One of Sydney's largest hotels constructed over a major highway
Situated over the Western Distributor motorway, the success of this project relied on close collaboration with stakeholders, and mutual understanding within the engineering and building team to ensure constructability of design within a highly constrained environment.The redevelopment incorporated extensive refurbishment of the existing hotel; construction of a new 27-level combined hotel and commercial tower; a new two-level 4000m2 convention centre with saw-tooth feature roof; and numerous architectural and structural features such as Wharf Lane bridge, Wheat Road scissor stair, and new hotel porte-cochere.
Adding to the technical complexities, the site includes two heritage structures - the Corn Exchange and Dundee Arms - and the hotel was also required to remain operational throughout construction. With these constraints in mind, close attention to staging and sequence of works were key elements from the early stages of design.
The successful outcome demonstrates the world's best practice and technical excellence in the incorporation of an intricate network of structural transfer systems; large clear spans; irregular structural forms; efficient steel framing; carefully staged construction; and an innovative choice of construction techniques.
