Lendlease has lodged a development application for a Foster and Partners designed commercial-building, in Sydney’s Circular Quay. The building could become Sydney’s tallest tower of up to 263m high if approved, and host an average of 5,500 workers.
Occupants of the Lendlease’s proposed Circular Quay Tower in Barangaroo, NSW, will be provided with 50 per cent more fresh air then regular building codes require. The tower is also on track to secure Sydney’s first ever ‘Platinum WELL Core’ rating (the highest certification available).
WELL is an industry-backed green rating system which measures how a building impacts the health of its occupants. Platinum status of the WELL rating requires a structure to reach multiple high standards for covering air inputs, water distribution, high nourishment levels, lightness, the sense of community, thermal comfort, mental health and measured high innovation levels within the tower’s occupants.
The building and construction industry can become a powerful opportunity for health promotion as “together, we can create spaces that inspire; spaces that are inclusive; spaces that allow us to flourish; spaces that help us become happier and healthier people. With every WELL project comes a powerful opportunity to catalyse our built spaces as mechanisms to deliver health and wellness benefits to all people within them,” WELL have stated, on the meaning behind their rating system.
“More and more, tenants are seeking out workplaces that support a healthy environment. This new WELL certification for Circular Quay Tower, the first in Sydney for a yet to be constructed project, demonstrates we’re well on the way to delivering a building that will achieve just this,” said Kimberley Jackson, Project Director at Lendlease Property.
The biophilic way in which Foster and Partners created the tower’s design to reflect the natural world around it, is another feature which is recognised under the rating. Circular Quay Tower’s exterior initiates the form of a tree, focusing on the use of natural light to benefit the productivity and well-being of workers.
Circular Quay Tower also allows for an ease of accessibility for its inhabitants with accessibility to two train stations, Sydney’s ferry wharf and featuring 1200 lockers and over 450 bicycle racks. In terms of water consumption, Circular Quay Tower is also set for a notable 4-star ‘NABERS Water Rating’ as the tower has facilities for harvesting rainwater and high-efficiency fixtures and fittings, with aims of becoming an efficient and sustainable office building.
“Lendlease has been at the forefront of sustainability in real estate for more than two decades. Its leadership approach will continue to help shape the evolution of health and wellness in real estate globally – with Circular Quay Tower, the next example of office design which demonstrates world leadership in both sustainability and human health outcomes,” voiced Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).
Australia boasts the third highest number of WELL certified projects registered and certified internationally, behind the US and China.