Circular Quay Plaza Building

Circular Quay Plaza Building

Sydney, Australia

Inspired by simple unitary forms and place-making in Aboriginal culture, the Plaza Building is a flexible and inviting, free-flow space with activated connections to the plaza and adjacent developments. A new public plaza is designed as a multi-functional community hub and public space enclosed by a canopy, designed with Artist Daniel Boyd, to provide shading and facilitate the largest Aboriginal public artwork in Australia.

Credits

Client

City of Sydney / Lendlease Development

Office

Adjaye Associates (link)

Area

1200 m²

Status

Completed 2022

George Street Plaza Site Section

The Plaza Building hosts an open plan cafe at the plaza level, along with a multi-functional gallery space and viewing platform above that is wrapped under a reduced utilitarian form. Full height glazing is introduced on the Western facing facade to maximise transparency and integrate natural light and elements into the spaces within.

George Street Plaza Site Plan

Interior Perspective - Feature Stairs

Interior Perspective - Level 01 Multipurpose Space

1:1 Canopy Artwork Darwa Proportion Studies (courtesy of Daniel Boyd)

The canopy integrates public art that functions as a shading device and adds an atmospheric experience for its visitors. It is intendeed as an interactive installation for the users of George Street Plaza, giving the sense of being under the shade of a tree. Different perforation sizes are used to create a silhouette that frames the sky, giving the user a sense of being under a natural canopy.

As a part of the design process, Artist Daniel Boyd created a physical mock-up of the Canopy Artwork at 1:1 scale to test out the perforation density and its desired effects.

Artwork Canopy modulisation axonometric