Aspire Parramatta
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6 & 8 Parramatta Square is a
skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...
in
Parramatta, New South Wales Parramatta (; ) is a suburb (Australia), suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney. Parramatta is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, on the banks of the Parramatta River. It is co ...
, Australia, a centrepiece of the Parramatta Square development (located within the Greater Sydney region, approximately from Sydney City Centre). The building consists entirely of commercial office space, making up of floorspace, at a height of , making it the tallest building in Parramatta and outside the
Sydney central business district The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or ...
. It was built in the Parramatta Square Development on plot 8 called PSQ8.


Development


Former proposals

;2012 An earlier incarnation of a building on this site was a development on 160–182 Church Street in Parramatta conceived in July 2012, when plans were released for a tall skyscraper of 65 storeys. This project would form one of the key developments of Parramatta Square, formerly known as Civic Place. The residential skyscraper, designed by
Grimshaw Architects Grimshaw Architects (formerly Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners) is an architectural firm based in London. Founded in 1980 by Nicholas Grimshaw, the firm was one of the pioneers of high-tech architecture. In particular, they are known for their des ...
, would have become the tallest building in Parramatta, and the 9th tallest building in
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
when
skyscrapers in Sydney Sydney, the largest city in Australia, is home to 1,168 completed high-rise buildings, more than any other city in Australia. Of those completed or topped out, the entire city (including metropolitan suburbs) has 56 buildings that reach a height ...
are factored in. ;2013–15 In early 2013, a development plan application was lodged, which would see the skyscraper significantly altered in terms of height and amenities. The new proposal would include a tall skyscraper with 88 storeys, comprising 700 residential apartments, a 150-room hotel and retail space.Campion, Vikki. (4 April 2013)
"Aspire Tower - the high life rises in Parramatta"
''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
''. Retrieved 19 March 2016
McKenny, Leesha. (31 March 2013)
"Tall order: investors targeted for state's biggest skyscraper"
''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...
''. Retrieved 19 March 2013
Dubbed "Aspire Parramatta", the skyscraper would have also included an observation deck (second tallest in the country, behind Melbourne's
Eureka Tower Eureka Tower is a skyscraper located in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Construction began in August 2002 and the exterior was completed on 1 June 2006. The plaza was finished in June 2006 and the building was offici ...
). If constructed, the building would have surpassed the Gold Coast's Q1 as the tallest building in Australia, and with a roof height of 306 metres, it would have also supplanted the Eureka Tower for the title of the tallest building in Australia to roof. By late August 2014, the supertall building proposal was questioned after issues regarding height restrictions emerged with aviation authorities, such as the
Civil Aviation Safety Authority The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is an Australian statutory authority responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's civil aviation. CASA was formed on 6 July 1995 under the ''Civil Aviation Act 1988'' when the Civil ...
."Western Sydney’s marquee Parramatta Square inches forward"
''
The Australian ''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet daily newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964. As the only Australian daily newspaper distributed nationally, its readership of b ...
''. 27 August 2014
These reports came only a few months after it was confirmed that Melbourne's
Australia 108 Australia 108 (previously 70 Southbank Boulevard) is a residential supertall skyscraper in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Having officially topped out in June 2020, it became the tallest building in Australia by roo ...
initial supertall proposal would be shelved following concerns by CASA, despite the approval of State Government planning for the building.Masanauskas, John. (29 April 2014)
"Southbank tower’s level lopped due to air safety regulations"
''
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''. Retrieved 19 March 2016
Soon after, new recommendations proposed for a building no more than 243 metres tall. In October 2014, Parramatta council submit a proposal to the City Centre Planning Framework Review to remove the existing building height limit. In May 2015, the Government of New South Wales scrapped the existing building height restrictions in Parramatta, which would allow for a high building to be constructed. In order for the latter to eventuate, the project had to receive final approval from the
Civil Aviation Safety Authority The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is an Australian statutory authority responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's civil aviation. CASA was formed on 6 July 1995 under the ''Civil Aviation Act 1988'' when the Civil ...
. In addition to the progress on height restrictions, Parramatta City Council also approved development applications to demolish its Darcy Street Council offices and the Civic Place Library building in preparation for the Parramatta Square development - the city's new commercial office space and the Aspire Tower. By August 2015, the Walker Corporation was appointed developer of the Aspire project. In conjunction with the announcement of Walker's appointment, it was revealed the tower would have to be reduced to 68 storeys, and a height of , in order to abide by aviation guidelines. ;2016–2017 In early 2016, the Walker Corporation launched a design competition for the Aspire Tower. The initial design for the building won in 2012 by Grimshaw Architects, was shelved, hence allowing Walker to pursue a new direction. Competing for the design of the tower were submissions from 10 local and international architectural practices; of those, four were shortlisted —
Fender Katsalidis Fender Katsalidis (FK) is an architecture firm which originated in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and now has additional studios in Sydney and Brisbane. Founded by Karl Fender and Nonda Katsalidis, the firm has been notable since the early 1990s, ...
, DBI Design,
PTW Architects PTW Architects is an Australian architecture firm founded in Sydney in 1889. In 2013, PTW was acquired by the Chinese architecture and engineering consulting firm China Construction Design International (CCDI). PTW is a diverse architectural ...
and
Bates Smart Bates Smart is an architectural firm with studios in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1853 by Joseph Reed, it is one of Australia's oldest architectural firms. Over the decades, the firm's practices involving architecture, interior ...
. The latter, Bates Smart, was selected by a jury of four Parramatta individuals in March. The A$700 million skyscraper project will be devised into two phases: * ''Phase 1'' application was lodged in April 2017 for a 73-storey skyscraper, with a height of . Should the Walker Corporation and CASA reach a successful agreement pertaining to lifting the height limit on the project, a second application – ''Phase 2'' – will be lodged.Kembrey, Melanie. (10 March 2016)
"Aviation concerns could still thwart 300m Aspire apartment tower in Parramatta"
''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...
''. Retrieved 19 March 2016
* ''Phase 2'' would have seen an application lodged for a 90-storey skyscraper, with a height of approximately . Notwithstanding which phase goes ahead, the residential, hotel and observation aspect of the skyscraper will be retained in the design. The Walker Corporation anticipated a 2020 completion date for Aspire.


