‘Recycled’ Aussie high-rise named best in the world. What makes it special?

An office building in Sydney that was essentially recycled has been crowned the best high-rise in the world.

Overnight, the landmark Quay Quarter Tower took out the prestigious International High-Rise Award at an event in Germany, beating 34 other projects from 13 countries.

The striking structure, which is the new headquarters of AMP Capital, was ‘upcycled’ and retains 90% of the original, ageing structure that occupied its prized CBD site.

The striking design has made the tower an instant icon of Sydney’s skyline. Picture: BVN

A partnership between Danish designer 3XN and Australian architecture practice BVN, the ambitious idea took a decade to bring to life.

“It’s been an incredible journey and the ultimate collaboration on what has been described as a ‘once in a generation’ project,” BVN project director Dan Cruddace said.

Quay Quarter Tower features five shifting glass “vertical villages” stacked on each other and boasts vast atrium spaces and stunning staircases throughout, Mr Cruddace said.

The new addition to the existing structure was designed to be flexible and sustainable, he added – and, of course, to showcase the expansive views of iconic Sydney Harbour.

The design for the world-first skyscraper took a decade to realise. Picture: BVN

The brief was to adapt the original building and bring it into a contemporary era, with a 6-star Green Star rating, a 5.5-star National Australian Built Environment Rating System score, and a WELL Gold certification.

“We retained 95% of the core and around 75% of the frame of the existing building, which is a world-first from a radical adaptive reuse at scale [perspective],” Mr Cruddace said.

As a result of the unique upcycling of the building, a staggering 7.3 million kilograms of carbon emissions were avoided compared to a conventional construction project.

That’s the equivalent of 35,000 flights between Sydney and Melbourne.

Atriums and staircases make a striking impression. Picture: BVN

Quay Quarter Sydney is the largest upcycled development of its kind in the world and sets a new standard for sustainable skyscraper design, Mr Cruddace said.

The building boasts spectacular views. Picture: BVN

Held every two years, the International High-Rise Award acknowledges excellence in aesthetics, design, integration into urban contexts, sustainability, technological innovation, and cost-effectiveness.

BVN is now working on a major carbon-neutral interior fit-out spanning three levels for one of the building’s major tenants.