Bottom-up retailing reinvigorates the podium at 25 Martin Place in the heart of Sydney’s CBD and activates city streets.
Woods Bagot and Harry Seidler & Associates collaborated to provide a concept to reinvigorate the podium of the former MLC Centre, now known as 25 Martin Place, which was designed by the late, great Harry Seidler and opened in 1978.
The goal was to cement its reputation as the pre-eminent office, retail and urban address in Martin Place and Sydney CBD. The concept provided an opportunity for a strategic review of the entire development, and a master-planned, holistic approach to future building works.
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The design strives to preserve the existing Seidler legacy through adaptive reuse of the existing precast architecture expression while creating a distinctly new organic ‘ribbon’ to unite the entire development’s composition.
25 Martin Place is an important connective link in the city, and is surrounded by a series of activated city streets. Maintaining and enhancing the centre’s role as a connective destination – specifically between Martin Place and King Street – is crucial to its continued success.
The reactivation of Lees Court and Rowe Street as a natural and vibrant city laneway provides a fantastic opportunity for growth within the urban realm, in keeping with the City of Sydney’s Laneway Revitalisation Plan.
The precinct’s relationship to Martin Place creates a public plaza, drawing people into the retail, food offerings and also acts as a key address to the tower lobby.
The podium comprising retail, restaurant, food court and associated public realm are important aspects in elevating the status of 25 Martin Place. It is the marriage of three elements: public space, retail and commercial identity that is key to its ongoing success.
2024 Property Council of Australia – Best Heritage Development, Finalist
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