Urban oasis opens in booming neighbourhood

The Drying Green in Zetland

A 6,200 square metre inner-city chillout zone where friends and families can meet for a picnic or find a quiet corner to sprawl out and relax.

Photo: Chris Southwood / City of Sydney

Cutting the ribbon

The Drying Green has been created by design lead McGregor Coxall and CHROFI architects with the City of Sydney and built by Regal Innovations.

It forms part of a network of paths through the Green Square town centre that allows people to walk from Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre to the train station away from busy roads.

Photo: Damian Shaw

Green reprieve

It features a folding origami-like grass lawn, sloping landscaped surfaces, trees and loos with a green roof. The Drying Green contains over 30 different hardy native plant species, designed to enhance biodiversity within the park.

Photo: Damian Shaw

Wetland feature

An urban water feature collects and filters stormwater before sending it on a 3 day journey around the tiered wetland.

Cleaner water is returned to the stormwater channel and then the sea.

Photo: Chris Southwood / City of Sydney

Public art

The site’s relationship to water inspired Stream by Kerrie Poliness, acknowledging the waterway that once flowed through the area.

Embedded in lawns, paving and oversized steps, the colourful intersecting, asymmetric diamonds light up at night creating a magical experience for young and old.

Photo: Chris Southwood / City of Sydney

Sustainable firsts

In a first for NSW, the awning over the barbecue area features innovative solar glass. The holes you can see through are solar panels.

We’ve used greener concrete in our slabs and structures.

Photo: Chris Southwood / City of Sydney

Industrial past

The Drying Green’s name is a nod to the site’s industrial past. Wool washing was one of the first industries in Green Square and fleeces were spread across grass in the area to dry.

Photo: Chris Southwood / City of Sydney