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50 Martin Place is an ambitious blend of heritage preservation and forward thinking commercial property design. The site, a landmark of Sydney’s CBD, was chosen by Macquarie Group as a commitment to the area’s historic financial district.
The building’s external aesthetic and internal features contrast sharply. From the street, the heritage qualities remain almost completely unchanged, except for the glimpse of the magnificent new glass dome which crowns the structure. Within, the building possesses the latest in sustainable solutions and workplace environments.
World class sustainability
The sustainable performance of 50 Martin Place required careful balancing to conform to heritage standards. To achieve this, Arup retrofitted the building fabric with unobtrusive, yet highly efficient building services. The air conditioning system is a key component and features a number of bespoke solutions. Cooling units are integrated into trading desks and underfloor displacement delivers fresh air drawn from a raised access floor in combination with chilled beams on other levels. These remove the need for bulky ducting, accentuating the interior architectural features of the original building. An onsite treatment facility captures and processes storm water.
Project Summary
150% increase in daylight from the enlarged atrium
90%of existing facade and structure were reused or retained
Winner2015 National Trust Heritage Award
Modern functionality
Open and collaborative, the building conveys modernity through its workplaces and interconnected spaces. A full-height open-edged atrium was cut from the existing light well to emphasise internal space and allow interaction between occupants. From above, the building connects to the outside world through the glass dome, providing ample daylight through the atrium void.
The air conditioning system utilises the atrium to draw fresh air across the floors and up through the void acting like a giant lung within the building.
50 Martin Place is an example of intelligent reuse. It demonstrates that our historic properties can be retrofitted in a way that is sympathetic to their heritage status, yet still deliver world-class functionality and performance.
