Designed by Australian architectural practice Rice Daubney and built by Thiess, The Ark was conceived as a new benchmark for sustainable design.
The sustainable office building has scooped awards in the Excellence in Energy Efficiency and Best Use of Glass categories. The MBA award celebrates developments that deliver the highest standard of quality and construction in Australia. The building also received the Australian Property Institute’s Environmental Development Award last month.
The 28,500 square metre A+ grade commercial 21-level office space has the distinction of being the first completed high-rise commercial building to achieve a 6 Star Green Star V2 Design rating in New South Wales (NSW). The Ark is also the first fully integrated Building Information Model (BIM) completed high-rise in Australia.
The Ark is conceived as a set of layered elements designed to respond to the surrounding heritage-listed Mary Mackillop group of buildings. The dramatic, angular shape to the facade offers an iconic expression to the building. The public foyer of the building is adorned with two major works of public art – a ceiling painting by Freddie Timms and a sculpture by Hany Armanious in collaboration with Mary Teague.
The ground level space is designed to be integrated with the heritage streetscape. A public forecourt is incorporated as an interactive space. With the objective to visually engage the pedestrians, an ‘art wall’ depicting the story of the history of the area is featured. A wing of glass on the southern façade adds to the aesthetical appearance of the structure with the suspended glass wing offering a sense of lightness and transparency.
Rice Daubney minimised the impact to viewlines from nearby residential buildings to the west of the site, with Ark designed to recede away from the viewer as the building gets higher, significantly reducing visual bulk.
The design also embraces environmental sustainability, design and technology to create an inspirational workplace. The green design features of The Ark include a tri–generation power supply, grey–water recycling system, and energy and water saving initiatives. Facilities for cyclists such as bike racks, lockers and showers are incorporated in the building. Efficient lighting and controls; natural light from three sides; parking and charging bays for electric and hybrid pool cars are other sustainable features.
This new generation office tower is the new home of Coca-Cola Amatil and Vodafone Hutchison Australia.
