Makeover for iconic Sydney laneway

Angel Place, the iconic cobblestone laneway in the heart of the CBD, is set to undergo a significant transformation, according to a City of Sydney announcement last week.

As part of the makeover, the laneway will receive new granite paving, new decorative and street lighting, raised curb extensions to calm traffic and a new storm water system.

The transformation is part of a $9 million program initiated last year to attract businesses and bring people back to city’s laneways.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said: “Angel Place is one of our secret gems, a laneway that’s fallen between the cracks of surrounding high rises. It’s a pocket with so much potential.

“Laneways are ideal places for small bars and cafes, pop-up outlets, galleries and new retail spaces – the sort of places that make Sydney more interesting.”

The centrepiece of the transformation will be the permanent return to Angel Place of the Forgotten Songs art project.

The project features an installation of 120 empty bird cages suspended above the laneway to be accompanied by the recorded sounds of 129 species of native birds.

Many of the species of birds which will be heard, had historically inhabited the Tank Stream area before the CBD’s rapid development pushed them to the outer fringes of Sydney and in some cases, towards extinction.

The artwork was created specifically for the city’s laneways by Michael Thomas Hill, Dr Richard Major, Richard Wong and David Towey.

“I’m thrilled this unique and much-loved artwork will return to Angel Place, so people can again wander through this hidden laneway and lose themselves in its inspiring sounds,” the Lord Mayor said.

Angel Place is already home to the well-known City Recital Hall, which was built in 1999 as the first specially designed concert venue to open in the city since the Opera House.

The proposed upgrade will also make it a safer pedestrian link to George Street, Pitt Street, Ash Street and Martin Place, which the City hopes will stimulate a renewed interest and vibrancy in the laneway.

Construction is set to start in late April and is due for completion by October this year.