Danish-based architect 3XN announced that it has won the commission to design Quay Quarter Tower at 50 Bridge Street, a 200-meter mixed-use high-rise near the city's iconic Opera House.
The project represents the first major project designed by a Danish architect in Sydney since Jørn Utzon designed the landmark Opera House in 1973.
The tower comprises a series of shifting glass volumes stacked upon each other. By dividing the building into five separate volumes and placing atria throughout each volume, the spaces become smaller, more intimate social environments, encouraging building occupants to connect and interact.
Rather than face directly into the adjacent building at 33 Alfred Street, the lower levels of the tower are angled west to capture the energy and movement from the surrounding neighborhood. As the building rises, the northern façade shifts to the east enhancing the views.
Rotating the tower also creates a collection of exterior terraces that are directly linked to the multi-level interior atria, which will contain shared amenity spaces for tenants in each block. These common amenity spaces provide stunning views both vertically and horizontally and bring daylight deep into workspaces while promoting collaboration and interaction.
“This project looks at the high rise in an entirely new way, from both the inside out and outside in,” said Kim Herforth Nielsen, Founding Partner and Creative Director of 3XN. “Its dynamic, shifted massing maximizes views for all of the building’s users while also creating expansive open spaces that encourage the possibility for interaction, knowledge sharing and vertical connectivity.”
The firm teamed with Arup to design the building for developer AMP Capital.
Related Stories
| May 8, 2014
Infographic: 4 most common causes of construction site fatalities
In honor of Safety Week, Skanska put together this nifty infographic on how to prevent deadly harm in construction.
| May 8, 2014
Sporting events in style: Infographic showcases novel stadiums of the world
UK precast concrete maker Banagher, which specializes in precast stadia solutions, has assembled a list of the world's top stadiums in terms of architectural and structural design.
| May 7, 2014
Design competition: $900,000 on the line in Las Vegas revitalization challenge
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman wants your economic development ideas for remaking four areas within the city, including the Cashman Center and the Las Vegas Medical District.
| May 6, 2014
'Beyond' is artist's cinematic take on 2.5 years of development in the UAE
Seven-minute video offers a time-lapse trip through the built environments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
| May 6, 2014
'Ugliest building in New Jersey' finally getting facelift
After a decade of false starts and mishaps, the American Dream mall in the Meadowlands may finally get built.
| May 5, 2014
Toronto residential tower to feature drawer-like facade scheme
Some of the apartments in the new River City development will protrude from the building at different lengths, creating a drawer-like "push-pull" effect.
| May 5, 2014
Tragic wired glass injury makes headlines yet again
In the story, a high school student pushed open a hallway door glazed with wired glass. His arm not only broke the glass, but penetrated it, causing severe injuries. SPONSORED CONTENT
| May 3, 2014
Health system capital planning for the future: The benefits of master plan portfolio analysis and ambulatory market modeling
Money continues to be scarce, yet U.S. health systems need to invest and re-invest in their physical future. Healthcare facilities planning experts from CBRE Healthcare outline tools and strategies for identifying where to best allocate precious resources.
| May 3, 2014
4 easy steps to being a great project manager
Managing a team of people, especially creative people, is a task that not everyone is up for. Keeping your team on the same page while maintaining a schedule and budget that can keep your corporation happy will take confidence and bountiful people skills. Here are some tips for effectively managing a project. SPONSORED CONTENT