Over the course of the Barangaroo Master Plan, R7 has transitioned from a tower with views over the water, to a low scale, grounded building with an emphasis upon connection to the public domain. Our design entry builds upon this trajectory by broadening the building thereby making an edge to the plaza and reinforcing the axial approach of Transport Place and the entry lobby of the C5 tower.
The building enjoys a prominent location within Transport Square. It has the potential to serve as an urban ‘knuckle’, linking a number of vital interchanges and forming one edge of Barangaroo’s only truly urban public space.
The architectural approach is to enrich the urban and retail strategies whilst introducing an architecture that contrasts the prevailing form and materiality of Barangaroo South. The recycled brick walls sets a strong edge to the plaza, whilst the tactility and patina of brick will endear the building to its users.
The architecture takes on a bi-polar character with well mannered street edges and dynamic, jewel-like roof. Surrounded by taller buildings, the roof must become the fifth facade.
To maximize commercial potential, our design proposes a layer cake of retail offerings that respond to the immediate conditions of the site.
Highly accessible food and beverage offerings are located at ground and mezzanine level to serve the thousands of people moving through transport place every day. A bistro/cafe set within a 5m high brick vaulted ceiling anchors the plaza edge. At mezzanine level a ‘hole-in-the-wall’ cafe and health food cafe trade off a public 'breakout space'. This space receives the sun in Winter between 12:30 and 2:30 making it a great, wind-sheltered lunchtime place with water views.
Levels 2 and 3 are more enclosed, discrete and quieter and accommodate office space for Sydney Ferries and a health and well-being retreat.
The rooftop is designed as a destination restaurant that is an intriguing temptation to everyone that overlooks it from the towers above. Restaurant patrons can gaze up through the glass roof at C5, Macquarie Bank, Former KPMG, Westpac Building and all the way to Australia Square in George Street.
‘Adaptive Comfort’ is achieved throughout the building by utilizing shading, natural ventilation, hydronic floor heating and high thermal mass masonry to moderate internal temperatures.
