ANZ Tower

Liberty Place is a premium-grade, 44-storey commercial tower set within a new precinct of public spaces, laneways and refurbished heritage buildings between Castlereagh and Pitt Streets in Sydney. fjc was awarded the project in 2002 following a design excellence competition, and Grocon later acted as both developer and builder. The project was completed in 2014.

A tower for the city

The tower accommodates approximately 57,000 sqm of commercial NLA, with efficient floorplates, outstanding views and penthouse apartments on levels 43 and 44. Groundplane, streetwalls, tower and landscape are composed as a carefully articulated assembly, giving the building a distinct form in a dense part of the city.

An urban harbour

Without a harbour view, the building creates its own centre. At its base, a new plaza and a pedestrian lane linking Castlereagh and Pitt Streets are lined with cafes, restaurants and bars, drawing the life of the city into the heart of the development. Architecture critic Elizabeth Farrelly described it as “a genuine urban harbour”.

Legion House

The site brings together five properties. Legion House, built in 1902, was retained and refurbished, designed to the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council’s definition of a zero carbon building, with two new office floors, a western extension, and a new lift and stair in a curved glass enclosure outside the heritage fabric. A new three-storey office building was added at 167 Castlereagh Street.

Sustainability

ANZ Tower achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating, at the time the largest office building in NSW to do so, and a 5 Star NABERS rating.

Awards
2016	Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter)	City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s Prize
2016	Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter)	Urban Design Award
2016	Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter)	Sustainable Architecture, commendation
2016	Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter)	Commercial Architecture, commendation
2015	Property Council of Australia	People’s Choice Award
2014	World Architecture Festival	Completed Buildings, Office category winner
2014	UDIA NSW	Award for Excellence in Sustainable Development (Liberty Place precinct)
2014	Urban Taskforce	Development Excellence Award
2013	Australian Property Institute	The Office of the Valuer General Heritage Award

Press
2 Oct 2014	ArchitectureAU	FJMT and CHROFI pip OMA at 2014 WAF Awards
1 Oct 2014	Dezeen	World Architecture Festival 2014 day one winners announced
5 Aug 2014	The Fifth Estate	Grocon’s Liberty Place gets sustainability accolade