Sydney’s new fish market officially opened on January 19, 2026, marking the first completed development under Blackwattle Bay’s comprehensive renewal plan. Designed by 3XN in collaboration with BVN and Aspect Studios, and delivered by Multiplex, the purpose-built facility replaces the city’s historic fish market, integrating a working wholesale market, retail spaces, dining options, and publicly accessible waterfront areas into a modern architectural complex. Located approximately one mile southwest of Sydney’s Central Business District, the venue reimagines one of the world’s largest fish markets as both a critical industrial infrastructure and a vibrant civic destination.
Architectural Design: Wave-Inspired Canopy
The design reinterprets traditional market halls through a large, wave-shaped roof canopy, drawing inspiration from ocean swells and fish scale patterns to create a striking visual landmark along the harbor. Spanning 20,000 square meters, the 200-meter-long canopy is constructed from 594 glued laminated timber beams and 407 prefabricated roof components, forming a continuous sheltered space below. Inside, the market preserves the openness and human scale associated with historic market typologies, organizing stalls and operational functions within a semi-open environment that prioritizes natural light, ventilation, and spatial continuity.
Spatial Layout: Visibility and Connectivity
Rather than separating market operations from public areas, the building is arranged around visual transparency. Circulation routes and gathering spaces allow visitors to safely observe the wholesale market’s daily operations, offering indirect engagement with the facility’s core functions. Tiered seating areas connect the ground-floor plaza to the public market zone, serving as seating, informal event spaces, and a transition between the urban fabric and the waterfront. This layout ensures seamless interaction between commercial activities and public use, enhancing the market’s role as a community hub.
Public Spaces and Ecological Integration
Through Blackwattle Bay’s renewal strategy, public accessibility is extended across over 6,000 square meters of open spaces. A newly constructed waterfront promenade links the site to Sydney’s 15-kilometer foreshore trail, connecting Rozelle Bay to Woolloomooloo. Plazas at both ends of the market, complemented by Aspect Studios’ landscape design, incorporate wetland plants and biofiltration systems. These features are designed to manage stormwater runoff and improve the site’s ecological conditions, blending urban development with environmental stewardship.
Environmental Initiatives Beyond the Building
The project’s environmental commitment extends beyond the building envelope to the harbor itself. During construction, Seabin devices were installed, filtering billions of liters of water and capturing millions of pieces of plastic debris. Additionally, seawall tiles, coral slabs, and suspended fish habitats have been introduced to support marine biodiversity along the foreshore. Replacing mid-20th-century warehouses that were converted for market use, the new development turns the Sydney Fish Market back toward the harbor, prioritizing public access, visibility, and waterfront connectivity while retaining its essential role in the seafood industry.
Regional Impact and Future Framework
As the first completed component of Blackwattle Bay’s transformation, the fish market establishes a framework for the area’s future development. It treats infrastructure, public spaces, and landscape as interconnected elements in revitalizing the urban waterfront. The project demonstrates how industrial and civic functions can coexist harmoniously, setting a precedent for sustainable urban renewal in coastal cities.
Global Architectural Developments Update
In other international construction news, Zaha Hadid Architects’ design for OPPO’s new headquarters campus in Shenzhen’s Greater Bay Area has made significant progress with the start of facade installation. Meanwhile, Coldefy, in partnership with Relief Architecture, has completed the Robert Badinter Secondary School in northern France. In Germany, MVRDV’s 30-hectare Heilbronn Artificial Intelligence Park of Innovation (IPAI) has broken ground, aiming to become an international hub for responsible AI research and collaboration. These projects join Sydney’s fish market in shaping the next generation of architectural and urban development worldwide.
