New North Sydney boutique office Blue & William reaches structural completion

North Sydney’s newest boutique office building, Blue & William, has celebrated a significant milestone today as it reaches structural completion and moves into the next phase of development with the installation of the building’s distinct terracotta façade.

Located on the corner of Blue and William Streets, the 10-storey, circa 14,000 square metre property was acquired in December last year by Keppel REIT. Lendlease will develop and manage the building, expanding its exposure to the area and bolstering its commercial development pipeline in North Sydney.

Designed by global architecture and design studio Woods Bagot, the circa $328 million building will provide sweeping harbour views, a landscaped Wellness Garden and open spaces, a bespoke café and end-of-trip facilities to support healthier ways to commute and connect.

Architect Jason Fraser at Woods Bagot, said that Blue & William’s character is a direct response to the neighbourhood, a place of red bricks and terracotta roofs leading down to the harbour edge, wrapped around a future-conscious workplace.

“Our first approach with every project is to understand the site, its history and what it means to the local community. 

“Materials are very much drawn from the local community, terracotta from the roofs, red brick from the previous buildings that used to occupy the site, and sandstone from the earth and local heritage buildings.”

He said the terracotta, kiln-fired and glazed in a reddish-ochre finish, adds character to the glass façade, while the building’s form is enhanced by a series of cascading terraces magnifying the water and city panorama.

“Terracotta is contextual, natural and celebrates its imperfections. Typically, it’s used in a prosaic way as a standard roofing material on Sydney’s older apartment and housing stock. This made it the perfect material to reinvent through a glossy, glazed finish, form and detail that catches the Sydney light and brought a level of sophistication to the building which, without it, would have been a couple of simple glass boxes. 

“It is an unusual material for a commercial building and we believe the custom extrusion technique that was used to create the frames is a first for Sydney.”

Designed with tenant experience and wellness as a priority, the building is targeting a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy Rating and 5 Star Green Star Rating. 

Lendlease is also set to start construction on its $1.2 billion commercial and retail precinct that forms part of the Sydney Metro integrated station development, Victoria Cross. 

Rising above North Sydney’s new metro station, the 42-storey Victoria Cross Tower will be one of the city’s most sustainable and well-connected workplaces that will flow into a retail-activated laneway. With more than 20 retail and hospitality brands planned, the area will be transformed into a round-the-clock destination for workers, locals and visitors.

Shirley Ng, Deputy CEO and Head of Investment of Keppel REIT Management said “Keppel REIT is pleased to have achieved an important milestone for the development of Blue & William, which marks our strategic expansion into North Sydney. Designed with sustainability concepts and smart building technologies, this grade A office building will add to the vibrancy of the area, and we look forward to the asset contributing steady recurring income to Keppel REIT when it is completed next year.”

Lisa Gordon, Head of Commercial Development, Lendlease said “North Sydney is on a path to complete transformation, with new commercial developments committing to the future vision for the area.

“We know that people are looking for the next generation in workplaces, and our Victoria Cross Tower, together with Blue & William, represent the future of placemaking. 

“Blue & William reflects the latest thinking in workplace and will offer modern workspaces that facilitate flexible and collaborative working, as well as sweeping harbour views from the floor to ceiling windows and outdoor terraces. We’re increasingly finding that prospective tenants are seeking out high quality, flexible and wellness conscious office spaces in prime locations, and Blue & William delivers on just that and more.”