200 George Street

Growing from the site

We wanted to see if we could make a city tower grow out of its site, being the source of its inspiration, its material and character; and in doing so somehow reveal, interpret and reinforce this unique site and sense of place. The beautiful Yellow Block sandstone on which this City and our site rests was quarried and blocked, and was used to clad the core of the new tower, rising from the earth to form the spine of the new tower. Into this sandstone is carved a beautiful artwork by Aboriginal artist Judy Watson. It is a work deep in meaning and interpretation of the rich cultural history of the site.

A public ground of stone and timber

The ground of the new building, kiosk and public space is formed in stone, curved and folded up to create steps, and a place to display the site’s archaeological findings from Sydney’s colonial and Victorian-era. A bronze line has been incised through the floor of the public domain and into the lobby, marking the edge of the water from the pre-European estuary. Forming a soft edge to the street and public foyer is a suspended awning of folded timber planes reaching out, protecting the footpath and reflecting light into the lobby interior. This gently curving and folding awning is like a row of trees providing shelter at the edge of the tank stream.

A responsive timber facade

This tower creates work environments that are open, flexible, enabled and connected with its fully glazed floors, extensive natural lighting and integrated LED lighting system. Importantly the envelope is a responsive skin, a kinetic architecture, adjusting automatically to the position of the sun and time of day to control heat load and sky glare. This facade with progressively adjusting timber screen filters the light into a warm timber glow reaching deep into the interior.
From outside, the building changes in appearance as the sun moves, the western facade clear and open in the morning and more closed and timber in appearance in the afternoon. We have looked carefully at the history and great richness of this place and tried to both reveal and deepen it, despite the presence of a large building on a tight site in the heart of the city.

A work of Australian design

In this increasingly global context and the international city that Sydney is, this is a work of Australian Design; a collaboration of Australian architects, designers, consultants, artists, furniture designers and manufacturers, contractors and developers. We have tried to make our competing global city more desirable and competitive through making it more unique and true to itself.

Integrated cultural artworks

‘Ngarunga Nangama, Calm Water Dream’ Foyer Artwork by Judy Watson, developed in consultation with Gadigal Elder Uncle Allen Madden

Explore the interiors of 200 George Street.

Quotes
Carolyn Cummins	Sydney Morning Herald	“200 George Street has shown how far buildings have evolved, from being bland concrete blocks to leading edge environmentally-friendly ‘wellness’ centres.”
Philip Oldfield	‘Intrinsically Sydney’, ArchitectureAU	“Combining a kinetic timber facade and a typology more often associated with slick glass, FJMT has created this ‘sublime’ office tower that is tuned to the history of its harbour-side site and is ‘intrinsically Sydney.’”

Awards
2017	World Architecture Festival	Completed Buildings: Office, highly commended
2017	World Architecture Festival (INSIDE)	Offices, shortlist

Press
14 Aug 2018	Detail	Elegance Meets Efficiency: EY Centre by FJMT in Sydney
1 Jul 2018	Architectural Record	EY Centre by fjmt
20 Oct 2017	ArchitectureAU	‘Intrinsically Sydney’: The EY Centre
29 Jun 2017	Arch2O	Tower of Wood: The EY Center \| FJMT
27 Jun 2017	ArchDaily	Tower of Wood: The EY Centre / fjmt
22 Jun 2017	designboom	fjmt studio’s kinetic tower of wood transcends grey skyscrapers in sydney
13 Jun 2017	gooood	200 George Street By FJMT Studio
28 Sep 2016	e-architect	200 George Street Facade in Sydney