1 Elizabeth, an innovative integrated transport development, has revitalised a city block into a pulsing civic heart that links Martin Place with the north-eastern CBD.
The project converges the new Sydney Metro Martin Place Station below, a civic whole-site public plaza, vibrant multi-level publicly accessible amenities, and a 37-level future-facing global financial headquarters designed specifically for Macquarie – its owner, occupier, and developer.
Completing a trio of landmark Hunter Street towers, the development addresses public spaces to the north.
As an integrated station development, providing access to sustainable transport, 1 Elizabeth is a sustainable location for high-density development. The tower design demonstrates how almost twice the floorspace normally permissible in Sydney’s compact centre can be accommodated while maximising public domain benefits.
The curvilinear and aerodynamic form responds to the Martin Place sun access controls, maximizes public sunlight and sky views, and addresses pedestrian wind conditions.
The tower responds sympathetically to the heritage-listed 50 Martin Place with a red Finnish granite base, and fins and terraces which strengthen streetwall continuity between 50 Martin Place and Qantas House
As a response to its sensitive context in Sydney’s compact central district, the tower has been shaped as a unique reflection of its specific time and place.
The tower’s axial symmetry, silver-faceted skin, and clear southern ‘lens’ echo the silver dome of 50 Martin Place.
The nationally significant 50 Martin Place, renewed in 2014 by JPW for Macquarie as its headquarters, is carefully and seamlessly integrated and connected with 1 Elizabeth at most levels including Ground Level and the podium roof.
On Gadigal land, 1 Elizabeth offers a permeable and connected public place for our time.
The tower is elevated above the street on a central colonnade of 15m high columns to draw light, air and outlook into a completely open central public plaza.
A monumental northern Hunter Street entry and entries on Elizabeth and Castlereagh streets connect visually, physically and environmentally to the adjacent streets and squares.
The central plaza is enriched with public art and landscaping, creating a destination of civic scale. The podium seamlessly integrates the station with retail, hospitality, landscaping, public art and an event venue.
The welcoming Sydney public space which encompasses the open ground level plaza and accessible lower tower amenities sets new standards for the contribution of commercial development to our diverse and vibrant city.
Places to wait, meet, eat, drink, recharge, and be inspired surround an atrium overlooking the metro platform 6 floors below.
Escalators draw people up into several levels of amenities including an art gallery, a two-level lobby overlooking the constant flow of people below, and an 1000-capacity double-height event venue.
First Nations Design Principles were established to weave Indigenous voices, landscaping and artworks into the project, including a permanent Acknowledgement of Country.
Artworks salvaged from the buildings previously standing on the site were meticulously conserved and reconstructed and now sit alongside new art commissioned for this project, creating dialogues between new and old.
The commercial tower is designed specifically to meet the vision of its occupier – Macquarie Group.
Central atria with stairs, landscaped terraces, and a glazed side lift-core deliver a connected workplace and a 6 Stars Green Star Design future-facing headquarters.
Integrating the heritage building and landscaped terraces delivers diverse floorplates and workplace typologies.
Occupants benefit from a uniquely innovative side-core arrangement that places the atria at the heart of the workplace with a vibrant stair and large-scale commissioned art connect the organisation.
The fully glazed liftwell side-lights the atria, provides natural light and views through all four elevations and the glass lift cars animate the interior and exterior in continual motion.
The vision and scope for the project required intensive, innovative and collaborative design processes to resolve unique functional and technical challenges inherent to a project of this scale and complexity, and to coordinate and unify a diverse range of inputs into a consistent and coherent whole.
The tower design fully integrates bespoke engineering and technical solutions which were required in response to unique floorplates, atria and stairs, a fully glazed liftshaft and a faceted façade in a curvilinear form.
The lower levels integrate station architecture, public artworks and landscaping, engineering and safety requirements in a coherent vibrant public space where the new Sydney Metro Martin Place Station atrium extends into the tower’s lower levels.
Sustainability was at the core of the project at every level of decision-making.
Key strategies to minimise operational carbon emissions included all-electric services, no carparking, generous end-of-trip facilities to encourage alternative methods of transport, a high-performance façade paired with low energy and high IEQ mechanical systems, and the utilisation of the glazed lift shaft both as a thermal buffer against the western heat loads and a source of natural light to reduce reliance on electric lighting.
Key design decisions have sought to reduce embodied carbon emissions including developing an efficient structure without transfers, material reduction such as exposing soffits in the workplace and minimising external façade features, and use of recycled materials including major elements such as carpet tiles and roller blinds.
Native planting incorporated both internally and externally improves well-being and urban biodiversity. Rainwater and condensation are collected for reuse.
1 Elizabeth is 6 Star Green Star Design rated.
1 Elizabeth has delivered the vision of Macquarie and the New South Wales Government of a crafted, contemporary and forward-thinking redevelopment and workplace.
The heritage-sensitive design completes the city block and provides the city with a new dynamic destination that reinvigorates the connection between Martin Place at the south and Hunter Street and the north-eastern business district.
This new Sydney place has revitalised and refocussed the city’s urban fabric. Anchored in the precinct’s history and urban context, 1Elizabeth adds enduring value to the city.
We offer our respect to Elders past and those present – as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work.