The new Sydney Fish Market has opened as the largest public market hall operating in the southern hemisphere.
Designed by Danish-born, international architecture practice 3XN in association with Australian practices BVN and Aspect Studios, the project relocates the existing fish market in Blackwattle Bay to an adjacent site. The milestone concludes almost a decade of design, planning and construction, beginning with the call for designers in 2016. Development approval was secured in 2020.
The four-storey market building incorporates an underwater basement, administrative offices, an auction hall for live fish auctions, and a 12,200-square-metre market hall housing dining venues, specialty food shops and seafood vendors. It is expected to attract over six million domestic and international visitors each year.
Supported by 481 marine piles and 6,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement, the structure is crowned by an undulating 20,000-square-metre floating roof weighing 2,500 tonnes. Featuring 594 glulam timber beams and 407 pyramidal aluminium cassettes lined with photovoltaic panels, the roof generates energy, collects rainwater for reuse, and draws natural light into the interior.
Beneath the building, seawall tiles, coral panels and hanging fish habitats support marine life in Blackwattle Bay.
The 10.4-hectare site accommodates more than 6,000 square metres of public space, incorporating art installations intended to celebrate First Nations heritage and the area's industrial history along with native planting and seating. Stairs on all elevations connect the public realm to the market hall, with those facing Blackwattle Bay doubling as informal seating for elevated public dining.
Senior partner at 3XN Audun Opdal said the new market transforms an underutilised harbour area into a vibrant destination for both locals and visitors. "The fish market uniquely blends a fully functioning commercial operation with high-quality public space, delivering an authentic market experience rooted in the context of its prime waterfront location while enhancing the entire surrounding precinct," said Opdal.
A glass facade establishes visual connections between market activity, public space and the harbour.
Fred Holt, partner and Australia director at 3XN, said the design reverses the traditionally inward-looking nature of a fish market by placing "back-of-house operations on display and making the theatrics and intense choreography of seafood trading and movement part of the public experience. The recognisable SFM blue bins with fish on ice remain at the heart of it all, but now visitors can witness an authentic, behind-the-scenes performance of one of Sydney's biggest attractions."