Current development

;2017–present In September 2017, the residential tower was scrapped in favour of a 55-storey 233 m office designed by Johnson Pilton Walker. The name Aspire was shelved, and lots 6 and 8 of Parramatta Square were amalgamated for the development of a commercial building with larger floor plates and a total commercial floor area of 120,000sqm, officially known as 6 & 8 Parramatta Square. Construction began in 2019, before topping out in November 2021. During construction, several archaeological discoveries were made, including a convict graveyard under what is now the south side of 6 Parramatta Square dating from the early 19th century. Construction and fitout were completed in 2022.


See also

*
List of tallest buildings in Parramatta The suburb of Parramatta, New South Wales, Parramatta; a major commercial centre in the metropolitan area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is home to numerous skyscrapers and high-rise buildings. Of those completed or topped out, there are ...
*
List of tallest buildings in Australia Australia was one of the first countries in the world to play host to the Early skyscrapers, skyscraper boom along with the United States and Canada. Australia's first skyscraper as then-defined was Melbourne's now demolished APA Building, Melb ...


References


External links


Bates Smart project website

Aspire Tower
- on
CTBUH The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is an international body in the field of tall buildings, including skyscrapers, and sustainable urban design. A non-profit organization based at the Monroe Building in Chicago, Illinois, U ...
Skyscraper Center {{DEFAULTSORT:6 and 8 Parramatta Square Proposed skyscrapers in Australia Residential skyscrapers in Australia Buildings and structures in Parramatta Skyscraper hotels in Australia Retail buildings in New South Wales Neomodern architecture in Australia