03 Jun The redevelopment of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct
Infrastructure NSW commissioned Images for Business to shoot the fit-out of Sydney’s redeveloped Walsh Bay Arts Precinct Pier 2/3 after two years of construction. This premier art and cultural hot spot has repositioned Sydney as a global player in the arts.
Walsh Bay has long been considered one of Sydney’s cultural gems: a heritage site that blends arts, dining, and business with majestic views of the iconic Harbour Bridge and glittering harbour. It’s a historical site where everything old is new again.
An empty wool store was converted into a premium 21st century space for theatre and music performance, alongside updates to the amenity. The construction included extensive structural strengthening of the pier, state-of-the-art acoustic solutions and bespoke fit-outs tailored to the needs of each tenant.
Pier 2/3 interior, showcasing the striking finishes.
New tenants to Pier 2/3 include The Australia Chamber Orchestra (ACO), Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare. They join those already residing at Wharf 4/5: Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company, Bangarra Dance Theatre to name a few.
Images for Business used drone photography and videography to document the redevelopment, on the ground stills photography and videography and 360-degree imagery. A range of content was captured: construction progress updates, ministerial visits, and even acoustic testing in the ACO performance space.
Aerial drone shooting on Sydney Harbour required additional CASA approvals, a process seamlessly managed by Images for Business. The images have been used in press releases, media, and internal and external communications.
Walsh Bay Arts Precinct from above.
A highlight was shooting the final sound test for the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO). Constructing their new home within a 100-year-old timber pier on Sydney Harbour meant that acoustic solutions had to be well-planned and constructed. All walls, ceilings and equipment in the theatre and rehearsal spaces were installed on acoustic mounts. In addition, the space is fitted with an Active Field Control (AFC) Enhance system – an extraordinary technology that enables the acoustic performance of the room to be adjusted electronically.
Final sound test of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
There are many challenges involved in documenting a project as significant as the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct redevelopment. They ranged from gaining CASA approval to fly a drone in restricted airspace to be completely unobtrusive, both visually and audibly, during the acoustic test of the ACO performance space. This required creative versatility, skill, and experience from the Images for Business team.
As has been the case with many construction projects over the past couple of years, Covid-19 added a few complexities to how we captured imagery.
The changing schedule required Images for Business to be responsive and adaptable. Throughout, we enjoyed a highly productive and collaborative relationship with the client team and achieved results that have pleased everyone involved.
For the Images for Business team, it was a dream job to document the redevelopment of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct on Sydney Harbour. We were able to align the artistic passions of the Walsh Bay residents, new and longstanding, with their own,
“We loved every minute of capturing imagery for the WBAP project. It was an honour to be involved in such an important and significant arts project at such an iconic location.” Toby Shain, General Manager, Images for Business
Walsh Bay Arts Precinct sits on the land and over the saltwater of Gadigal Country.
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