New Sydney Fish Market

One of Australia’s best known visitor attractions, the new Sydney Fish Market brings together a major market hall, restaurants and cafes alongside extensive public realm on the foreshore of Blackwattle Bay. The upper-level market hall is sheltered by its large roof and exterior glass windbreak walls but remains open to sea breezes and sounds. These openable walls let cooling air move through the main trading areas, which step out to the new waterfront promenade.

Atelier Ten supported Infrastructure NSW (INSW) with a focused thermal comfort study for the upper ground level of the new market hall. The aim was to establish a realistic comfort baseline for a semi outdoor space, test likely performance, and identify any risk areas.

The intent was to deliver a shaded, weather protected space that felt like an authentic market rather than an enclosed retail setting. Temperature and air movement shift with the weather, and comfort is managed through passive design and operable openings.

The study considered comfort for both long stay workers and transient visitors, recognising their different expectations and tolerances. It tested both summer and winter conditions to understand seasonal variation. A baseline indoor environment was developed through simulation using informed assumptions on occupancy and internal loads, including refrigeration and ice storage, plus heat from cooking and lighting. Conditions were assessed across different parts of the hall, from the perimeter near operable openings to deeper internal zones.

Using PMV (a metric suited to longer duration occupants) and UTCI (a metric suited to more transient use), the modelling indicated comfort could be achieved for around 76 to 78 per cent of the year under PMV and 81 to 84 per cent of the year under UTCI, utilising façade operation to assist with air movement.

The study gave INSW and the broader team data backed confidence that the naturally ventilated approach was viable. It helped set realistic expectations for seasonal comfort and supported decisions that preserved the intended character rather than defaulting to additional mechanical systems.