vpg's goldfields house, page-4

"Stiff competition for Circular Quay project
23 November 2009 | by Gemma Battenbough

Valad Property Group is expected to decide upon the winner of its international design competition to redevelop the 1960s office building known as Gold Fields House in Sydney’s Circular Quay.

Architects are vying to create a sender, 33-storey residential tower, along with a smaller building and public space. The development will comprise up to 37,500sqm of developable floor space.

Australian firms Johnson Pilton Walker and BVN Architects will pit their designs against international competition from Benedetta Tagiabue of EMBT in Barcelona, London firm MAKE and Singapore-based Kerry Hill. Candalepas Associates will be working with EMBT in Sydney.

A Valad source confirmed today’s reports that they expect to decide upon the winner later this week.

One of Sydney’s earliest high-rise office buildings, Gold Field’s House at 1 Alfred Street was designed by Peddle Thorp and Walker and constructed in 1966.

The 2,680sqm site is rectangular in shape and has frontages to Alfred Street, Pitt Street and George Street, with access to the basement car park provided from Pitt Street.

The current building has 25 levels of office accommodation, however in May this year the City of Sydney commissioned the NSW government architect’s office to prepare an urban design study of the block.

In light of this study, it was decided that additional height could be considered in exchange for significant and quantifiable public domain improvements.

The shortlisted architects will give their presentations over two days. Next Thursday 26 November, they will discuss their proposals at a Black Talk hosted by the Australian Architecture Association.

Valad Property Group bought the building from Multiplex in 2006 for $274 million.

The building is owned in joint venture by Valad’s development business (21 per cent), Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP (40 per cent) and its Australian V-Plus Fund (39 per cent).

Construction on the $1 billion harbour site is scheduled for 2011 at the earliest"