© Martin Mischkulnig

Australia 2019The Exchange

2019.9
Sydney
Commercial | Retail/Cafe/Restaurant | Educational
Completed
6,680
7F

This is a “wooden community center” located in Darling Harbour in the center of Sydney’s downtown district.
The objective for this community center was to create a soft and warm low-rise structure integrated with the square, in contrast to the group of high-rise multi-dwelling buildings in the surrounding area.

Food trucks were placed in a random manner on the inside of the glass screens that can be opened in the market on the ground floor in order to blend in with the active street community on a daily basis, and the wooden spiral shaped façade was extended into the square to transform it into a pergola that provides shade in the square. The upper floors contain a childcare centre, library, restaurants and other functions needed by the community, and each floor plate was shifted so that the view from each floor and the terraced housing differs.

The wooden screen that is comprised of wooden “threads” that are wrapped around the building in an irregular pattern give it a very different expression from the surrounding high-rise buildings. The bent accoya softwood members are randomly placed so that the panels overlap with each other onsite in a manner that the joints cannot be seen.

This structure resulted in interior space that resembles a silkworm cocoon, and a primitive façade which looks like a bird’s nest, creating an oasis in the middle of an urban jungle.

Team Yuki Ikeguchi, Marc Moukarzel, Taylor Jihyun Park*, Diego Martin Sánchez*, Mira Yung* Construction Lendlease Cooperation Lendlease Facility Lendlease Exterior ARUP, F&D Normoyle Engineering Illumination Lendlease Others ARMA Award Prix Versailles 2020 (World Title) Photography ©︎ Martin Mischkulnig