Completed at Circular Quay in 1962, 33 Alfred Street is Sydney’s first skyscraper and a landmark of Sydney’s architectural evolution and history.
With award winning expertise in commercial, heritage, and adaptive reuse projects, JPW was selected in 2014 to work with the owners and City of Sydney to deliver the refurbishment of this iconic building.
At the heart of the renewal is the sensitive and innovative upgrade of the distinctive gold and aluminium curtain wall façade to meet contemporary workplace requirements and the return of the lustrous tiled end walls.
The original iridescent glass mosaic tiles of the end walls failed following completion and were overclad with dull precast pebblecrete for almost 60 years. Our proposal to reinstate tiled end walls was approved In 2020.
In collaboration with Surface Design and Urbis, and working with Koninklijke Tichelaar B.V. in Makkum, JPW studied remnant original tiles and led a meticulous process of sampling, dry lay, mock-up and prototyping to develop custom glazes to reflect the opalescent sheen, handmade quality of the original tiles and computer-generated patterns to echo the varied appearance of the original wall.
When complete, 33 Alfred Street will be a revitalised landmark office address overlooking Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour. The renewal and reuse of this significant 1960s commercial tower reflects our commitment to innovation, the heritage of our city and sustainability.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging – as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work; and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation on whose land our Studio is located.