OMG Digital Magazine OMG Issue 275 7th September 2017 | Page 51

OMG Digital Magazine | 275 | Thursday 7 September 2017 • PAGE 51
GRIMSHAW UNVEILS SYDNEY OFFICE TOWER DESIGNED
TO APPEAL TO THE “MILLENNIAL WORKER”
Jessica Mairs
Grimshaw has revealed plans for an office tower
overlooking Sydney harbour, which will comprise three
district sections and a curving roofline that references
the vaulted shells of the nearby Opera House. The building will comprise
three interlinking sections,
lending it the appearance of
not one, but three towers.
London-based Grimshaw designed the AU $90 million
(£55 million) scheme for a plot spanning 210-220
George Street. The two tallest elements –
one completely glazed and
the other opaque blockwork
– will span 26 storeys and be
joined by chunky expressed
slabs. The third, a lower rise
block, will feature double-
height floors framed by
arching fins of concrete.
Terraces cantilevered from
its facade will face onto
George Street.
The tower, which will take the name of the lot, will also
be bounded by Alfred, Pitt and Daley streets, an area
just inland from the Circular Quay harbour.
Grimshaw's
design
is
intended to appeal to the
"millennial worker" that the
newly developing district
aims to attract – innovators
in the creative, technology
and finance sectors.
Sitting alongside the Barangaroo development, the
regeneration of the site is part of a major overhaul of
the city's waterfront.
"Sydney is uniquely placed to attract and retain 21st-
century talent, we see the opportunity to create a
leading-edge workplace that inspires the day-to-day
working lives of its occupants, enlivens the public
realm and adds vibrancy to city life," said Grimshaw
managing partner Andrew Cortese.
Taller towers flanking the site will block
many of the views towards the harbour,
but a room set right at the top of the
glazed portion of the scheme will be
afforded a glimpse of the Opera House. The
curving ceiling of this room is designed to
reference the vaulted shells of Jørn Utzon's
iconic 20th-century design.
A double-height lobby and shopping
area will be set in the base of the tower
adjoining George Street, while plans for
the basement may include a public art
gallery, and restaurants and bars that aim
to offer a "thriving night-time economy".
Construction on the scheme, designed by
Sydney-based property developer Poly
Australia, is due to begin in early 2019 and
complete in 2022.
The district on the edge of the central
business district is also set to become
home to a new metro station by Foster
+ Partners and a pair of residential high-
rises by Renzo Piano, while Rogers Stirk
Harbour + Partners has just completed
a trio of skyscrapers that are the centrepiece for the
development.