SJB has designed a “boutique” commercial building for a prominent inner-city intersection at 117 Flinders Street, Surry Hills, in Sydney. Development approval was granted for an apartment building on the site in 2017 by the Land and Environment Court. SJB was also the firm behind that project, but the latest proposal indicated that a commercial building is better suited to the site.
The building will rise to four storeys along Flinders Street with an additional lower ground level along Hutchinson Place and basement levels throughout. The massing has been designed to correspond to adjacent buildings; on the northern edge level four is set back to allow the top volume and parapet to align with the building ay 99-115 South Dowling Street; and the southern end steps back in height and along South Dowling Street to match the scale of the adjacent terraced houses.
The Hutchinson Place elevation.
The rich textural material palette also seeks to reinforce the masonry character of Surry Hills while incorporating contemporary detailing to ensure the building speaks of its own period.
“Playfully combining interesting textures and surfaces, the use of a simple and high-quality material palette for the building’s interior and exterior creates a beautiful workplace with a timeless and sophisticated identity,” states SJB in planning documents.
“The blond brick facade provides a highly textural warm tone, complemented by the crisp colour-matched metalwork around windows, awnings and balustrades.”
Black Beetle Landscape Architecture and Design has drawn up landscape plans for the project, which is being developed by Stasia.
The estimated cost is $14.7 million. The development application is on exhibition until 11 December.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
