Surry Hills 2001
This mixed use office building consists of a 200 sq. m. ground floor cafe and 2 full upper floor commercial levels of 600 sq. m. on a busy corner site in Surry Hills. Maximum advantage of its high exposure and corner location was gained by increasing the height of the building by an additional floor beyond Council code. Approval from departure from the code was achieved on urban planning grounds and the desirability for corner sites to act as markers in neighbourhood village block contexts like this. The building footprint covers the entire site with open space provided above the ground with private commercial terrace break-out spaces.
The orientation of the building allowed for complete glazing to the southern and eastern facades. This achieved excellent exposure for the retail space at ground level while the commercial space above took advantage of natural light and ventilation. An intricate system of openable “shugg” windows to the south facade offers pleasant natural ventilation from a quiet side street while a double glazed skin to the short front facade prevent excessive traffic noise entering the building. The blank north and west facade exclude undesirable heat and are of solid masonry construction. The top floor roof includes raised clerestory windows which can be opened to induce air movement.
The building is a striking contribution (albeit contrast) to the streetscape by day and night and achieved unprecedented retail and commercial yields on completion and to the present time.