One Central Park, Sydney, Australia
Location: 28 Broadway, Chippendale, Sydney, Australia
Year built: 2014
Architect: Jean Nouvel
The award-winning, mixed-use facility One Central Park in Sydney, Australia appears as a towering superstructure embellished with greenery and reflective alloys. Designed by Jean Nouvel in 2008, and finalised in 2014, the building transforms Sydney’s skyline. The project comprises two iconic towers; one is a 34-storey residential apartment group and the other is a 12-storey serviced apartment building above a retail complex.
One Central Park’s focal point is its flourishing vertical landscape, designed as a collaborative effort with French artist and botanist Patrick Blanc. In 2013, the lavish structure was awarded a 5-Star Green Star rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.
The green facade aids in controlling heat and light, and changes with the seasons, protecting the interior units from direct sunlight during summer and allowing maximum sunlight during winter.
Adjacent to the two buildings is the development’s main parklands, which Jean Nouvel drew inspiration from when designing the structure. The structure appears as one with its surroundings and reflects concepts of nature and sustainability.
About Jean Nouvel
Born in 1945, Jean Nouvel is a French architect who studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He is known for being a founding member of the Mars 1976 movement, which opposed corporatism in architecture, and the Syndicat de l’Architecture, a labour union for French architects.
Nouvel began his career in architecture by working as an assistant to architects Paul Virilio and Claude Parent. After only one year, the pair promoted him to project manager and placed him in charge of constructing a large apartment complex.
Nouvel does not call upon style or ideology in his planning. Instead, he takes a contextual approach to design, considering the individual needs of the people and landscapes impacted by each project. His works are recognised for transforming and defining the environments in which they are built.
Over the course of his career, Nouvel has attained a number of prestigious distinctions, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the 2008 Pritzker Prize, and the 2005 Wolf Prize in Arts. His notable works include the Arab World Institute in Paris, France; the Culture and Convention Centre in Lucerne, Switzerland; and the Le Nouvel Residences in Kuala Lumpur.
