Plans have been submitted for another major development in Sydney’s burgeoning “Silicon Valley” tech hub around Central Station.
Designed by Fender Katsalidis and New York firm SOM with landscape architecture by Aspect Studios, the two-tower Central Place Sydney project would be built adjacent to the Atlassian headquarters designed by Shop Architects and BVN.
The scheme is the result of an invited design competition held between March and July 2020 and features two commercial towers of 37 and 35 storeys tall, with the larger tower appearing as two independent forms wrapping around the smaller tower. They are woven together by a low-rise “attractor” building anchoring the development and enlivening the precinct at street level. The “attractor” building is subject to further design refinements. Altogether the development will house around 155,000 square metres of office and retail space.
“The sculptural towers are shaped by the movement and civic connections at ground level and extend vertically into a ‘fine-grained’ skyline, orientated to address key vistas in a gateway configuration,” state the architects in planning documents. “The towers’ distinct shapes read as a family, while each retains its own identity in terms of height and scale, the dynamic forms emphasized by the articulated ‘smart awnings.’”
Central Place Sydney by Fender Katsalidis and SOM with landscape architecture by Aspect Studios.
In selecting Fender Katsalidis and SOM’s design, the competition jurors praised the scheme’s “urban proposition” in opening up the ground plane to create a simple contiguous space with Railway Square, Broadway and the adjoining sites. They also noted that the placement and configuration of the towers to the south and east of the site would reduce the apparent bulk and scale around Henry Deane Plaza, while the “attractor” building would contribute to activation and mediate the scale of the towers.
A City of Sydney Design Advisory Panel, considering the design in December 2020, supported the competition jury’s comments but also raised concerns about the design of the towers. The panel found there wasn’t a coherent design approach and “the proposed buildings do not exhibit design excellence.”
The design has been refined since then, with smart awnings and integrated louvres contributing to a passive shading strategy. “Each of these architectural features have been optimized for their location and orientation on the three tower forms, creating dynamic textures to the wall that change relative to the angle that they are being viewed, and their relationship to the adjacent tower forms,” state the architects.
Central Place Sydney by Fender Katsalidis and SOM with landscape architecture by Aspect Studios.
The facades would also be enlivened through extensive planting. “Planters are integrated into the end walls of the tower, providing self-shading, a biophilic connection to the workplace, and vertical landscapes of planting further emphasise the towers’ sculptural forms.”
The developers behind the $2.5 billion project in the government-backed tech hub are Dexus and Frasers Property Australia.
Central Place Sydney project director Kimberley Jackson said the project would be a key part of shaping Tech Central as Sydney’s tech and innovation hub.
“Central Place Sydney is a city-shaping development that will attract some of the best innovation and technology businesses to Sydney,” she said.
“The connectivity of the site to Australia’s busiest interchange, Central Station, and links to the neighbourhoods of Surry Hills, Chippendale, Eveleigh, Haymarket and Darling Harbour will contribute to a vibrant destination supporting Sydney’s 24-hour economy.
“The precinct will define the future of work and workplaces, incorporating the latest healthy building initiatives and powered by 100 percent renewable energy.”
Subject to approvals, the development is scheduled for completion in 2025.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
