JCDA is the lead design partner re-envisioning the 20 Martin Place tower, including a new enclosure, lobby and storefront that will transform this commercial building in Sydney’s central business district. The project will advance the tower’s integration into the architectural landscape of downtown Sydney, while incorporating a fresh aesthetic that uses glass to create a luminescent presence of the exterior. An innovative cladding system composed of overlapping rows of glass panels will channel and diffuse natural light from the building’s southern façade, creating an iridescent effect that responds to changing light conditions of Sydney’s urban environment.
This same thoughtful application of light and glass will be evident in the interstitial spaces that connect the tower with the podium at its base, which will incorporate glass vitrines and cast glass columns to activate the public-facing space at street level. The interlocking connection between tower shaft and podium draws on Sydney’s historic architectural traditions, while enlivening the space with an infusion of light and materiality. The design is intended to activate the podium as a reconfigured civic space that seamlessly enhances both the tower and the surrounding urban landscape.
Client: Pembroke Real Estate
Architect: Crone Partners Architects