Brookfield's $2b Wynyard project tops out

The project's centrepiece is a visionary new office tower comprising 27 levels of office accommodation, with the revamped precinct to provide around 75,000 sqm of space, comprising 68,000 sqm of office space and approximately 7,000 sqm of retail space.

Brookfield Place is the premium brandmark awarded by Brookfield to a select group of best-in-class, large commercial property precincts globally that deliver on a strict range of criteria including outstanding transport connections, state-of-the-art building systems, premium work spaces, high level retail amenity, leading sustainability credentials, 24/7 security, amenities for wellness and curated placemaking activities. Only five other Brookfield Places exist in the world with sister assets located in New York, Toronto, Calgary, Dubai and Perth.

Sophie Fallman, Brookfield Asset Management Managing Partner and Head of Australian Real Estate, said: "We are proud that this asset will join the prestigious family of global Brookfield Place destinations globally and deliver for Sydney a precinct that excites and attracts people from all parts of the city.

"A Brookfield Place is a new kind of urban centre that sets benchmarks in its location for commercial property assets. It uses world-class planning and design to transform expansive, underutilised areas within the most important cities of the 21st century. It puts surrounding precincts on the map by creating a uniquely welcoming environment that re-centres the surrounding neighbourhood.

"Brookfield Place Sydney has achieved this designation because of the uncompromising quality of the development and its restoration of the Wynyard Precinct to its rightful place as the heart of the Sydney CBD.

"On completion, we will provide Premium accommodation for a range of tenants, including NAB, Allianz and Brookfield's new Asia Pacific headquarters, while delivering Sydneysiders an exciting new retail and commercial precinct, an upgraded Wynyard Station arrival experience, and an annual program of arts and cultural activities in keeping with Brookfield's global commitment to placemaking.

"Today we celebrate the work of our building partner, Multiplex, and our development team at Brookfield Properties. Together, and with the assistance of Transport for NSW, they have achieved an extraordinary feat of building a structure that's now 134 metres above a brand new Transit Hall that will connect George Street through to a live underground commuter rail station where more than 100,000 commuters will pass through each day."

Carl Schibrowski, Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Brookfield Properties, who leads the team responsible for the development said: "We have leveraged our global and local expertise to re-imagine what was possible at Wynyard. We struck an agreement with the NSW State Government under the Unsolicited Approval Process to fund, design, deliver and maintain the new Wynyard Transit Hall, and convert the old Wynyard leasehold interests to stratum freehold title, as well as merge our new development with the heritage conservation of the historic Shell House and 285 George Street to create new public infrastructure and Premium accommodation for our tenants.

Mr Schibrowski said key achievements to date included:

• achieving Design Excellence under a State Significant Development consent process following a global design competition
• the suspension of the office lift core 14 metres above the new Transit Hall
• structurally retaining and restoring one of the tallest heritage facades in the world of its type
• the mid-air suspension of the 400 tonne Shell House masonry heritage clock tower for the duration of the Shell House internal demolition, retention, excavation and rebuild
• the creation of over 3000 jobs during construction (to date, more than 6.2 million hours have been worked, representing 166 trades and 443 subcontractors), and
• securing a 6 Star Gree Star - Office Design v3 rating, which is considered world-leading.

"As we have proven through the success of our leasing program, where 81% of office space has been pre-leased to leading national and global tenants, this is a property that appeals to forward looking organisations who wish to provide state-of-the-art workspaces, diverse retail and 24/7 amenities for their employees." Mr Schibrowski said.

Brookfield Place Sydney will be completed in 2021.

Brookfield Place Sydney

Designed in collaboration by Make Architects and Architectus, Brookfield Place Sydney will transform Wynyard into a world-class urban precinct in the heart of Sydney's CBD.

The project's centrepiece is PCA Premium Grade commercial tower (10 Carrington Street) with a total net lettable area of 59,000 sqm over 27 levels, offering world-class facilities, amenities and finishes to set a new standard in workplace design.

The development includes the restoration of Shell House and 285 George Street, breathing new life into a historic Sydney landmark. In addition, approximately 7,000 sqm of high-end retail, a revitalised Wynyard Lane and a major upgrade to Wynyard Station's George Street entrance has occurred, connecting to a grand transit hall and public concourse.