The Exchange story

PHOTOGRAPHY MARTIN MISCHKULNIG

This project by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma is a multi-use civic building comprised of a public library, childcare and commercial uses. It includes a fresh food market and restaurants. It was planned as a part of the large urban development in the active area of Darling Harbour, Sydney. The site within the development is like a small pocket among high-rise buildings and is characterised by rigid geometry and hard surfaces. The urban design strategy for The Exchange is to create an architectural form in harmony with the square, which can merge with the landscape and preserve a human scale using natural materials to produce a tangible and comfortable building.

Surrounded by residential blocks, retail at the lower levels, and an active flow of people along the boulevard, the site is a nodal point. We therefore chose a non-directional architectural form so that it would be accessible and recognisable from all directions. The circular form reflects and promotes the vibrant and active neighbourhood of the Darling Square Precinct with its diverse mix of users.

The ground floor plane is conceived as an extension of the Square. A fully glazed façade enables the space to be open, transparent and accessible from all directions. It promotes interaction with the active street life and free flow of people, offering opportunities for the community’s daily use. The middle levels of the building are dedicated for public use. To express the active and diverse nature of the building, a dynamic geometry was created through a shifting of floor plates. By shifting floor plates, comfortable and active outdoor terraces are created at each level that suit the use for its function. Timber was selected for the building envelope in order to offer natural texture to the neighbours. An organic timber screen wraps around the shifting floor plates. The timber strips filter the natural light and provide a soft texture to the interior space. It is the architects’ intent to express architecture as a part of natural elements, like a tree or a nest, in a playful and primitive manner. www.kkaa.co.jp