Blue & William, a new boutique office building currently being constructed in North Sydney, has seen its distinct terracotta facade installed, marking a major milestone for the development.

Designed by Woods Bagot for Lendlease and Keppel REIT, the 10-storey building features 14,000 sqm of prime office space. Offering harbour views, a wellness garden, cafe and end-of-trip facilities, the project typifies the evolution of North Sydney as a major business hub.

Woods Bagot believes the terracotta facade is a direct acknowledgement of the redbrick and terracotta design language of the region.

“Our first approach with every project is to understand the site, its history and what it means to the local community,” says Architect Jason Fraser.

“Materials are very much drawn from the local community, terracotta from the roofs, red brick from the previous buildings that used to occupy the site, and sandstone from the earth and local heritage buildings.”

Fraser says the kiln-fired terracotta builds character, while the building’s form is enhanced by a series of cascading terraces magnifying the water and city panorama.

“Terracotta is contextual, natural and celebrates its imperfections. Typically, it’s used in a prosaic way as a standard roofing material on Sydney’s older apartment and housing stock,” he says.

“This made it the perfect material to reinvent through a glossy, glazed finish, form and detail that catches the Sydney light and brought a level of sophistication to the building which, without it, would have been a couple of simple glass boxes.

blue william renders

“It is an unusual material for a commercial building and we believe the custom extrusion technique that was used to create the frames is a first for Sydney.”

Lendlease’s Head of Commercial Development, Lisa Gordon, says both Blue & William and the developer’s new Victoria Cross Tower will create office space in North Sydney at a time when demand is high.

“North Sydney is on a path to complete transformation, with new commercial developments committing to the future vision for the area,” she says.

“We know that people are looking for the next generation in workplaces, and our Victoria Cross Tower, together with Blue & William, represent the future of placemaking.

“Blue & William reflects the latest thinking in the workplace and will offer modern workspaces that facilitate flexible and collaborative working, as well as sweeping harbour views from the floor to ceiling windows and outdoor terraces. We’re increasingly finding that prospective tenants are seeking out high quality, flexible and wellness conscious office spaces in prime locations, and Blue & William delivers on just that and more.”

Blue & William has been designed to achieve a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy Rating and 5 Star Green Star Rating.

Jarrod Reedie

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