HOBART.- Encompassing nearly an entire city block in the centre of Hobart, ‘In the Hanging Garden’ is a live music and cultural precinct opening to the public at 8pm on Wednesday 5 June, to coincide with the start of Dark Mofo 2019. After the festival concludes, the precinct will remain open and operated by DarkLab year-round, seven days a week.

Award-winning Fender Katsalidis Architects has designed this first stage development of the precinct with the Odeon Theatre at its heart, encompassing the renovated former Tattersall’s Hotel, and extensive outdoor dining, beer garden, and entertainment areas with food trucks, rotating pop-up kitchens with local businesses, and night markets.

Extending access through adjoining properties fronting Liverpool Street, Watchorn Street, and Murray Street, this is the first stage activation welcoming cultural activity into the site, allowing community feedback to help guide Riverlee and DarkLab’s future masterplan. The joint vision is to transform the site into a broader cultural precinct for the city with private capital investment expected to exceed $200 million, promising significant flow-on effects to the Tasmanian economy.

As a company, Riverlee is dedicated to cultural developments that are responsive to their community, Riverlee Development Director David Lee said.

“It was actually David’s [Walsh] suggestion that at first, we open up our doors and let the city in. We agreed that before we can design a ‘cultural’ precinct for the people, we first need to bring the people into the precinct—to give them the opportunity to explore the site, interact with the space, and to create their own culture.

“It has been an enjoyable journey thus far, and we are both excited and humbled with the opportunity to partner with DarkLab on this project, to deliver something truly unique for the city. And with our partners, we are committed to our vision—to transform this site into a vibrant cultural precinct for the city and the people of Hobart.”

DarkLab Director Leigh Carmichael said if Hobart is to assert its reputation as a cultural leader in Australia, these types of projects are essential.

“We have a vision for this site to become a significant cultural facility in the heart of Hobart. We hope it inspires a reinvigorated CBD, and that other businesses can also capitalise. There is momentum building in Hobart at present, and this project has the potential to be a game-changer for the city centre.”