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
| Mar 27, 2012
Hollister Construction completes LEED Silver bank in Woodland Park, N.J.
Ground-up construction project included installation of solar panels.
| Mar 26, 2012
Jones Lang LaSalle completes construction of $536M Parkview Regional Medical Center
Hospital ushers in new era of local access to advanced medical treatments in Northeast Indiana.
| Mar 26, 2012
McCarthy tops off Math and Science Building at San Diego Mesa College
Designed by Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker, the new San Diego Mesa College Math and Science Building will provide new educational space for students pursuing degree and certificate programs in biology, chemistry, physical sciences and mathematics.
| Mar 26, 2012
Los Angeles County to host free green building training
Opportunity for residential and commercial building professionals to gain insight on state and county green building standards and regulations.
| Mar 26, 2012
Ball State University completes nation's largest ground-source geothermal system
Ball State's geothermal system will replace four aging coal-fired boilers to provide renewable power that will heat and cool 47 university buildings, representing 5.5-million-sf on the 660-acre campus.
| Mar 22, 2012
Hawaiian architecture firm chooses FRP trellis system over traditional materials
MGA Architecture plans to add five more trellis systems on the neighboring building.
| Mar 22, 2012
Moline Public Library uses copper as an exterior building material
Architects incorporate decorative copper panels to create the look of a heavy plate copper shingle.
| Mar 21, 2012
10 common data center surprises
Technologies and best practices provide path for better preparation.
| Mar 21, 2012
ABI remains positive for fourth straight month
Highest spike in inquiries for new projects since 2007.
| Mar 21, 2012
Iowa’s Mercy Medical Center’s new Emergency Department constructed using Lean design
New Emergency Department features a "racetrack" design with a central nurses' station encircled by 19 private patient examination rooms and 2 trauma treatment rooms.