“In progressively dense urban areas, it’s vital that workplace design and environmental performance are paramount, but also that we deliver amenities and greater space for the public to move through and around the buildings. Just as Architectus has achieved on 1 Bligh and Barrack Place, the ambition for 100 Mount Street was to create a highly efficient office building that sets a new benchmark for workplace design, public amenity and sustainability features,” said Ray Brown, CEO of Architectus.
Evocative of SOM’s design for the John Hancock Center, 100 Mount Street is supported by an innovative cross-braced exoskeleton structure. Anchored by an offset core and clad in a soaring glass curtain wall, the tower offers panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House, and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The tower’s interiors are designed to maximise daylight and open space, with 6-metre column-free zones to the north and south.
At ground level, the building’s offset core allows for a series of open-concept spaces, including a commercial lobby, café, and restaurant, with a 8-meter-tall glass wall allowing shelter from the elements. From the landscaped public plaza, cascading steps and inclined pathways allow visitors access to new retail at street level. A pedestrian pathway bisects the site to connect the building to nearby public transit.
An exemplar of sustainable design, 100 Mount Street is targeting 5-star ratings on the Australian Green Star and National Australian Built Environment Rating Systems. The International WELL Building Institute™ has awarded 100 Mount the WELL Core & Shell Gold Pre-certification. Utilising both an offset core and high-performance closed cavity façade, the building offers automatic daylight control and glare reduction, while maintaining maximum transparency. Chilled beam systems are among the additional features that reduce the building’s environmental footprint.
100 Mount Street includes a band of retail storefronts along Walker Street, with street level activity continuing around the corner of Mount Street and into the through-site link. The street level includes new vehicle entry to Walker Street, effectively removing more than 100 cars from the Spring Street lane network and improving pedestrian access in North Sydney.
“100 Mount Street is testimony to the excellent calibre and collaboration of our designers. Combining SOM’s global expertise and design evolution with Architectus’ best local expertise and execution has created a world class building. We are very proud of the attention to detail combined with an excellent vision and concept which will set the benchmark in North Sydney for many generations to come,” said Paul Oates, Dexus Head of Development.
“100 Mount Street is an embodiment of Sydney’s spirit of architectural innovation. SOM is proud to have continued this legacy, marrying it with our own history of innovation in skyscraper design worldwide. We’re thrilled to have created an iconic, beautiful centre for commerce in North Sydney’s growing Central Business District,” said Adam Semel, SOM Managing Partner.
100 Mount Street is owned by Dexus and Dexus Wholesale Property Fund. The building was developed by Dexus in collaboration with builder Laing O’Rourke. SOM served as design and structural architect, Architectus as architect of record, Enstruct as engineer of record, and Arup as MEP engineer.
Key building features of 100 Mount Street include:
- Innovative closed cavity façade: The tower is clad in a high-performance closed cavity façade, featuring motorised venetian blinds within the cavity. This allows for large areas of clear glass, maximising the natural light and views to the south, east and north, while minimising heat gain and reducing energy consumption.
- Prioritising natural light: Access to natural light is prioritised throughout the building including in the fire stairs and bathrooms – glazed fire stairs allow natural light deep into the core and provide for intertenancy connection. Up to 40 per cent of office space is located within 4.5 metres of the façade creating open and light-filled workspaces.
- Side core: The lift core is located on the western side of the building, creating large contiguous floorplates of up to 1300sqm at 89% efficiency. All lifts open directly on to the office floors, further maximising useable space.
- Signature structure: The building’s external structural brace on the east balances the western core and resolves lateral loads, providing uninterrupted views, flexible floorplates, and adding a distinct architectural element to the North Sydney skyline.
- Improved public access: At ground level, the 8-metre-high lobby and through site plaza link allow views and daylight between Mount and Spring Streets, improving pedestrian access in the North Sydney core.
- Sustainable credentials: In addition to the WELL Core & Shell Gold Pre-certification, 100 Mount Street has also achieved a 5 Star Green Star Design, an As Built v1.1 rating and 5 Star NABERS Energy rating.
Project contact
Ray Brown
CEO, Architectus Australia
ray.brown@architectus.com.au