A TCL (Taylor Cullity Lethlean) led consortium has been awarded a high-profile contract to develop a masterplan for Darwin’s Civic and State Square precinct. The announcement was made at a press conference on Wednesday by Northern Territory Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Eva Lawler and the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Kon Vatskalis. “By building on the cooling projects underway around the CBD, we will create more open, green spaces for people to meet and experience the Territory’s outdoor lifestyle,” said Minister Lawler. The redevelopment project forms part of a landmark City Deal announced by the federal, territory and local governments in November 2018, which will inject $200 million into the rejuvenation of Darwin’s CBD. “We are thrilled to be working on such an important project for Darwin,” said TCL Director Lisa Howard. “We imagine a Square that reflects all that’s great about Darwin and the Territory – its extraordinary landscapes, rich cultures and unique way of life.” The square in Darwin’s central civic district has been used as a carpark and has been criticised for being hot, disjointed and unattractive. According to the City Deal, State Square is to become the “city’s pre-eminent outdoor event space will be a catalyst for broader city centre revitalisation.” The construction of a multi-level car park below State Square is the first step in the precinct's transformation. It will remove heat-conducting asphalt from the square to mitigate the urban heat island effecting Darwin. A new Art Gallery is also planned for the CBD. According to the NT Government, it will be an “attraction drawing visitors to Darwin and to the Northern Territory.” The TCL-led team includes Troppo, IrwinConsult, Northern Planning, Infraplan, Joshua Zuenert, Outside Design, Douglas Partners and Chris Erskine Visualisation, with a specialist advisory group made up of Hully Leveris, Donna Jackson, Samantha Wells, Clare Design, Danial Kelly, Petronells Vaarzon-Morel and Dick Kimbler. Work on the masterplan will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by mid-2019.