17
How difficult is it to remain true to your ideals and
the public benefit rather than client pragmatism?
There can be pressure to bend a design or to be more
cost effective or easier to build. But, if you work as a team
towards a common vision, it’s surprising what can be
pulled off.
we have found that separation of elements with perfectly
defined gaps is very important. We also put a lot of work
into the integration and concealment of services. The glass
is very neatly detailed, glazing terminations, spacing and
scaling are all important. And lifts are notoriously very low in
height which affects scale. You very rarely find a tall lift.
The role of materials can’t be underplayed here when you
have to balance and synthesize glass, steel and sandstone.
You have to develop a language of separation about planes,
texture and light. Light is incredibly important by day of
course and of an evening as night falls, through dusk,
there is this incredible contrast of texture between the
glazing and sandstone.
This feels larger than normal. Is that because of its
transparency?
Dealing with a project the size of Barangaroo, you're
going from an absolutely enormous scale down to the
tiny scale of this lift. How do you break down that scale?
We spent a lot of time looking at the jointing and different
sized glass paneling in each plane. The net effect is that
you're totally aware of coming from a large scale to a smaller,
more intimate human scale. At all times the aim was to bring
it back down to a scale comfortable for the visitor and for
an inviting space.
It's really about a heightened sense of place, light, textures
and the split-second moment. That’s a heady cocktail for
those awake to such things.
That is absolutely true. I think that’s what architecture at its
best is all about. It is the alchemy of those ingredients such
as the beautifully cut stone, the delicate transparency of the
glass—bringing these elements to life.
There are so many disparate component parts that all have
to work together. When do you know where to stop; when
it’s sufficiently pared and yet enriched with ideas?
It's a little like a Rubik's Cube—you pull one piece one way
and something else doesn't work. Everything has a reason.
One of the functions that doesn't sound very poetic, but had
to considered, was how to cut the rock, how to ensure easy
maintenance—these such considerations. From experience
Any disappointments?
Only that the lift travels so fast, you don't really get to
appreciate what you're seeing through the frit as you're
rising up and looking out across to the skyline!
Your project moment?
On opening day a number of us from the practice walked
around the site retaining our anonymity and asked others
what they liked most of all. They kept telling us: "We love
the lift." That was unexpected… and immensely pleasing.
PROJECT
BUILDER
Lift Shaft at Barangaroo Reserve,
Sydney
Lendlease
CLIENT
Aurecon
ARCHITECT
Arch-System Fabrication Pty Ltd
PRINCIPAL GLAZING
Viridian
Barangaroo Delivery Authority
WMK Architecture, Sydney
Viridian Seraphic™ Design
Viridian ThermoTech™
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
PWP Landscape Architecture
(Peter Walker & Partners) in
association with Johnson
Pilton Walker
FACADE ENGINEER
WINDOW INSTALLER/GLAZIER
GLASS SUPPLIER AND SPECIALIST SUPPORT