The Bayswater Station and Turnback project is a key METRONET project, currently in the early construction phase. The upgraded Bayswater Station will be both a thoroughfare for commuters and a significant destination in its own right.

Embedded within a vibrant town centre, home to a vocal and highly engaged community, it is critical that the Station and precinct design is sensitive to this unique context. Plans by Hassell look to improve and enhance connections across the railway, allow for easy access for public transport, pedestrians, and cyclists, and respond to the town centre character and context.

Public art has an important role to play in this precinct, with the potential to reflect community narratives and themes through site specific commissions, enhance amenity and aesthetics, and create moments of interest for daily commuters and visitors.

A well-researched Public Art Plan, Sense of Place Statement and procurement plan is required to deliver best practice public art, in line with the significance of this project and to meet the community’s expectations. These documents set out the directions, curatorial themes, sense of place and individual detailed opportunities for public art at Bayswater Station.

We worked with Evolve Bayswater’s design team, led by Hassell, to define Sense of Place statements and undertake a public art opportunities analysis. These were then formalised into a Public Art Plan for the station.

Our team, in close liaison with PTA and METRONET, then developed a bespoke expression of interest process, tailored to ensure emerging, local, Noongar and established artists are encouraged and empowered to apply for the opportunities at Bayswater Station.

The management of the expression of interest process included developing an online portal for submissions, facilitation of selection panels, liaison and coordination with key stakeholders including PTA, METRONET, and the City of Bayswater.

After garnering significant interest in the project through the EOI process, our team have since facilitated the shortlisting of artists for opportunities, managing the Artwork Selection Panel. We have been working closely with key stakeholders to develop the artist briefs, and reviewing contract documents.