4 Parramatta Square

Metallic shading fins to accentuate verticality

Summary

Location:

4 Parramatta Square, Parramatta

Sector:

Commercial office

Size:

34 storeys (158m high)

Estimated cost:

Part of the $2.7B Parramatta Square redevelopment

Completion date:

2019

Team

Client:

Walker Corporation

Main contractor:

Built

Architect:

JPW Architects

Facade installation contractor:

Highlight Aluminium

Facade Manufacturer

Singyes Engineering (HK)

Facade consultant:

AECOM

Facade specs & stats

Systems:

Custom-designed unitised curtain wall system and steel-framed podium-glazing system with semi-frameless glass

Facade area:

31,000m2

Heaviest panel:

1320kg

Total no. individual façade panels

Approx. 5,000

Total no. external vertical projecting fins

19,000m

Sustainability:

6-star Green Star

Pinstripes to accentuate verticality

Aligning the tower soffit

Challenges

The 4 Parramatta Square tower incorporates extensive silver-metallic shading fins that project up to 250mm from the glass plane at regular intervals. The aluminium fins accentuate the tower’s verticality so it appears to have pinstripes.

To activate the ground plane, the Parramatta Square towers were designed to be linked. The lowest tower soffit of 4 Parramatta Square aligns with the colonnade soffit of 2 Parramatta Square-an alignment that extends the length of Parramatta Square.

Accommodating the plant rooms’ double-height spans of glazing
Working with a split procurement model
A fast-tracked procurement process

Glazing that spans double-height floors

Collaborating for a split procurement model

For the plant-room levels, we engineered panels to span the 8.5m height. As a result, supporting steelwork that would have restricted safe installation access was no longer needed. We prefavricated the panels in 1.8m x 8.5m modules and installed them using a tower crane.

Built procured the facade for the project directly using a split procurement model, with the supply, local management and construction being divided into multiple contracts. This gave the client the best value for money, but needed careful coodination to maintain a high quality of delivery.

“I have worked with Mark and his team for many years now and I can honestly say that Core are the most professional and experienced in the industry. Mark and his team provide a service which in my opinion is unmatched in the industry.

On my most recent project (4PS), the Core team made it so easy to work through the facade design with the key stakeholders, the management of all off-shore and on-shore logistics and final installation of the curtain wall and podium facades without hiccups. I could honestly say the project would not have been the success it was without the help of the Core team. This was evident in the final product and a happy client. I would not hesitate in using Mark and his team on future projects no matter how big, small or complex the project is."

Alex Muir Senior Associate (Development & Infrastructure) - CBRE Asia Pacific (Formerly Project Manager, Built)