![Book Flatlay Cover Front Transparent Trio[1]](https://d31dpzy4bseog7.cloudfront.net/media/2024/06/07080212/Book_Flatlay_Cover_Front_Transparent_Trio1.png)
1 Elizabeth by JPW
A study in purposeful and dynamic design, 1 Elizabeth in Martin Place sets an exciting precedent for integrated office spaces in Sydney’s CBD. JPW’s confident approach to Macquarie Group’s new global headquarters reinvigorates the district by leveraging connection, wellbeing and a sense of community for both staff and passers-by.
Part of the recently completed Sydney Metro Martin Place project, 1 Elizabeth seamlessly navigates a major interchange, a second office tower at 39 Martin Place and a sprawling retail and dining space. A truly collaborative effort, Grimshaw Architects worked on the development of Martin Place Metro Station, Tzannes designed 39 Martin Place and the Martin Place Metro Precinct urban design work, and JPW designed 1 Elizabeth and worked on the architecture of the office itself.
As well as creating a vibrant new precinct that builds upon the public transport development, the brief called for a design that honoured the heritage of Martin Place and the future needs of the Macquarie Group workforce. Perched above the northern entrance of the new station, the granite facade – sourced from a quarry in Finland, close to the location where the material for the original building was supplied – references the historic 50 Martin Place building. Approaching the office, the boundaries between public and private spaces are merged, with direct pedestrian pathways to the new stations, existing train lines and nearby bus stations.
Once inside, the workplace boasts a series of thoughtfully designed ‘neighbourhoods’, each with focus rooms, phone booths and collaborative spaces. Scattered throughout are ample public seating, a parent’s room, all-gender bathrooms and device charging stations, as well as retail and dining venues across three floors. Macquarie Groups’s new headquarters will also incorporate Ilumina, a learning and event venue.
Weaving public art into the office creates a tangible sense of place, with selected works having strong links to the district’s Indigenous history.
Weaving public art into the office creates a tangible sense of place, with selected works having strong links to the district’s Indigenous history. On the ground floor, a three-part artwork by artist Debra Beale is integrated into wayfinding totems, an Acknowledgement of Country flooring design and public seating. Further into the space, sandstone boulders previously excavated from the site have been repurposed into artworks carved by Ngemba-Dharug-Gadigal artist Jamie Eastwood, referencing the sun, water and fauna.
JPW sought to foster wellbeing beyond community by prioritising natural light and access to views and greenery. Native landscaping is planted at various junctures within the office, while an outdoor terrace and workspace that connects to 50 Martin Place encourages time outdoors. Meanwhile, large windows and a central atrium offer vistas of the city and flood the workspace with light connected via an electric blue staircase, reminiscent of the hues of Sydney’s waters and seemingly ever-present cloudless sky.
Inherently linked to wellbeing, Macquarie Group’s new Sydney office is grounded in sustainability with a 6-Star Green Star Design Review rating. Key features include favouring reused and locally sourced furniture and landscaped outdoor areas that optimise indoor air quality with 100 per cent pass-through fresh air using chilled beam technology. The result is a connected and restorative workplace that eloquently reaffirms Martin Place as a vibrant, bustling hub of activity.
Architecture by JPW. Interior design JPW and Architectus. Build by Lendlease. Landscape design by Aspect Studios. Development by Macquarie Group. Artwork by Debra Beale, Mikala Dwyer, Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro.
