Fender Katsalidis has completed a revitalisation of 66 King Street, Sydney, adding a fifth elevation to the art deco commercial building.

Retaining and drawing out the heritage elements of the building, the works included a whole-building internal facelift and the creation of a rooftop level for the 14-storey building occupied by anchor tenant WeWork.

Also referred to as the ACA Building, it was constructed in 1938 and is a highly considered and significant example of Modern American Gothic commercial architecture in Sydney.

As part of the building upgrade, the formerly underutilised rooftop has been invigorated to allow for tenant access, maximising panoramic views of the city.
“Key to our work was creating a fifth elevation, celebrating and giving use to the rooftop previously occupied by plant equipment. The result allows people to engage with the space, the building and the city,” says Fender Katsalidis director Rob Mirams.

“Adaptive reuse through rooftop spaces should be considered more on our heritage buildings, promoting external amenity for commercial and public benefit.”

The work at 66 King Street aligns with the City of Sydney’s vision for well-designed and activated rooftops.

Lantern like-lighting and the design of operable wall panels on the rooftop create a ‘crown’ for the top of the building, which could be occupied by a bar or restaurant.

Fender Katsalidis has also opened up the rich heritage features of the decorative tower such as window carvings and perimeter parapet mouldings.

The firm has reinstated heritage features at street level including a new illuminated awning and preserved others including a former double height Assurance Chamber on the ground level.

The works included upgraded amenity, refreshing the heritage lobby and analysing historical documents to reinterpret other features that had been removed in previous iterations of the building.

Located on the corner of King and York Streets, 66 King Street covers 7,300 square metres of A-Grade commercial and retail space.

Fender Katsalidis has been heavily involved in the revitalisation of this part of Sydney CBD, previously upgrading the set of buildings that make up George Place.

“As an important cornerstone of this precinct in Sydney, the result is a good example of respecting heritage-built form and aligning it with the commercial needs of today,” adds Mirams.

Despite COVID-19, Mirams says that the completion of works shows that coworking has a place in the post-pandemic office scene.

“In this challenging economic climate, there is every reason to believe that co-working is an essential amenity for business operators, allowing that flexibility for them to grow and shrink their businesses as required with the market we are in.
“As long as social distancing is adhered to, it should continue to be a successful model,” says Mirams.

Developer Phillip George adds, “We have successfully restored its many heritage features, including a marble entrance, rooftop and restoration of the heritage façade, with A Grade office space with advanced environmental features that will give the building a 5 Star NABERS Rating.”

Sarah Buckley

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