6 & 8 Parramatta Square podium

Expansive entry lobbies and a fully glazed skybridge

Summary

Location:

6 & 8 Parramatta Square, Parramatta

Sector:

Commercial office

Size:

58 storeys (224m high)

Estimated cost:

$700M

Completion date:

2022

Team

Client:

Walker Corporation

Main contractor:

Built

Architect:

JPW Architects

Facade installation contractor:

Highlight Aluminium

Facade Manufacturer

Singyes Engineering (HK)

Facade consultant:

Prism Facades

Facade specs & stats

Systems:

Large-spanning structural glass walls with feature shading fins and tubes

Facade area:

3,500m2

Largest span of entry-level glazing system:

17.5m

Span of skybridge:

13m

Skybridge height:

59.86m

Total length of external feature fins and shading tubes

4.3km

Structural support with frameless glazing

Challenges

Glazing for triple-height lobbies

The podium levels of 6 & 8 Parramatta Square are the meeting point of three buildings. To join them we used a custom-developed structural steel system with semi-frameless glazing, integrated using an off-site structurally glazed sub-frame.

Concealing the structural support of large spans of semi-frameless glazing
Managing construction timelines around a staged building opening
Adding a late-design skybridge with a complex bespoke access system

The lower levels of the building have lobby spaces that span single-, double- and triple-storey heights fully enclosed with glazing. The largest lobby has a clear span of 17.5m, designed to provide a dramatic entrance.

Integrating multiple systems to differentiate lobbies

The facade systems used for the podium integrate various shading components to provide solar protection and differentiate lobby areas. Other systems used include a semi-frameless glazing for the suspended skybridge, frameless structural glazing for the internal lift shafts, and automated glass entry pivot doors.