2016
Our proposal for the refurbishment of Jacksons on George, an existing four storey hospitality venue on George Street Sydney, as part of a City of Sydney Design Excellence Competition for Lend Lease. Four architectural teams were invited to submit design proposals of the development (won by Stewart Hollenstein). Excerpt from our competition entry design statement below:
The current Jacksons on George building is mainly introverted with minimal street presence.
By permeating the base of the building, our proposal aims to open the street level facades to engage with George Street, the new plaza and the laneway. This new interaction is enabled by the redistribution of existing building services and circulation that concurrently increases the amenity of the internal spaces. City of Sydney flagstone paving has been adopted for the building base facade cladding and interior floor finish to effectively extend the plaza inside.
Service have been redistributed and placed along the northern party-wall to maximise profitable floor space, increase circulation flow, optimise open space and allowing vistas throughout the interior spaces.
Primary existing structural elements such as columns and slabs are retained allowing integration of the new structure.
The existing skillion roofed form of the upper levels has been shaved off at its north-west corner to allow additional solar access into the new plaza whilst creating a new outdoor terrace that overlooks George Street and the new plaza. Similarly the south-east corner has been shaved off to create another outdoor terrace that overlooks the laneway whilst providing a new view from the plaza to the laneway precinct buildings beyond.
Additional massing height has been redistributed to the south of the building, extending the upper floor decks to cantilever over the new plaza to provide some shelter and lighting to the new outdoor dining area below.
New outdoor spaces are proposed at every level of the proposed hospitality venue energising the building with active edges that invite patrons and enable passive surveillance of the surrounds.
The rooftop terrace creates an oculus to frame the new Sydney skyline.
Our newly sculpted upper level prism is a jewel like lantern, translucent by day and glowing by night that gives Jacksons on George the chance to be a new city icon within a new urban precinct.
