Yagan Square is a public space and a component of the Perth City Link in Perth, Western Australia. It is situated between the Horseshoe Bridge and the Perth Busport in the eastern part of the Perth City Link precinct,[2] occupying 1.1 hectares (2.7 acres).[3] Construction of the square began in February 2016,[4][5][6][7] and it was opened on 3 March 2018.[8][9] It is named after the Aboriginal warrior Yagan.
Description
The design of Yagan Square has taken into account its place of significance to the indigenous people on whose land it is being built, the Noongar people of Perth, as well as the lakes that used to exist under what is now the Perth railway station and Wellington Street.[10] The square has pedestrian access points from Roe Street in the north, Karak Walk and the Busport to the west, Wellington Street to the south and from the Horseshoe Bridge to the east, with direct access from Perth railway station to Yagan Square under the Horseshoe Bridge in the south-east of the precinct.
On the south-western corner of Yagan Square is a 45-metre-high (148 ft) "digital tower",[11] with a wrap-around display screen 30 metres (98 ft) in width and 14 metres (46 ft) in height.[12] Fourteen columns rising from the middle of the tower represent the fourteen Noongar language groups.[13] The tower has been used to display artwork and short films,[14] as well as livestreamed events such as the AFL Grand Final and other sporting events,[15][16] a satellite launch in 2021,[17] and a solar eclipse in 2023.[18] After the abduction of Cleo Smith in October 2021, images of the missing child were displayed on the tower as part of the public appeal for information.[19]
Facing William Street, a 9-metre (30 ft) statue "Wirin", designed by Noongar artist Tjyllyungoo, represents the "sacred force of creative power that connects all life of boodja (mother earth)".[20][11] "Waterline", a 190-metre-long (620 ft) water feature designed by artist Jon Tarry, flows through the space, and Yagan Square also boasts a small grassed area and wildflower garden.[21]
Taking up most of the eastern half of Yagan Square is a 500-person capacity outdoor amphitheatre shaded by a light-up digital canopy in the shape of the former Lakes Kingsford and Irwin that once existed in the area. The amphitheatre has been host to concerts, live performances, and public exercise classes.
The amphitheatre is flanked to the north and south by two buildings containing food and beverage outlets: the Horseshoe Lane building and the under-construction Stories hospitality complex, a reconfiguration of the original Market Hall building that initially opened alongside the rest of the precinct. Although both original buildings had been praised for their architectural design, after opening the larger Market Hall saw a gradual exodus of tenants due to lower than expected visitor numbers caused by the building's indirect pedestrian access and mediocre visibility for the businesses inside, with some branding the Market Hall a "ghost town" and a "white elephant".[22] Acknowledging the failure of the initial configuration of the Market Hall,[23] the state government considered reconfiguring the space for other uses such as a farmer's market,[24] before announcing in October 2022 that the Market Hall will undergo a $8.4 million redevelopment into a five-level hospitality complex consisting of a number of restaurants, bars and a beer hall.[23][25] The Stories hospitality complex, which gutted the original Market Hall and added an additional two storeys to the existing structure, is expected to open in March 2024.[26]
Prior to its redevelopment the Market Hall also featured a children's playground and water play area on its upper level.[27]
Edith Cowan University's future multi-storey inner city campus, ECU City, will be located to the immediate west of Yagan Square.[1] Construction of the facility commenced in February 2023, with completion expected in late 2025 for classes to begin in 2026.[28]
