Realm
South Australia
Sectors
Commercial
Location
32-36 York Street, Sydney CBD, NSW
Date Completed
2024
Architect
SJB Architecture
Builder
Ceerose
The York & Co is a commercial redevelopment in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, delivered with architect SJB and builder Ceerose. Completed in 2024, the project involved stripping back the existing building’s façade and reskinning it entirely, with the stability of the original structure still being confirmed as design progressed. The new envelope combines high clarity, high visible light transmission glazing with Glass Reinforced Concrete sunshades in three colours, chosen for their ability to span a single floor. Street level features include custom horseshoe detailing and a podium facade with glass installed directly onto the building’s architectural steel.
Challenges
Reskinning an existing building meant designing for tolerances before the stability of the original structure was fully confirmed. The Glass Reinforced Concrete sunshades, selected over terracotta for their ability to span a single floor, brought their own procurement and consistency challenges, along with the practicalities of fixing their weight back to the facade. Establishing correct plumbness through the custom horseshoe features, given their loose manufacturing tolerances, added a further layer of precision to an already complex refurbishment.
Strategy
Our strategy was to design for tolerance from the outset, so the facade could accommodate any movement in the existing structure as its condition was confirmed. We worked closely with our GRC supplier to manage colour consistency and weight across the three sunshade finishes, and developed a fixing method capable of carrying that weight back to the facade safely. For the horseshoe features and podium glazing installed directly onto architectural steel, we focused on establishing plumbness early and holding it through installation.
The result was a fully reskinned façade with a consistent, high performance finish, delivered on an existing structure without compromising on detail or precision.
