$280m Chinatown The Quay tower to compliment Frank Gehry masterpiece

Chinatown will soon boast two of Sydney’s most architecturally acclaimed buildings – Frank Gehry’s avant-garde creation for the UTS Business School and, across the road, a bold $280-Million residential and retail edifice called 

The Quay

.

Designed by 

WMK Architecture

, The Quay will feature two sleek metallic towers – one 17-levels and the other 16-levels – each with a bejeweled private foyer befitting a six-star hotel.

The Quay will have 270 apartments ranging from one to three-bedrooms, rising above a two level retail podium comprising a major supermarket and specialty retailers.

Four underground levels will provide parking for 272 cars and more than 370 push bikes.

The design was granted 10% ‘bonus’ floorspace by the City Of Sydney Council because of its environmental initiatives, design excellence and clever response to re-activating the public spaces.

WMK describe the complex as “an urban resort” with a communal north-facing terrace garden connecting the two towers with a large indoor-outdoor gymnasium.

“We introduced elements previously only seen in prestigious hotels which gives The Quay an unique architectural point of difference over other residential developments,” said Greg Barnett, Managing Director of WMK Architecture.

The interiors have been crafted by

Smart Design Studio 

and set new standards of quality with limestone floors in all living spaces, kitchens, bathrooms and balconies, ‘floating’ joinery, richly-veined marble island benches, chamfered ceilings and LED lighting in most apartments.

“Our concept is ‘life beautifully packaged’ and we’ve taken inspiration from the world of luxury brands,” explained William Smart. The result is taut and tailored spaces that have bold geometries and unconventional arrangements.

The apartment mix is as follows:

• Studio - 36sqm to 42sqm plus balconies – from $430,000

• One-bedroom - 58sqm to 64sqm plus balconies, most with one car space – from $510,000

• Two-bedroom - 78sqm to 88sqm plus balconies, all with one car space minimum – from $810000

• Three-bedroom - 104sqm to 131sqm plus balconies, all with two car spaces – from $1,195,000

The site is located at 61-79 Quay Street, diagonally opposite Gehry’s much-anticipated Dr Chau Chak Wing Building.

From 1912 to the 1950s, it was the thriving poultry section of Paddy’s Market before the warehouse was turned into a retail outlet. The building burnt down in 1985, but luckily a corner section of the facade was saved and preserved, albeit propped-up by steel supports.

This remnant warehouse facade on Quay Street and Ultimo Road will be sympathetically incorporated into The Quay, helping to provide an historical context at street level.

Both developments should be completed by early-2014.

CBRE Residential Projects are seeking Registrations of Interest before launching the project on April 21.