VISION Issue 26 | Page 7

7 Lawyers and institutional bankers are among the big winners, if recent towers in Sydney are any guide. A growing number of buildings stand out, not because they’re the biggest, or tallest, but because they are among the very best. W hile height is the measure of worth in cities such as Shanghai and Dubai, the trend in Sydney is grounded in quality and sustainable, environmental connections. 1 Bligh Street, 50 Martin Place, 8 Chifley and now 5 Martin Place are home to Clayton Utz, Macquarie Bank, Corrs and Ashurst respectively. The tallest of these, 1 Bligh Street stands just 30 levels, while Macquarie is a quality-packed 10 storeys. These three legal firms and one bank are beneficiaries of the new workplace defined by, among other features, cavernous atria and light-filled floor plates. They all occupy buildings that transform not so much where people work, but how they collaborate and connect with each other. The 605 staff at Ashurst might miss the glorious harbor views enjoyed at their old address near Circular Quay, but are handsomely compensated with this new generation building. As anchor tenants on levels 5-11, 5 Martin Place is a premium address, especially as it incorporates part of the original and iconic 1916 “Money Box” and 1933 Commonwealth Bank buildings. PROJECT 5 Martin Place, Sydney Levels 10-11 Rooftop Lantern, Atrium, Hammerhead Skylight CLIENT Cbus Property & DEXUS Property Group ARCHITECTS Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW) & Tanner Kibble Denton (TKD) Architects in Collaboration PRINCIPAL GLAZING Viridian EnviroShield™ with SuperClear™ TEXT, IMAGES & FILM Peter & Jenny Hyatt