Presenter to be confirmed

Christopher Wilkinson
Founding Director
Individuals, London

Todd Nisbet
Executive Vice President - Strategy and Development
Crown Resorts, Melbourne

An “Inhabited Sculpture” Sets a New Tone for Sydney

One Barangaroo forms part of the wider transformation of Barangaroo, a significant urban renewal project of a disused industrial site on the western waterfront of Sydney’s CBD. This is now Sydney’s tallest building, providing an impressive new visual marker for the waterfront’s regeneration at the northwest corner of the CBD. Taking advantage of the spectacular site, the building’s curvilinear form offers inhabitants dramatic views to the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, while creating a refreshing contrast to the orthogonal geometry of nearby tall buildings. At ground level, the building is articulated to align with key routes from the waterfront to the west, towards parks to the east and north, by allowing permeability through the site. High-end cafés, bars, shops and restaurants line the promenade.

As a new landmark and Sydney’s first-ever six star-hotel, the building plays an important role in the transformation of Barangaroo as the city’s first carbon-neutral precinct. The main design concept is based on a narrative for an “inhabited sculpture,” comprising three “petals” that twist together as they rise up to form a hotel and residential tower. One petal peels out to form the main hotel accommodation, which sits above a curvilinear, four-story podium, with protruding terraces set behind a delicate veil of marble tracery. With a historic reference to Gothic stone tracery, the veil provides some shade and lightens the appearance of the podium. The upper floors of the podium provide open terraces containing swimming pools, a tennis court and other leisure facilities. The sculptural form of the building catches the light in different ways throughout the day, as well as providing spectacular panoramic views.

This awards category sponsored by: