Sydney, Australia, is seeing returns on the commitment it’s made to public art in recent years, announcing details of three prestigious works to launch the City Centre Public Art Plan. The works will be produced by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami, British artist Tracey Emin and Australian artist Hany Armanious.

The AU$9m ($8.4m, £5m, €6.3m) initiative tops off Sydney’s regeneration programme, central to which is the new light rail project and pedestrianisation of various urban spaces. With three big names on board to create debut installations, the city is setting the bar high. “By placing high quality public art in our urban spaces, the plan greatly contributes to Sydney’s social fabric and the quality of daily life for Sydneysiders,” the city states in its proposals. “The City Centre Public Art Plan aims to bring inspiring public art with a permanent legacy to Sydney’s residents and visitors.”

Ishigami will create Cloud Arch, a ribbon-like steel gateway outside Sydney Town Hall. Armanious’s work is called Pavilion, inspired by the milk crate, and it will be located in Belmore Park. Emin’s work consists of tens of hand-crafted bronze birds that will be perched along city streets.

The project is part of a wider drive toward “Sustainable Sydney 2030”. For Australia’s Museum of Contemporary Art director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, getting artists into the public consciousness is a major part of that. “By 2030 I would love to see our artists getting the kind of public recognition we give to our sports stars and celebrities,” Macgregor said. “Let’s get more artists to help visualise our public spaces and institutions – public and private.”