ROCK OF AGES 420 George Street, Sydney's new centrepiece. is a contemporary miXed-use development with an historical context and an eye to the future
•we t.aveereatedaeonterrporaryadcfition boo
These pages Rbirg .?B stol'6'~
The eonundrumfa<::ing mc6t <::oSfn)politan big
•to.e Sydro'f's CBO, 420 ~eStreet Is expressed as
theg;-owing need b"comrrerciat property without
provi:fes an active pubic nid·blcxk link, while
sa:rifi:ing t he heritageelerrents within their central
econciling theeon-ple<ity a eorrpeting uses and
busiJwess dlstrbts. Situa\;0 bet¥.-een two isted buittinQS ofsorre beals igni Canee, and occupied by two rather less distinguished structuteS, Including the Harry Seidler designed Midcity Cente, wa.s a site in Sydney's
maximising tn.,.. elficlellcy." Munay Colermn, rranagiOQ d ire:torof Lend Lease's project rronagerrent and construction business In Australia. says theexpertlseof those i'lvohe:J, as wei as an a.t.tility to incorp:uateworkl best practices ensun!dthe end result. •caretul project management and innovative constructbn oo&.Jtbns hawe been applied to rreet thechall'!n93$ pos:ed bj thesite's bcalion: Known as 420 GEOrgeStoeel, tne project is
Motontmstlrq\Oiurres, a solid 913 rite vollrre to usi rg tl'e c:ore arcla bansparent ~a:.dvc:ture towinQ tte oHi;e;. ne Wil pxlium reinterplleis tte h61oric wrmcularof tte ad):li'lirg l'tlritag3 OOil::tirgs into a m:dem a~titeelur3 1 la!'Qu~
c~l:$ around
tile w.-orld Is how to accOfl"'i"Y"l;)dte
CBD that was prirre for redeveloprre:nt, says
archl ect Ph *IP VWiall, dltector at Bates Smart. --rhechallef193WaoS to insert a larQ~scale nixed• use buii:Jing with retail and OOI'I"'"'t'.eiCial space searrtessly Into the fabr'C of the el y.
the city that respects Its hlstorC r.eighboors and
These pages FAmeless vitrines ptD\~ visual ent&em!l'nt for p!l&sellby. ne ~il pocliJm link$ Geof'Q3 Street with the Pitt Sl~ P!OeStri•n fYllll.
essentially three diffe~ent builcings in one, each
neighOOurs. Sandst.one btades recal thei' pilas:ters,
requltil"'9 a separate treatrrent. The first, and !XJSSibly rrost significant, is the
whUealurl'iniuf"no'Ciad hoftzoota!S IE!ference corni:e
retail pcx:liul1'\ whCh ad.bils the two heriage prop· ert.De:$. Tt11ough the use o f like rmteriaiS and seate,
esult, never te1o1e ~ealSe::l in Sydney."
the ~XJc:tiumcreates a contem~XJtary ~hitectural
rise campus f b::arpta'=s connec:ted by a 10-storey
\anguag3: th•t is cistilot, b ut not unfamiliar. '"The way the l))cfum relates to the lnterm:diate scale of the streetscape sets a new bench marl< in
atri.Jm to the nor1h. The naturaly ventiate::l attiUrT\
rrodern interpretation of t heoi y's
he~.
and is
one ot the p.oj!ct~ true successes._" sa)'$ VIvian.
· uncorrpronisingly mx:tern in its teat rrent, the podium leintetprds the rhythm estabislled by its
lines within an abst~aet conwsition- a substant ial The second e!etret~t to the bukting is the low·
expr'e$$Ed by a setbaCk in the tac.are, is Ohe or the b uil:iing'ssQniti.:ant ESO feat ures, p.ovid ing privacy from an adjoining builcing, ancladnitting
1\;lht 10 bOUl. Thethirdeterrertt is theafCetov~er, utilising a
$icl3 COle desgn that rrexinises theo~n n6S$ (;(
TMM tt*DM TM •v•stcr-ey or•c:elobby., OOmrnated by tht Horc:ultW> V·ohopod cohnn. which <hws lhe atttntJon ~ds to. ~ tha.lllrl t1m nmes he 01•~
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nooc platet and mu·tmt$&& SOlar gam from lht non.n '7he Side eore de$gn ancws e contiguous 1\oof plate ..mere everyone 1s COI"W'MM:t&d. promoong gf&ar.I!Jf odlabetattetl.· :tay$ VM&n .-It II lhe ntXI generattcr'lln otfJce de$gn end we're see~~ CM
marke;place COlling
to: ttu type ol d801!1' mo<o end
mae tOCJJMIIy ·AJso.•n lhsn~. l:he Slldecxwe dHtgnha ...., dSMCt beoohts Frsdy. dUr "'ews to 1ht
so.Hh adCI ro h c:werall amenery ot the ~ct areas. snd $ecordy, hi!'Ang l:he• 8fN$ on the IOUt'l •dl
Tln he mNnt that a canb1naacn 01 a penn&ter c:h~led bNm ayatem enc1 o hybnd IO'N-Iempe~a..-e
VM'IabltM voklmt. cw-VAV, sy$1.tm ere sufiaent lO
m81'1tan a e<mfor~• 'NIJt'k"' CW"Mrorment wJ!tln lhl oftce set~ 1hnt end OCher n IHIIII\19$ hlwe been respo !Sible ra 1ht buldlng 8Ct'oew1Q o 5.Stlr Gr...-. s.. Ofb
Dolo'> IV2l ra>no -the "'"~ceo commeraal ,..,... . to dl>ao
<120 Goaoo Snot hos also boon
""'ordod o • 5 5I.- NABERS Enorgyrallng
of 1he Site - 1he - S i d e - greally rtd.Jcos tlt h&at toad tot mechaniCal COOling ..
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LO<olioo <20 G""ge St. s,.1r>o1 Ci tnt F<rtm Ftn:D ~11'11. Auslnl•*" PnM
PT-1)'FIIldt Atclllited Sa;ij:$ Stlara. disiSJl cirector, ~-...ean. prqect -""· S.monSW>noy. prqoct-. Anchw
,_p
Cdln}!lo Coosbuction compaAJ Lend Leas.
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Structural engineer lend leas• f.1echuic.al and eleehic.al serrlces Aa.wecO"' Fire prohdiort and hydraulic. strYic:u Warren Sm1f'l and Patrners Fin tnginttring Oetll'e Tr-ansport and hallie Arup Tnnspct1auon Pla.I'Rr'\g
Enwlfumelllal (With) N\C>Eiwlrorwttnt• Semtc En'ktn•tntal lendltaM Htthtt unauhnt OnoCwtw•u &PaiNs Plaoolnt JeAI.I't>onPtamngc.n..A•'" Vtrtk -lllfaupMIIUo• AA.reccn
Accts.s Moms &oekli!'IIJ eon...•ng
luUcUng outinln'-1 Mcf;~t GrQJP 'teltct mantttmtnl lend l•w lands"pe archfttd Aspe(lltndsctpeArc:hten.n
Sur..yof Otnny Lllkw &Co Archatologlc at EAM AUSirt~a Gtottchnlctl Cofll1 Gtoltctnc:s
Acoustic consultant Atup AcouSIICS
Stoty by J~,&~t ln Foott
Facadt tnginttring Afup Facade Engneenng
Photognphy by Otnny Klldau