'Groundscraper’ aims to offer a new type of workplace

The Foundry, a sprawling new ‘groundscaper’ designed by award-winning architects Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) has opened in Sydney’s South Eveleigh.

Led by property group Mirvac, The Foundry is a world-leading commercial building that delivers an innovative workplace environment. The project is the third new building to be delivered as part of the revitalised technology and innovation hub, South Eveleigh.

It has the second largest commercial floorplates in Australia, one of the country’s first ‘groundscrapers’ and the largest steel building Mirvac has developed to date. In its construction, Mirvac has used 3km of balustrade, 2,000sqm of skylights, and over 9,000 tonnes of steel.

The design

Following on from their previous successful projects, FJMT took inspiration from South Eveleigh’s industrial heritage and the adjacent Locomotive Workshops using steel, raw and exposed materials and an orange colour palette.  

The Foundry was conceptualised as two buildings joined by a central atrium. Four smaller atriums and interconnected staircases break up the overall scale of the building and create a campus-style workplace, while ensuring that occupants are no more than 12m from a natural light source.

Leading Australian interior design and architecture firm, Davenport Campbell, designed the tenancy fit-out of Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s workplace to foster innovation and ideas exchange.

The project

Mirvac’s CEO & Managing Director, Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said, “For over 100 years, South Eveleigh has been a renowned centre for technology, innovation and collaboration. Mirvac and our partners had a shared vision for South Eveleigh as a defining precinct for Sydney that would bolster our standing as a global city, foster collaboration and exchange, and bring together a people from all walks of life. 

The completion of The Foundry marks a significant milestone in the final stages of this vision to create a world-class hub for culture, commerce and the community.'

According to Ms Lloyd-Hurwitz, Mirvac’s integrated model and diverse capabilities in delivering large-scale mixed-use precincts meant is was uniquely positioned to deliver this state-of-the-art workplace.

“The Foundry offers a different breed of workplace that heralds a shift towards new ways of working. The exceptional working environment is technology-enabled, fostering collaboration while also allowing ultimate flexibility and diversity for its workforce – all elements which will meet the needs of current and future generations of workers.”

Energy ratings

The Foundry is targeting a 6 Star Green Star rating, and a 5 Star NABERS Energy rating, with an impressive solar array on the roof offsetting the base building energy with a design output of 370kW.

Completion

The South Eveleigh precinct will be completed in 2021, consisting of nine commercial buildings surrounded by shared public spaces with a diverse mix of retailers, art and cultural experiences to activate the precinct in the evenings and on weekends.

Story by: Trendsideas