Yagan Square
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 "Wirin" by artist Tjyllyungoo. | |
 Interactive map of Yagan Square | |
| Namesake | Yagan |
|---|---|
| Area | 1.1 ha (2.7 acres) |
| Location | City of Perth |
| Coordinates | 31°57′02″S 115°51′31″E / 31.950589°S 115.858559°E |
| North end | Northbridge |
| South end | Central business district |
| North | Roe Street |
| East | Horseshoe Bridge |
| South | Wellington Street |
| West | ECU City |
| Construction | |
| Construction start | February 2016 |
| Inauguration | March 3, 2018 |
| Other | |
| Status | Pedestrian |
| Website | Official website  |
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 ECU City campus in the eastern part of the Perth City Link precinct,[1] occupying 1.1 hectares (2.7 acres).[2] It is named after the Aboriginal warrior Yagan.
The design of Yagan Square has taken into account its place of significance to the indigenous people on whose land it was 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.[3] The square has pedestrian access points from Roe Street in the north, Karak Walk 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. To its immediate west is Edith Cowan University's multi-storey inner city campus, ECU City, as well as the eastern passenger entrance to the underground Perth Busport.
On the south-western corner of Yagan Square is a 45-metre-high (148 ft) "digital tower",[4] with a wrap-around display screen 30 metres (98 ft) in width and 14 metres (46 ft) in height.[5] Fourteen columns rising from the middle of the tower represent the fourteen Noongar language groups.[6] The tower has been used to display artwork and short films,[7] as well as livestreamed events such as the AFL Grand Final and other sporting events,[8][9] a satellite launch in 2021,[10] and a solar eclipse in 2023.[11] 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.[12]
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)".[13][4] "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.[14]
Taking up most of the eastern half of Yagan Square is a 1000-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, film screenings, 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 Stories hospitality complex, which also contains a children's playground.[15]
