The old Kent Brewery on Broadway in Sydney is finally being prepared for the construction of two residential towers, designed by French architects Ateliers Jean Nouvel, and commissioned by developers Frasers Property, which is the first stage of a wider masterplan of the site, which will include a 6,400 sqm park named Central Park.
South view of One Central Park across the proposed
6,400 sqm park, and Jean Nouvel looking on...
These two towers are the first stages of what is a 2 billion dollar masterplan development by Frasers Property, with eleven buildings and 1,800 apartments intended for the completed site. The Central Park development is a conglomerate of residential commercial and retail spaces. A mini enclave in the city-edge location, this development surpasses previous Sydney city developments when you take into account the scale, the prime location, and the ambition demonstrated by the developers invitation to a series of international and local design collaborators to contribute their vision to the masterplan.
The apartments in what is to become known as One Central Park are currently available for purchase off-the-plan, with display suites open for inspection on site. We are reviewing the two glass towers containing the 560 apartments that is the flagship of the residential component of this development.
The site is located on the southern periphery of the Sydney CBD, nestled in between two universities in Sydney's lost bohemian heart, as touted by Frasers. The student culture coupled with the funky creative types produce an eclectic concoction of Bohemia. The Kent Brewery sits across 5.4 hectares of what ex-brewery worker Mr Walsmley described so aptly as a "large island of industry stranded in Sydney's central residential revival". SMH (2003) This ‘residential revival’ will need to fuse the student culture, the funky design industries and the inevitable influx of yuppies in a way that retains the gritty, industrial feel of the old Chippendale.
Aerial view of the proposed masterplan looking back towards the city
The neighbourly outreach towards the Chippendale precinct, especially its arts community, is heavily emphasised by Frasers. Regardless of the spirit or intention of this plan, the influx of multiple high priced residences may lead to the retreat of the edgier segments of the art industry. It will be a pity if the unique selling point of the eclectic environs could just be priced out altogether. The 3 Warehouse Frasers gallery will hopefully go some way in addressing this possible imbalance.
Frasers commissioned UK architects Fosters and Partners, Australian architect Richard Johnson (JPW), Jeppe Argaard Andersen (a Danish landscape architect), Patrick Blanc (botanist and artist who has collaborated on many buildings with vertical green walls), Alec Tzannes and Tim Greer (of Tonkin Zulaikha Greer architects from Sydney) and Yann Kersde (a light sculptor from Paris).
The first apartments on sale are in the east and west tower, 33 and 16 storeys high respectively. The towers sit on a six level retail and recreation podium to house a Coles, Harris Farm Market, and other retail outlets. It is also planned that a Fitness First gym will be located in this podium, with free gym membership included for apartment owners. Atop this retail podium is a pool, surrounded on two sides by the east tower and the west tower. Above the pool and surrounding courtyard, suspended on a large cantilever attached to the upper levels of the tower, will be a heliostat – a large surface of fixed and movable mirrors designed to reflect sunlight down into the outdoor spaces below, and into the retail podium.
Green pockets within the towers and the heliostat above,
cantilevered out from the east tower
At night the heliostat transforms into an LED light installation designed by light artist Yann Kersalé. It is also intended that the heliostat will produce some spectacular lighting effects at night. The towers will also be draped with a living green wall, designed by Patrick Blanc. This will hopefully be a refreshing and quite wonderful sight along the otherwise hard streetscape that is Broadway.
Next we'll be posting reviews of the east and west tower apartments, including floor plans, photos and otherwise unpublished off-the-plan sale prices.
