Quay Quarter Tower Explained

Quay Quarter Tower
Location:50 Bridge Street, Sydney, Australia
Coordinates:-33.8631°N 151.2115°W
Status:Complete
Opening:1976
Building Type:Commercial
Height:188m (617feet) (1976–2018)
216m (709feet) (2022–present)
Floor Count:45 (1976–2018)
54 (2022–present)
Architect:PTW Architects
Developer:AMP Capital
Owner:Mirvac Wholesale Office Fund
Dexus Wholesale Property Fund
Rest
Main Contractor:Mainline
Ren Architect:3XN & BVN
Renovation Date:2018–2021
Ren Firm:AMP Capital
Ren Str Engineer:BG&E
Ren Contractor:Multiplex
Website:Official site

The Quay Quarter Tower is a skyscraper located at 50 Bridge Street, Sydney, Australia. Built as the AMP Centre in 1976, the structure underwent a redevelopment from 2018 to 2021 which increased its height, incorporated additional floorspace, and modernised the tower's entire form and design. The building re-opened as the Quay Quarter Tower in early 2022 and currently stands at a height of with 54 floors.

History

The tower in its original form as the AMP Centre was completed in 1976, consisting of 45 floors. It was used for commercial office space and was made up of concrete, glass, and steel. Designed by Peddle Thorp & Walker and built by Mainline. The centre's roof-height reached 188m (617feet), making it the tallest building in Sydney at the time of its completion, prior to the completion of the MLC Centre in 1977.[1] [2] From 2011 until 2017, the Port Authority of New South Wales had a radar on top of the building to track commercial shipping in Sydney Harbour.[3]

In 2013, Australian architectural practice BVN designed a new masterplan for the Quay Quarter Sydney precinct and a design envelope for a new tower. Together with AMP Capital and the City of Sydney, the BVN architects ran a design competition for Quay Quarter Tower. On 24 September 2014, the winning design from architect 3XN was revealed and BVN was appointed Executive Architect to collaborate with 3XN and develop their design concept for construction.

Approval for the project was finalised in November 2015 and construction began in early 2018.[4]

Multiplex was appointed lead contractor and with the work involving a rebuild and reclad of the building's entire exterior; increasing its height, incorporating additional floorspace, and modernising its overall physical form, design and façade.[5] The AMP Centre's internal core, along with 66% of its existing columns, beams and slabs and 95% of its internal walls, were retained as part of the redevelopment.[6] During initial stages of construction, the northern half of the original structure was dismantled, while the rest of the original exterior cladding was stripped off completely. Following this, a new northern section for the structure was gradually built, incorporating it with the existing core and the southern section of the building, which was also reclad in a corresponding new façade.[7]

Construction

The redevelopment resulted in a new height of 216m (709feet) with 54 floors, a completely new interior layout with twice the amount of total floorspace, and a new cantilevered exterior design. During construction, key-tenant AMP relocated its headquarters in March 2018 into the AMP Building at 33 Alfred Street, while all other commercial tenants found premises elsewhere in the city.[8] The building in its new form, now known as Quay Quarter Tower, was topped out in early 2021, before its completion in early 2022.[9] [10]

In November 2022, architects 3XN and BVN won the International High-Rise Award for Quay Quarter Tower,[11] [12] while in December of that year the building won the World Building of the Year Award at the World Architecture Festival.[13] [14]

Owned by AMP Capital Wholesale Office Fund, Dexus Wholesale Property Fund and Rest, tenants include AMP, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Deloitte, EQT and Johnson Winter Slattery.[15]

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20230315101051/https://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/sydney-tallest.html Sydney's Tallest Buildings
  2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110462333 $24.8m contract
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20200322195116/https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/news-and-publications/2017-news/shipping-radar-finds-new-home-in-sydney-harbour/ Shipping radar finds new home in Sydney Harbour
  4. https://corporate.amp.com.au/content/corporate/newsroom/2015/november/amp-capital-receives-stage-2-da-approval-for-quay-quarter-sydney.html AMP Capital receives Stage 2 DA approval for Quay Quarter Sydney
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20220125105715/https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/amp-names-builder-for-quay-quarter-secures-900m-boost-from-rest AMP Names Builder for Quay Quarter, Secures $900m Boost from Rest
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20220304215551/http://acehub.org.au/knowledge-hub/case-studies/quay-quarter-tower Quay Quarter Tower
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20211123091650/https://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/quay-quarter-tower-sydney/ Quay Quarter Tower, Sydney, Australia
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20210729102742/https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/amp-prepares-grand-exit-from-its-circular-quay-home-of-60-years-20210729-p58e14 AMP prepares grand exit from its Circular Quay home of 60 years
  9. http://media.amp.com.au/phoenix.zhtml?c=219073&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1970947&highlight= 3XN designs Sydney high rise
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20220127090451/https://www.arup.com/projects/quay-quarter-tower Transformational project in Sydney's Circular Quay
  11. https://web.archive.org/web/20230228133514/https://www.archdaily.com/991922/3xns-quay-quarter-tower-in-sydney-wins-the-international-high-rise-award-2022-23 3XN's Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney Wins the International High-Rise Award 2022/23
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20221206224236/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/from-low-raze-to-top-praise-sydney-high-rise-wins-international-architecture-prize-20221108-p5bwh6.html From low-raze to top praise: Sydney high-rise wins international architecture prize
  13. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sydney-tower-named-the-world-s-best-building-20221206-p5c44j.html Sydney tower named the world's best building
  14. https://web.archive.org/web/20230331013853/https://www.cnn.com/style/article/australia-quay-quarter-tower-skyscraper/index.html World's first upcycled skyscraper saves Australian tower from demolition
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20230126223109/https://www.ampcapital.com/au/en/media/articles/2022/september/retail-leases-snapped-up-at-quay-quarter-tower Retail leases snapped up at Quay Central Tower