emphasized that "Barangaroo demonstrates what can be achieved when design prioritizes public space, sustainability, and a sense of belonging – principles that continue to shape our work in Australia and beyond." The project stands as an example of how thoughtful urban planning can transform industrial waterfront areas into vibrant mixed-use districts that serve both residents and visitors while maintaining environmental responsibility.