Built restores Sydney’s first skyscraper

Joined by NSW Premier Chris Minns MP at the official opening of one of Sydney’s most iconic commercial office towers, Built is proud to have restored the 26-storey original ‘Sydney Cove’ building to its former glory – marking its most comprehensive upgrade since opening in 1962.

Having been added to the NSW Government’s State Heritage Register during the time of construction, 33 Alfred Street holds a special place in Sydney’s history. Since its inauguration by Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies in 1962 as Australia’s tallest building at the time, it has stood in Circular Quay as a testament to the city’s post war growth, architectural innovation, and as a hub for business and commerce.

“As an 100% Australian-owned contractor, we are proud to have been entrusted to refurbish Sydney’s first skyscraper, standing as a benchmark of heritage restoration,” said ‌David Paterson, CEO of Construction, Built.

The building has been transformed into a state-of-the-art office tower spanning around 32,000 square metres, modernised and brought to a Premium grade standard. The re-use of the existing structure minimises landfill waste and extends the lifecycle of the building. The building has been redeveloped to achieve 5.5 star NABERS Energy rating for the base building and a 6-Star Green Star – Office As Built v3 rating.

33 Alfred Street’s original heritage charm and distinctive design features were retained, with over 75,000 tiles making up the new state-of-the-art, full-height glass façade that not only preserved the iconic gold glass tartan design but improved thermal performance and sustainability.

The intricate installation of the tiles, arrayed on more than 5,000 panels, took careful planning and over six months to complete. With the modern panels carefully designed by architects JPW, each floor consisted of approximately 200 panels measuring 3.8 metres high and 1.2 metres wide, with each panel lowered into position from the level above.

“This wasn’t just about restoring a façade, it was about breathing new life into a Sydney icon with a new high-performance design while carefully restoring key elements of the original heritage fabric,” said Aidan Reeks, Project Manager, Built.

The new façade incorporates market leading sustainability practices, preserving its original structure to prolong the building’s lifespan and reduce material waste.

The re-opening of 33 Alfred Street, which is co-owned by Dexus Wholesale Property Fund and Mirvac Wholesale Office Fund, marks the completion of the Quay Quarter Sydney precinct which also features the award-winning Quay Quarter Tower and Quay Quarter Lanes. Together, these offer city visitors access to more than 35 cafes, bars, specialty restaurants, casual dining options and lifestyle, health and wellbeing outlets.