The world’s first Up-cycled High-Rise: The Quay Quarter Tower 🏢♻️🌍

“How do you breathe new life into an old tower?” 3XN Architects cover how, rather than tearing down the existing AMP Centre tower reaching the end of its usable lifespan, the project team set out to instead reuse as much of the existing building and set a new standard for what is possible for adaptive reuse in architecture (7).

The Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Australia has made history as the world’s first upcycled high-rise (3). Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming waste materials or discarded products into new, higher quality products (2). This innovative approach to sustainability not only reduces waste, but also creates new economic opportunities and reduces the demand for virgin materials (4).

One of the key features of the Quay Quarter Tower is its use of recycled materials. According to a press release by Lendlease, the developer of the tower, over 75% of the building’s materials were recycled or upcycled (1). This includes the use of recycled steel, recycled timber, and recycled concrete (5). In addition, the building’s façade was designed to maximize natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting and lowering energy consumption (1).

The Quay Quarter Tower actually incorporates a number of other sustainable features, including rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and a blackwater treatment plant (1). These systems help to reduce the tower’s water consumption and minimize its impact on the local environment. The Quay Quarter Tower is not only good for the environment, it’s also good for the community, where the building features a number of public spaces, including a rooftop garden and an outdoor amphitheater, which provide areas for people to gather and socialize (1). It also includes a number of retail and dining options, helping to support local businesses and promote economic development (1).

By maintaining 68% of the existing structure, with all the embodied energy this entails, this re-use has saved the equivalent of 10,000 aeroplane flights from Sydney to Melbourne in carbon reduction (8)! Overall, the Quay Quarter Tower is a shining example of how upcycling and sustainability can work together to create a better future (2). It serves as a model for other developers and architects looking to create more environmentally-friendly buildings and communities (4).

Watch the construction time-lapse from 3XN architects below (7):

References:

1. “Quay Quarter Tower – Lendlease.” Lendlease. Accessed January 6, 2023. https://www.lendlease.com/our-work/quay-quarter-tower/
2. “Quay Quarter Tower: World’s First Upcycled High-Rise.” ArchDaily. January 17, 2020. https://www.archdaily.com/938253/quay-quarter-tower-worlds-first-upcycled-high-rise
3. “Quay Quarter Tower: The World’s First Upcycled High-Rise.” Inhabitat. January 14, 2020. https://www.inhabitat.com/quay-quarter-tower-the-worlds-first-upcycled-high-rise/
4. “Quay Quarter Tower: The World’s First Upcycled High-Rise.” World Architecture Community. January 15, 2020. https://www.worldarchitecture.org/article-links/quay-quarter-tower-the-world-s-first-upcycled-high-rise.html
5. “Quay Quarter Tower: World’s First Upcycled High-Rise.” Dezeen. January 16, 2020. https://www.dezeen.com/2020/01/16/quay-quarter-tower-lendlease-sydney-australia/
6. “Quay Quarter Tower” https://3xn.com/project/quay-quarter-tower-2
7. “Quay Quarter Tower – Construction Timelapse ” https://youtu.be/IHDR1s54jPo
8. “Transformational project in Sydney’s Circular Quay” https://www.arup.com/projects/quay-quarter-tower