Overview
Sydney's oldest park will soon be the home of the city's newest cafe. The kiosk located at Museum Station in Hyde Park will undergo an extensive upgrade in the coming months, with the construction of a new open-plan cafe to commence later this year. The works take advantage of the already-underway improvements to the station, allowing for the upgrades to take place concurrently.
The new cafe, designed by Andrew Burns Architects, will replace the old kiosk at the same site and bring a new paved outdoor area with seating for around 90 people. The whole project will be sensitive to the heritage of the location and the existing building, and add garden beds, retaining walls and stairs.
"We're thrilled the stunning design is consistent with the heritage setting of Hyde Park and Museum Station," says Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The new cafe will be set back to allow better access and lines of sight to the park and recently upgraded Anzac War Memorial."
The construction already underway at the site is being completed by Transport for NSW with the aim of improving access to Museum Station, with the addition of new lifts, bathrooms and improved accessibility. As you may have noticed from the constant construction, further works are underway to improve the rest of Hyde Park, such as renovation of the pool of reflection, transplanting of palms within the park and restoration of secondary paths, enabling better access to all areas.
The renos, including the cafe, are due to be completed mid-2018 along with all other currently approved Hyde Park works. Considering the park's proximity to the CBD, the new cafe will no doubt be a prime position for mid-week lunch breaks.