One Sydney Harbour

One Sydney Harbour, a key component of the larger Barangaroo area masterplan, is a striking new build residential project, boasting three towers, the tallest of which stands at 250 metres.

World-renowned architect Renzo Piano created a design concept that encapsulated the essence of Sydney’s iconic landscape, paying homage to the harbour’s shimmering lights on the glistening water.

THE CHALLENGE

Central to this architectural vision, is the use of an ultra-clear, low-iron glass, which when combined with a precisely designed reflective fabric enables control of solar heat gain when needed, and total clarity when not in use.

Guthrie Douglas and Climate Ready Engineering played a crucial role in the realisation of the One Sydney Harbour project, particularly addressing the challenges posed by the tower’s considerable height and exposure to high winds. The ventilated double skin façade integrates a wintergarden configuration, allowing residents to open windows at significant heights safely and comfortably, even in windy conditions.

THE SOLUTION

Our skilled engineers developed a bespoke façade shading system for the project, with tensioned blinds integrated into each façade unit. Rigorous testing, including wind tunnel assessments conducted by Windtech Consultants Ply Ltd, proved the resilience of the blinds for the project, with the systems able to operate safely well above the criteria of 0.12kPA.

Bespoke metallised fabric was developed together with Serge Ferrari, allowing the shading solution to help achieve the aesthetic vision for the glass façade, whilst effectively controlling solar gain. The outcome was a variable g-value, approved by the façade consultants, achieving performance criteria for solar control when needed and clear views when not in use.