Interior Design Award of Excellence: Sixty Martin Place, Sydney
Tony Grist
Principal
HASSELL, Sydney
Lara Hutcheson
Development Manager
Investa Property Group, Sydney
A Place for Civic and Public Engagement
Conceived of as an integrated workplace, the shared and common spaces at Sixty Martin Place form collaborative, flexible zones where casual meetings occur, interactive events can be staged, and the workplace can extend from a tenancy into an indoor/outdoor amenity. People are drawn into the space by views of the heritage backdrop of the newly revealed south façade of St. Stephen's Church, also a subtle nod to how churches have historically helped define public space. Modern art installations sit on the boundary between the project’s interior and exterior, pulling visitors into the main atrium space, where a four-story art piece is on display.
A new grand space, the “Civic Room,” enhances casual interaction and the exchange of ideas by allowing direct cross-site public access from Martin Place to Macquarie Street, mimicking the spontaneity of a town square. These meetings and interactions are supported by a “stoop,” where both planned and unplanned presentations or events can take place. Adjacent to this, a multipurpose room, flanked by a coffee bar, is available to tenants to host meetings or events with visitors. Further providing gathering spots and permeability between levels is a generously proportioned, five-story staircase. This blend of steps and seating provides a varied terrain of socialization options, relating to both the level of Martin Place and the adjoining Macquarie Street.
