The Urban Developer
AdvertiseEventsWebinars
Urbanity
Awards
Sign In
Membership
Latest
Menu
Location
Sector
Category
Content
Type
Newsletters
Untitled design (8)
25 DAYS UNTIL OUR UNMISSABLE FLAGSHIP CONFERENCE 29-31 JULY, GOLD COAST
25 DAYS UNTIL OUR FLAGSHIP CONFERENCE 29-31 JULY, GOLD COAST
SECURE YOUR SPOTDETAILS
TheUrbanDeveloper
Follow
About
About Us
Membership
Awards
Events
Webinars
Listings
Resources
Terms & Conditions
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Republishing Guidelines
Editorial Charter
Complaints Handling Policy
Contact
General Enquiries
Advertise
Contribution Enquiry
Project Submission
Membership Enquiry
Newsletter
Stay up to date and with the latest news, projects, deals and features.
Subscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
SHARE
print
Print
DevelopmentLeon Della BoscaMon 18 Nov 24

Sydney’s First Skyscraper Reveals Golden Makeover

33 Alfred Street Golden Tower HERO

Sydney’s first skyscraper is glowing once again as its $200-million transformation nears completion, with the iconic 33 Alfred Street tower unveiling a renewed golden facade.

The 26-storey extensive refurbishment features 5000 individual panels maintaining its distinctive east and west elevation design, while delivering enhanced natural light and harbour views from its Circular Quay site.

The attachment of 75,782 tiles, created by the Netherlands’ oldest ceramics company, Tichelaar, gave the building a lustrous sparkle, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

Dexus general manager, office development Nicholas Wilkinson said the group was “excited to be giving 33 Alfred Street a new lease of life that will transform it into a modern, sustainable workplace where teams can collaborate, innovate and build culture, while retaining its unique heritage”.

The installation, managed by construction partner Built, involves about 200 facade panels per floor, each measuring 3.8m high and 1.2m wide.

Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW) architects designed the modern panels to honour the building’s heritage while meeting contemporary standards.

JPW director Matthew Morel said the “renewal is the sensitive and innovative upgrade of the facade to meet contemporary workplace standards while retaining its distinctive gold and aluminium character”.

33 Alfred Street: Before and after

1 of 2


The development targets a 5.5-star NABERS Energy rating and a 6-Star Green Star rating, incorporating high-performance facade glass to enhance thermal efficiency.

The circa 31,000sq m building will complete the Quay Quarter Sydney precinct, offering tenants access to amenities at Quay Quarter Tower and Quay Quarter Lanes.

Opened in 1962 by then-prime minister Robert Menzies, the 117m tower was Australia’s first structure to break the 46m height limit.

33 Alfred Street Tower archival image
▲ JPW suggested the removal of the pebblecrete to “reinstate a reinterpretation of those original tile walls”. Image: City of Sydney archives.

The building featured innovative elements including seawater air-conditioning and an observation deck offering unprecedented Harbour views.

The refurbishment cost represents a 20-30 per cent saving compared to a rebuild.

Moore praised the renovation over a knock-down approach, which she said limited the “impact of demolition and construction … critical to reducing our emissions”.

33 alfred street tower lobby MID
▲ The tower will have “a new lease of life that will transform it into a modern, sustainable workplace”, the owners said.

The project, co-owned by Dexus Wholesale Property Fund and Mirvac Wholesale Office Fund, is scheduled for completion in mid-2025.

Commercial tenants, primarily leading legal firms, will occupy the premium-grade office space.

The NSW Heritage Council is considering the building for state heritage registration.

RetailOfficeSydneyPrecinct
AUTHOR
Leon Della Bosca
More articles by this author
linkedin icon
ADVERTISEMENT
TOP STORIES
Exclusive

Carparking Correlation: How Parking Fees Provide Office Sector Health Check

Taryn Paris
6 Min
Molti chief Ben Teague out front of 32 Mercer Road Aramadale (rendering)
Exclusive

Buy to the Sound of Cannons: Molti’s Counter-Cyclical Move to Melbourne

Leon Della Bosca
5 Min
Exclusive

Tapping the Bunnings ‘Halo Effect’

Taryn Paris
5 Min
Exclusive

‘Construction Not a Scale Game’: Hutchinson

Phil Bartsch
9 Min
Nation's build-to-rent project Charlie Parker in Sydney's Parramatta where more projects are being located and built outside the CBD.
Exclusive

Foreign Capital Still Dominates BtR but Things are Changing

Marisa Wikramanayake
7 Min
View All >
Exclusive

Carparking Correlation: How Parking Fees Provide Office Sector Health Check

Taryn Paris
The construction site which will one day become Newcastle Tallest Tower by Urban Property Group
Residential

Urban Property Group Reveals Newcastle Tallest Tower Plan

Renee McKeown
Bunnings Clyde North
Markets

Bunnings Sold On as Charter Hall Doubles Down on Retail

Leon Della Bosca
The property giant has paid $315 million for shopping centres in Melbourne and Sydney as its repositioning gains steam… …
LATEST
Exclusive

Carparking Correlation: How Parking Fees Provide Office Sector Health Check

Taryn Paris
6 Min
The construction site which will one day become Newcastle Tallest Tower by Urban Property Group
Residential

Urban Property Group Reveals Newcastle Tallest Tower Plan

Renee McKeown
3 Min
Bunnings Clyde North
Markets

Bunnings Sold On as Charter Hall Doubles Down on Retail

Leon Della Bosca
2 Min
ESR building ESR completes delisting
Industrial

ESR Reveals New Team After Hong Kong Delisting

Leon Della Bosca
3 Min
View All >
ADVERTISEMENT
Article originally posted at: https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/sydney-33-alfred-st-first-skyscraper-golden-makeover