Sydney’s newest ‘bamboo basket’ building at Darling Harbour

IT’S been dubbed the “bamboo basket” thanks to its unique design. The Sunday Telegraph was given exclusive access inside Sydney’s newest landmark building — the Exchange — at Darling Harbour which is destined to be a CBD icon.

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IT HASN’T even opened yet but Sydney’s next landmark already has a nickname — the bamboo basket.

And it’s not hard to see why.

Wrapped in 23 kilometres of timber, the six-storey Exchange building, at the site of the former Entertainment Centre at Chinatown, is expected to become a CBD icon.

With the circular structure set to open mid-next year, The Sunday Telegraph was given an exclusive first look inside the unique design which will house a food hall, a new Golden Century restaurant, a City of Sydney library and a child care centre for Commonwealth Bank employees.

A sandpit with water features, overlooking Darling Harbour, has been built on the fifth level while a 2700 square metre public square — the size of Martin Place between Pitt and George Streets — is also starting to take shape.

The $70m Exchange building in Darling Square wrapped in timber. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

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Lendlease Urban Regeneration project director Neil Arckless said the Exchange — listed for sale by the developer last month with a price tag of about $70 million — was designed for future generations.

“It’s one for bringing your grandkids to,” Mr Arckless told The Sunday Telegraph.

“That’s driven a lot of the thinking on this building.

“We’ve had moments where we could have said it’s too hard or we need to compromise something but it’s only when you look at those 100 hurdles and you’re willing to go over each one that you start to get outcomes.”

The radiata pine twisting around the structure has been an engineering feat in itself.

With a 50-year lifespan, the timber has been sourced from New Zealand, chemically treated in Holland before returning to Sydney where engineers individually created each of the 110 panels.

Artist impressions of the Exchange building.

The building is tipped to be a CBD icon.

The final piece of the wooden puzzle will be completed in the next month with another 250 metres of timber yet to slide into place.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the Exchange, which she also called the birds nest, was a unique civic building.

“I don’t think there is anything else like it in the CBD,” Ms Moore said.

“I think the architecture will reflect the interesting activities that will go on within the building.”

Work is well underway inside the six-storey building. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Construction manager Colin Townsend with Lendlease Urban Regeneration project director Neil Arckless. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

A permanent webcam allows the Exchange’s Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma, to follow the progress of his first Australian design from Tokyo.

But Mr Arckless said the building’s “mixed use”, not the architecture, has been its most challenging aspect.

City of Sydney has signed a 99-year lease with Lendlease for a new tech-focused library across two levels of the Exchange, four times larger than the current Haymarket library which it will replace.

Mr Arckless said the building was designed to accommodate future generations. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Ms Moore said the Darling Square Library will also cater for entrepreneurs.

“What we’re trying to do in this library is not only provide traditional services but also make it a centre for start-ups and new IT industry and be a real drawcard for the community in that area,” she said.

The Exchange is part of the state government’s $3.4 billion transformation of Darling Harbour which has included the new convention centre, the ICC, and new luxury hotels.

Originally published as Sydney’s newest ‘bamboo basket’ building at Darling Harbour