Competing against local firms such as Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp and BVN, AJ100 International Practice of the Year winner, Grimshaw, strives to win the £300 million Sydney tower.
The Casino Skyscraper, backed by the Star Entertainment Group (SEG), is going to be a 200m-tall hotel, residential and Casino standing in Sydney harbor, across the water from WilkinsonEyre’s proposed Crown Sydney Hotel Skyscraper at Barangaroo South.
According local reports, SEG aims to finish building the Casino tower of 220-hotel rooms mid/late 2020, a year before WilkinsonEyre is expected to complete its scheme.
WilkinsonEyre has won the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort project for the Australian billionaire James Packer after a high-profile international competition in 2013.
Matt Bekier, the chief executive of SEG, told that local press that while the Casino Tower will be contributing to Sydeny’s tourism, they look forward to engaging the community in the early design process and unveiling the initial designs.
“We’re delighted to have such highly-regarded, award-winning architectural firms involved in the competitive design process,” he told the press.
While the three designs by all finalist are expected to be revealed mid-October, Grimshaw’s design will be adopting the redevelopment scheme of SEG’s eponymous ‘entertainment precinct’, The Star, in Pyrmont.
Grimshaw firm has worked on many major projects in Australia including a contest-winning design for the Aspire Tower in Parramatta, the new North West Rail Link in Sydney, Recreation Centre in Sydney’s Green Square district and Gunyama Park Aquatic which they worked on with Andrew Burges Architects and is expected to be completed in mid 2019.
