Quay Quarter Tower
An innovative and engaging high rise
3XN’s innovative design for the 49 story ‘Quay Quarter Tower’ will revitalize AMP Capital’s site, located close to the Opera House, into a vibrant destination for international and local businesses. The new tower will engage in an open dialogue with the skyline while also integrating itself into community life at the street level.
courtesy by 3xn
With its design, the new high-rise project looks at the ‘high rise’ in an entirely new way, from both the inside out and outside in. Its dynamic, shifted massing maximizes views for all of the building’s users while also creating expansive open spaces that encourage the possibility for interaction, knowledge sharing and vertical connectivity.
Five separate volumes stacked upon each other
The 200-meter-high tower comprises a series of shifting glass volumes stacked upon each other. By dividing the building into five separate volumes and placing atria throughout each volume, the spaces become smaller, more intimate social environments, encouraging building occupants to connect and interact.
courtesy by 3xn
Rotation of the building
Rather than face directly into the adjacent building at 33 Alfred Street, the lower levels of the tower are angled west to capture the energy and movement from the surrounding neighborhood. As the building rises, the northern façade shifts to the east. This rotation not only enhances views over the Opera House and Harbour but helps self-shade the northern façade from the harsh afternoon sun, creating a passive sustainability feature.
courtesy by 3xn
Rotating the tower also creates a collection of exterior terraces that are directly linked to the multi-level interior atria, which will contain shared amenity spaces for tenants in each block. These common amenity spaces provide stunning views both vertically and horizontally and bring daylight deep into workspaces while promoting collaboration and interaction.
courtesy by 3xn
Upcycling Existing Core
3XN’s design incorporates 2/3 of the structure of an existing building located on the site. The AMP Centre located at 50 Bridge Street which dates to 1976, was in need of a significant upgrade to meet modern market demands. In an act of radical sustainability, 3XN will incorporate the majority of the existing structure, adding four new elevator shafts to the core. Given the solar envelope and other contextual restraints, the design adds approximately 45,000m2 of new construction primarily on the north side of the building. The design optimizes the embodied energy and resources inherent in existing building and results in a remarkably efficient plan.
courtesy by 3xn
Project Info
Architects: 3XN
Location: Sydney, Australia
Developer: AMP Capital
Area: 102000.0 sqm
3XN Team: Kim Herforth Nielsen, Jan Ammundsen, Bo Boje Larsen, Fred Holt, Jeanette Hansen, Maria Tkacova, Lola Rieger, Andrea Baresi, Audun Opdal, Aste Henriksen, Jack Renteria, Jens Johansen, Carol Lau, Jes Tonsgaard Andersen, Oskar Nordström, Piotr Orlowski, Sang Yeun Lee, Torsten Wang, Rasmus Møller, Carlos Fernandez, Louise Villumsen, Sebastian le Dantec Reinhardt
Partners
Engineer: Arup / Executive
Architect: BVN
Year: 2018
Type: Tower, Office Building
Photographs: Courtesy of 3XN
