New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 30/12 | Page 12

it an ephemeral look. Plants in the atrium thrive on
that reflected light. The remaining 60% of the light
from the reflector frame is directed down into the
southern plaza.”
The heliostat is believed to be the first of its kind
to be used in a residential context in Australia, and
the largest of its type in the world used in an urban
environment. By night, the reflector frame becomes
a giant LED-illuminated multicoloured artwork, titled
Sea Mirror, by artist Yann Kersalé.
The monumental form of the tower is further
enhanced by the green walls that feature throughout One Central Park. Designed by French botanist

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Patrick Blanc, the vertical gardens cover more than
1200m2, across 23 panels.
“Every side of the building has a different
microclimate that needed to be taken into account
with the plant selection,” says Giles. “Plants were
also chosen to flower at different times of the
year, which is why there are 383 species, both
indigenous and imported. These all help to create
a discernible tiering of green, like a ribbon that
winds up the building. The plants are watered by a
gravity-feed system that pumps recycled water up
to the top of the building, where it is enriched with
nutrients, then drip-fed b ack down the facade.”

Below:The Best Tall Building
in the World, as voted by the
Council on Tall Buildings and
Urban Habitat (CTBUH), One
Central Park features walkways
on the retail podium. These are
illuminated by reflected natural
light from the heliostats.
Right:The reflector frame is
positioned to catch sunlight
reflected up from heliostats on
the roof of the lower building.
The height of the east tower
matches the 1960s UTS building
on the other side of the road.