Inaugural Sustainability Awards Interior Design winner Sub Station No. 164’s evolution will continue further in the coming months, with the sub station combining with the Shelley’s Warehouse buildings to become the Machine Hall precinct.

Designed by fjcstudio, YSG Studio and constructed by Built, with the building company partnering with the City of Sydney to curate a host of creative events. The new precinct is located on Clarence Street, and will become a world-class creative and cultural hub in the Sydney CBD.

14-metre high ceilings, ornate windows and the retention of original machinery brings a sense of nostalgic grandeur to the space, with a large event space, licenced café and concept store, heritage co-share work and event space, a private multimedia room, as well as a speakeasy private members club comprised within the building.

machine hall precinct

“Situated adjacent to the Sub Station No. 164 commercial office, the transformation of the Machine Hall – a space left dormant for 30 years – into a unique cultural and event precinct was key to unlocking the overall development site” says Built Development Director, Jono Cottee.

“We recognised the importance of designing the building around the future use of the space. Despite the added complexity, the structure of the seven-level sculptural glass extension was designed to cantilever over the space to ensure the Machine Hall was column free to allow for maximum flexibility of the new venue.”

The partnership between Built and Council will provide opportunities for the creative community to give input on how the prime CBD location can be used for special projects, exhibitions, or community projects, to deliver original experiences throughout the year.

machine hall precinct

“As part of the redevelopment of this site, the City of Sydney secured the Machine Hall Precinct for affordable cultural activities,” says Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO.

“The substation vision is to be a unique cultural space in the warehouse district to be used for art exhibitions and a broad range of performances and events together with compatible commercial event space.

“Artists and creative producers will be supported to activate the space at a low upfront cost, contributing much-needed affordable infrastructure to the city centre,” the Lord Mayor added.

machine hall precinct

The new precinct will be opened in time to be able to host events at the likes of SXSW, Sydney Festival, Mardi Gras, and Vivid Sydney at the end of this year and early next. These events will be supplemented with corporate hire of the space for commercial brand experiences, conferencing, product launches or future technology showcasing.

The Machine Hall Precinct is set to open from October 2023.

Jarrod Reedie

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