505 George Street

505 George Street – Sydney's soon-to-be highest residential tower – will be a profoundly visible landmark for the city’s skyline. ingenhoven architects from Düsseldorf and architectus from Sydney have collaborated on this 79-storey mixed-use tower that stands for an economical, environmental and socially sustainable development. With a height of 270 meters, the project is characterized by the connection of a slender, elegant design with the plausible interplay of mixed uses such as high-quality living, retail, a hotel, as well as leisure and childcare facilities. The future-oriented building will be highly integrated in the existing surroundings and offer a great public domain. Its urban approach is based on the philosophy of a well-connected public and conceives of the tower as being a 'friendly neighbor'. The combination of different uses and the timeless design of the building are integral parts of an environmentally sustainable concept. Situated at the south end of the Central Business District, the tower marks the termination of the core CBD and transition to the lower southern part of the city with retail, residential and cultural uses. It will be an important connector between Darling Harbour and the financial CBD further down George Street. One part of the concept is the mixture of uses to ensure the building is enlivened around after work hours and on the weekends. The high permeability of the site enhances activation and draws people into the shops, bars and the cinema from both George and Kent Street. Together with the residential apartments it creates a lively environment that attracts people to enter the podium with its retail uses and also will stimulate the neighboring areas and buildings. The through site link is covered with a single glazed canopy – guaranteeing wind comfort and rain protection. The very prominent location of the building in Sydney's Central Business District led to a simple yet elegant façade design, which laid great emphasis on the undisturbed view to the outside. It will be a single skin façade with external sun shading devices and balconies. In keeping with ingenhoven architects' supergreen® sustainability aspirations, special attention was paid to energy use and environmental impact. The tower itself offers a variety of different residential products. The structural concept provides a column free floor plate to allow maximum apartment and hotel layout flexibility, which is open the further design development. The low rise section of the tower holds the studio 1 and 2 bed units. Larger residential units are located within the mid and higher floors of the tower. The hotel with its glamourous design is situated at the top levels. Never change a winning team – ingenhoven and architectus are experienced teamplayers. Their collaboration on 1 Bligh Street has already been very successful and now they aim to emulate the same quality and success with 505 George Street.