As part of the ongoing development on Hobart's waterfront, Princes Wharf has been renewed to make a new public space for the people of Tasmania, suitable for a variety of activities and events. The area initially renewed incorporates Princes Wharf Shed 1 and its immediate surrounds including the forecourt and part of Castray Esplanade.

 

The Masterplan for the Salamanca Place links the revamped PW1 shed with the other side of Salamanca Square using new pedestrian ramps and paths which align with existing lanes to integrate the whole area into a new pedestrian urban precinct.

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The 1938 Princes Wharf Shed, as the oldest of Hobart's waterfront storage sheds, has been largely retained as is, with improvements to accessibility, infrastructure, activation, flexibility and environmental management capabilities. The 'Shed' has been home to the Taste Festival over the Christmas and New Year period for 20 years, but for the remainder of the year was under utilized and not easily accessible.

 

The renewal of the site has focused on increasing the Shed's functionality and flexibility to support a wide range of public uses as well as now being capable of hosting small to large scale events from rock concerts to formal theatre and 1000 seat banquets.

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Central to the adjacent Forecourt design is a new 28m by 28m formal square capable of use for a wide variety of events with banks of retractable seats being able to be placed to create an outdoor auditorium seating 700 with several different layouts. Overhead, a curved catenary structure comprising an interactive coloured LED light sculpture with fabric shadecloth sails will provide a dramatic backdrop. A wide variety of changing uses in the Forecourt complimenting the Shed has been designed to activate the space day and night.