The Arc – Storytelling Architecture by Koichi Takada

Arc is a mixed-use residential project comprising 135 apartments, 86 boutique hotel rooms, cafes, and a retail precinct. This project has won over 18 design and construction awards in Australia and overseas.

Its twin towers rest on a four-block brick masonry podium that aligns with the delicate heritage context. Arc seeks to reduce reliance on mechanical services and embraces more natural means.

The podium was made with no less than 300,000 hand-laid bricks. The use of these brick arches responds to the scale and character of the heritage buildings next door, like the Red Cross Building and the Andrew Bros Warehouse.

The inspiration for the materiality evokes the image of Uluru (Ayers Rock) located in the Northern Territory – “the colour and texture of brickwork echoes the oxidation of red earth, found in the heart of Australia as well as the erosion of its landform over years traced in a series of organically shaped ribs and arches.”

Its glass elevator core lets daylight in, and the stack effect of the central atrium facilitates natural ventilation. Arc gave back the ground plane to the people to reinstate a “laneway” from Sydney’s past, re-activating a once forgotten part of the Sydney CBD.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Arc is a series of 59 ribs or arches that reach up the towers forming an “organic crown” at the rooftop. This draws a distinction between Arc and the mainly unused rooftops of towers elsewhere in the city, emphasising the importance of such “breathing space” for social interaction and wellbeing.

Arc represents an architectural statement that combines craftsmanship and texture to create a contemporary tower that respects the rich historical context of its surrounding urban fabric.

The project's architect, Koichi Takada, will give us a short talk.

The tour will be led by Dr Zeny Edwards and Chris Knierim. Zeny is an Architectural Historian and Chris is an international award-winning designer. He is the CEO of the Building Designers Association of Australia, The Australian Building Sustainability Association and Chairman of the Australian Design Alliance.