In 2013, Wilkinson Eyre won the international design competition for the One Barangaroo Building, situated on the newly revitalized waterfront of Darling Harbour in Sydney. This 275-meter-high tower and its podium have become iconic landmarks in the northwest corner of Sydney’s central business district. The complex features a luxury resort hotel with 349 rooms and suites, seaside restaurants, cafes, bars, high-end retail shops, and 76 exclusive apartments above.
Conceived as a ‘habitable sculpture,’ the tower’s design draws inspiration from nature. Its form resembles three twisting petals rising from the ground and skirt. One of these petals separates in the middle, creating the hotel section, while the other two continue upward to form the apartment volumes.
The four-story podium is surrounded by terraces, with an arched marble facade that evokes Gothic stone carvings. This facade provides shade for the terraces below and lends a sense of lightness to the podium. It responds to the prime seaside location and the adjacent newly renovated public space on the first floor. Featuring four entrances and exits, it creates strong connectivity by allowing seamless infiltration throughout the site.
Guests enter through a striking three-story porch, enclosed by rotatable glass partitions and lush vegetation, which defines the main entrance for both the hotel and apartments. The building’s sweeping eaves transition smoothly into the hall ceiling, drawing visitors’ attention to the reception area. The interplay of plants, sculptures, and lighting on the water’s surface casts dynamic light and shadow patterns on the eaves, creating an ever-changing atmosphere throughout the day.
Inside, a dramatic staircase spirals up to the fourth floor, positioned within a cylindrical atrium that continues the sculptural theme. Its geometric design filters and projects light downward, physically and visually connecting all floors.
Atop the podium are two aerial terraces, each featuring an infinity pool with stunning views over the harbor. The terraces also include tennis courts, fitness centers, outdoor wedding venues, dance halls, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Notably, the complex houses Nobu, led by internationally acclaimed chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, and a restaurant by Clare Smyth, a Michelin-starred chef opening her first establishment in Australia.
The exotic landscape design was crafted by St Legere Design International, while the spa center’s interior, inspired by Sydney Harbour, was designed by Blainey North.
The waterfront cafes, bars, and restaurants are nestled within an exotic landscape beneath a glass Tyson polygonal roof, maximizing views of the harbor. International design studio Meyer Davis crafted the interiors of all public spaces, hotel rooms, suites, residences, and most leisure areas. Their interior design employs premium materials, custom lighting fixtures, bespoke furniture, woodwork, and carpets, balancing uniqueness with harmony alongside the building’s architecture and the natural Sydney Harbour environment.
Due to the building’s twisting form, no two rooms are identical, necessitating customized designs for each interior space. Meyer Davis’s commitment to detail and use of natural, luxurious materials like rare stones and marble create a refined and inviting atmosphere, ensuring every guest experiences top-tier luxury.
The tower, connected to the podium and the ground, is structurally supported by a core tube with cantilevered beams linked to concrete spiral columns that follow the building’s twisting shape. The highly insulated, continuously curved exterior wall employs three distinct systems: triangular curtain wall panels manage tighter curves; the main tower’s glass consists of cold-pressed rectangular panels of varying widths and heights, manufactured using cutting-edge technology; and the hotel rooms’ glass uses a more traditional curtain wall system with protruding keels.
Although the glass systems require a large number of customized panels to accommodate the building’s curves, they are highly insulated to reduce solar heat gain and provide a seamless glass surface that captures and reflects the changing light throughout the day. The hotel rooms and apartments are thoughtfully designed to maximize views of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and panoramic cityscapes, with each room uniquely configured to adapt to the varying floor layouts.
Chris Wilkinson, co-founder of Wilkinson Eyre, explained: “Our vision was to create a sculptural form rising above the skyline, like a habitable, translucent artwork. This elegant structural design fully embraces panoramic views of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and its relationship with the Darling Harbour site. The way the tower ascends is central to the design: unlike traditional buildings where plants may appear on upper levels, here the petals twist upward into the sky. Equally important is the connection between the tower and the ground—a petal extends all the way to the base, forming a continuous line along the west facade, which is quite unique.”
Will Meyer, co-founder of Meyer Davis, added: “Crown Sydney’s interior design is deeply influenced by the exceptional quality of Sydney Harbour and the coastal lifestyle it embodies, as well as Wilkinson Eyre’s intricate, twisting architectural concept. Our design philosophy centers on luxurious comfort inspired by these elements, achieving an exquisite integration of interior spaces with the surrounding environment. We aim for the final result to be a remarkable reflection of this unique city, offering a world-class experience to both Sydney residents and international visitors.”
This building has been pivotal in Barangaroo’s transformation into the first carbon-neutral precinct and a world-class tourist destination. Supporting local zero-waste initiatives and broader commitments to the Climate Positive Development Program, the design surpasses current performance standards and incorporates locally developed district heating and waste management systems.
During construction, the hotel actively contributed to Barangaroo’s cleanup and renewal by planting over 300 trees on site. The development also generated more than 2,000 jobs for New South Wales and supported local artisans by showcasing hundreds of artworks by Australian artists.
Project Drawings
△ Base and First Floor Plan
Classic Hotel Floor Plan
Classic Apartment Floor Plan
△ Sky Villa Floor Plan
△ Roof Plan
△ West Elevation View
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Architectural Design: Wilkinson Eyre
Area: 146,500 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Tom Roe
Client: Crown Resorts Limited
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up