‘Skinny skyscrapers’ set to make their mark in Australia
The sky’s the limit for ‘skinny skyscrapers’ with predictions the unique, slimline buildings will become more commonplace in Australia.
It comes as architects Durbach Block Jaggers unveiled spectacular plans for the Pencil Tower Hotel in the Sydney CBD, which could become Australia’s skinniest skyscraper.
A development application has been lodged with the City of Sydney for the slender 100m structure at 410 Pitt Street, which would have a mere 6.4m frontage.
Plans for the ‘column’ tower include 173 suites, a rooftop hammam, pool and spa, as well as a three-storey urban room housing the lobby, cafe and lounge, which would be visible through a large-scale keyhole window.
Pencil Tower Hotel would be Australia’s skinniest skyscraper once complete, according to Durbach Block Jaggers.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Pencil Tower Hotel in Sydney. Picture: Durbach Block Jaggers
The tower proposal comes amid an emerging trend for skinny skyscrapers, including Collins House in Melbourne, which stands at 184m tall and just 11.5m wide.
In New York, 111 West 57th by SHoP Architects is poised to become the world’s skinniest skyscraper once complete. Its design includes a height-to-width ratio of 24:1.
Economic analyst at REA Group Anne Flaherty said skinny skyscrapers would likely become more popular in Australia as the phenomenon takes off across the world.
“There’s a high chance we will see more ‘skinny’ buildings in Sydney in the future,” Ms Flaherty said. “These are a feature of many major global cities and are already becoming a trend in Melbourne, with several proposed skinny developments, including the Magic Tower.”
‘Skinny’ buildings are a feature in global cities like New York. Picture: Getty
“While these buildings are more expensive to construct than wider buildings, as the larger development sites in Australia’s CBDs become fewer, developers will increasingly need to maximise the value of smaller sites.”
Pencil Tower Hotel’s podium has been designed to reference its heritage neighbours, replicated in the use of the grand arch brickwork, according to Durbach Block Jaggers’ proposal.
“The facade begins with compressed horizontal screening, slowly transforming into exaggerated verticals at the top. Horizontals begin wide and flush with the outside frame, slowly thinning and receding at the height of the tower,” the proposal stated.
“The hotel rooms will be incredibly compact, designed for overlapping and intuitive use – closer to a train/plane compartment than a conventional hotel room.”
The architects envisaged challenges with site access given the 6.4m street frontage and narrowness of the structure. The first six levels of the podium would use conventional construction methods, while the upper floors would be built using steel formwork that would become part of the structure.
COVID-19 border closures have severely impacted Australia’s hotel sector. Picture: Getty
Ms Flaherty said the fallout of COVID-19 and related border restrictions had hit the hotel and tourism sector hard, but hotels in regional areas were thriving.
Landmark hotels like Pencil Tower Hotel had the potential to boost interest, she said.
“There seems to be confidence in the long-term demand fundamentals for the hotel sector, though obviously the pandemic has dealt a major blow to the sector,” she said.
“Despite this, occupancy rates have increased after collapsing in the first half of 2020. The northern beaches outbreak was a major blow to Sydney’s hotel sector during what should have been the peak season for hotels.
“Hotels in regional areas are outperforming those in the CBDs. With outbound tourism off the cards, intrastate and interstate tourism is supporting the regional sector. The loss of international tourism and a significant reduction in business travel (both international and interstate) has also been felt in the Sydney CBD.”
Ms Flaherty said the reopening of state borders in Australia would continue to support hotel occupancy rates.
