BIM Architecture: Sculptural Design with Curved Wooden Screens at Sydney Stock Exchange by Kengo Kuma Urban Design Firm

The wooden sculpture titled “Exchange,” designed by Kengo Kuma Architecture and Urban Design Firm, creates a vibrant and formal public space in Sydney, Australia. This multifunctional municipal building comprises a public library, childcare facilities, and commercial spaces, including a fresh food market and restaurants. It plays a key role in the dynamic urban planning of Darling Harbour.

Located within a compact urban pocket surrounded by high-rise buildings featuring rigid geometries and hard exteriors, the Exchange stands out through its design strategy. Kengo Kuma Architecture aimed to create a form that harmonizes with the square, offering a perceptible and inviting building by employing natural materials. It maintains a comfortable scale and integrates seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. The site serves as a hub within the environment, neighbored by residential blocks, retail stores, and lively pedestrian traffic along tree-lined avenues.

The design team opted for a non-directional architectural form that allows visitors to approach and perceive the building from any angle. The circular volume reflects and amplifies the vibrancy of Darling Plaza’s pedestrian commercial area, accommodating the diverse range of its users. The wooden facade adds natural texture to the surroundings, with organic wooden strips enveloping the flowing interior floors. This outer skin filters natural light, creating a soft and inviting atmosphere inside. The team envisions the project as an organic entity—akin to a “tree” or a “bird’s nest”—expressed in a playful and primitive manner.

Project Information:

Project Name: Exchange

Architectural Firm: Kengo Kuma Architectural Urban Design Firm

Location: Sydney, Australia

Program: City Hall, Public Library, Childcare, Food Services

Design Team: Kengo Kuma, Yuki Ikeguchi (Partner in Charge), Marc Moukarzel (Project Architect), Diego Martin, Mira Yung, Laura Sandoval Illera, Taylor Park

Architect: Lendlease

Landscape Architect: ASPECT Studios

Structural Engineer: Lendlease

Facade Engineer: ARUP, F&D Normoyle

Facade Optimization: ARMA

MEP Builder: Lendlease

Structural System: Concrete structure with timber facade

Photographer: Martin Mischulnig

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