Commercial Towers
fjcstudio designs premium-grade commercial towers that balance commercial performance with public amenity. Each tower is city-forming, contributing to street life, the local microclimate and the skyline, and its clients include the broader community and the many people who use our cities.
Our towers have received some of the highest design and construction awards in Australia and overseas, including the Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture. 200 George Street, which includes Mirvac’s workplace headquarters, was the first Australian building certified under the WELL Building Standard, achieving a Gold rating.
Ground planes once reserved for office workers are now active city spaces, where food, beverage and retail add to the street and laneway culture of our CBDs.
200 George Street, Sydney
A city tower that grows out of its site: Yellow Block sandstone clads the core, and a kinetic timber screen adjusts to the sun, filtering a warm light deep into the workplace.
Liberty Place, ANZ Tower
The ANZ Tower and heritage Legion House frame new public space at Liberty Place, recognised with the City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize.
SubStation No. 164, Sydney
The transformation and extension of two heritage buildings as a light ‘anti-extension’ that floats above the articulated weight of heritage, weaving workplace, retail and events uses through new and old fabric.
Waterfront Brisbane
Two workplace towers on the Brisbane River, designed with Arkhefield, with more than 9,000 sqm of public realm and a 280 metre riverwalk that reconnects Mary and Creek Streets to the river.
Bennetts Lane, Melbourne
An A-grade workplace above laneway retail, with terraced floorplates and north-facing outdoor decks in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD.
118 Mount Street (Zurich Building), North Sydney
A series of curved linear forms compose a distinctive workplace tower that marks the eastern edge of North Sydney, with workplace floors open to natural light and views.
Our Approach
City-Forming Towers
Towers shape street life, the local microclimate and the skyline. We design them for the broader community as well as for our clients and the people who work inside. Each tower is considered from the street, from across the city and from within, so that it contributes to its setting at every scale.
Premium-Grade Workplaces
From premium-grade towers to boutique offices, we design workplaces with distinct identities that respond to each client’s requirements, aspirations, program and budget. Floorplates, cores and amenities are planned to attract and retain tenants, and to support the way organisations work today and as their needs change over the life of the building.
Active Ground Planes
Lobbies, retail, food and beverage bring the base of each tower to life, adding to the street and laneway culture of the city, as at Bennetts Lane and Waterfront Brisbane. Active ground planes draw people into and through the building, support tenants and visitors, and make the surrounding streets more welcoming.
Lobbies and Arrival
Lobbies and arrival sequences set the identity of a tower and the experience of every visit. Our lobby work includes 580 George Street, recognised at the Sydney Design Awards. Materials, light and proportion are considered together, so that each arrival feels generous and welcoming for tenants and visitors alike.
Public Domain and Landscape
Our towers give back to the city through new public space: more than 9,000 sqm of riverfront public realm at Waterfront Brisbane, and the public spaces of Liberty Place, recognised with an Urban Design Award. Public space is planned alongside the tower from the start, so that the two work together.
Heritage Integration
Several of our towers grow from heritage settings, such as SubStation No. 164 and Legion House in Sydney, adding contemporary workplaces while celebrating historic fabric. New elements are clearly of their time and carefully set beside or above heritage buildings, so the original architecture remains legible and gains a renewed life.
Commissioned Artwork
We integrate art from the outset. At 200 George Street, ngarunga nangama by Judy Watson and Underwood Ark by Michael McIntyre help people understand the history of the site. Planning art early lets it shape lobbies and public spaces, and gives each building a story to share.
Interiors and Workplace Fitout
Architecture and interiors are designed together. Our interiors work includes 200 George Street and SubStation No. 164, and fjcstudio has twice received the Australian Institute of Architects National Interior Design Award. Designing both in one studio carries the architectural idea through lobbies, workplaces and amenities.
Wellbeing
Our workplaces use natural materials and prioritise fresh air, natural light and views. 200 George Street was the first Australian building certified under the WELL Building Standard, at Gold. Healthy, comfortable workplaces help organisations attract and retain people, and support the wellbeing of everyone who uses the building through the working day.
Sustainability
Many of our commercial buildings, including 200 George Street and Liberty Place, have achieved 6 Star Green Star ratings from the Green Building Council of Australia. Sustainability is designed in from the outset, through efficient forms, high-performance facades and services, so each tower reduces its environmental impact over its whole life.
Efficient, Flexible Workplaces
Contemporary workplaces demand invention, rigour and efficiency. Efficient cores, flexible floorplates, interconnecting stairs, outdoor decks and end-of-trip facilities support the way people work today. Floorplates are planned to suit a single tenant or many, so each building can adapt as tenant needs and ways of working change over time.
Collaboration
Creativity, invention and a collaborative, consultative process are central to meeting the demands of development, community and city-making. We work closely with developers, owners, tenants and authorities from feasibility to delivery, testing options openly and resolving competing requirements, so each tower delivers for its owner and for the city.
Experience Matrix
| Project | Location | Lobby / Arrival | Hospitality / Retail / Food & Beverage | Mixed Use Development | Multi-Function Venue | Lift Lobby / Car Design | Heritage Integration | Commercial Bathroom Amenities | Sustainability | Integrated Public Domain / Landscape | Integrated Commissioned Artwork | Design Excellence / Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 Mount Street (Zurich Building) | North Sydney, New South Wales | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | ||||
| 200 George Street (EY Centre) | Sydney, New South Wales | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| Liberty Place (ANZ Tower) | Sydney, New South Wales | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| SubStation No. 164 | Sydney, New South Wales | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | ||
| Waterfront Brisbane (Eagle Street) | Brisbane, Queensland | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | |
| Bennetts Lane | Melbourne, Victoria | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • |
Relevant Awards
Our commercial towers have been recognised by architecture, design and industry awards. Relevant awards include:
| Project | Name | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| 200 George Street (EY Centre) | Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture | Australian Institute of Architects |
| 200 George Street (EY Centre) | Architecture Award, Commercial | Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) |
| 200 George Street (EY Centre) | International Architecture Award | Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design |
| Liberty Place | City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize | Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) |
| Liberty Place | Urban Design Award | Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) |
| Liberty Place | Development Excellence Award | Urban Taskforce |
| Liberty Place | Sustainable Development Award | Urban Development Institute of Australia |
| SubStation No. 164 | International Architecture Award, Headquarters | Chicago Athenaeum |
| SubStation No. 164 | Award for Commercial Architecture | Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) |
For further information about our commercial capability, please enquire by email. You can also explore our campus workplaces.
Related capabilities: campus workplaces, boutique commercial, commercial foyers and atria.