Good to see that eyesore car park finally gone. Unfortunately I don't think KENs will be built in this current cycle. It is too late so it will probably be stopped soon until the next building cycle.

Originally posted by Steve World Tower
Good to see that eyesore car park finally gone. Unfortunately I don't think KENs will be built in this current cycle. It is too late so it will probably be stopped soon until the next building cycle.

What are you talking about? :?

It's under construction and fully pre-committed! Westpac are going to occupy the whole 76,000 sq.m of the tower!

Originally posted by finn
What are you talking about? :?

It's under construction and fully pre-committed! Westpac are going to occupy the whole 76,000 sq.m of the tower!

lol

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha LOL

I don't think Steve Understand what Construction Cycle means LOL

Site looks huge in this photo
I am going to have to walk around it before I go

Originally posted by finn
What are you talking about? :?

It's under construction and fully pre-committed! Westpac are going to occupy the whole 76,000 sq.m of the tower!

Isn't it half?

Originally posted by Fabian
Isn't it half?

No. They are occupying the whole thing, it will be Westpac's new World HQ.

http://www.smh.com.au/ffxImage/urlpicture_id_1063341775492_2003/09/12/1309nat_foundationswide,0.jpg

The latest news in relation to the archaeological dig

From The Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au)

This underground world tells tales of the city
By Geraldine O'Brien, Heritage Reporter
September 13, 2003

Archaeologists working in the city centre have uncovered remains from some of Sydney's earliest houses, possibly dating back as far as 1788 or 1810.

Wendy Thorp, who heads the four-month dig, said the archaeologists had been surprised by the extent of the remains, which included substantial remnants of houses from every decade from the 1830s to the turn of that century.

The degree of preservation had been unusual. Up to two storeys had been uncovered in places because, when the Harbour Trust cleared the area at the beginning of last century, it built a retaining wall and simply filled behind it.

"So in places there is quite a lot left. You can see whole rooms and doors," Ms Thorp said.

The site is bounded by Sussex, Kent, Erskine and Napoleon streets. Along the Sussex Street side houses of brick and stone, as well as a laneway, have been uncovered, representing "a whole, living environment".

Other finds, including personal effects, toys, shoes, jewellery and crockery, have enabled the archaeologists to trace a social history of the area, which was probably "quite affluent" in the early part of the 19th century.

It became more densely occupied later, when it was home to people who worked around the wharves rather than the traders who profited from them.

The finds added greatly to the knowledge of how Sydney had developed, Ms Thorp said, showing that people were living in that part of the city much earlier than the archival sources had suggested.

Because the original high water mark has been uncovered, the remains of wharves and timber fences have also been found.

All the finds have been mapped and recorded.

Leighton Properties has organised public tours of the site today, but bookings are essential on 8270 0100.

Mark Gray, Leighton's manager of NSW projects, said some of the remains would be kept in a permanent display on the site itself.

yeah sounds like they found more than what they bargianed for! hopefully it wont hold up things too much!
ive scanned pic from todays herald.

wow some structures date back to 1830's, so no doubt they will be preserved.

Originally posted by CULWULLA
wow some structures date back to 1830's, so no doubt they will be preserved.

Were talking about remains as far back as 1788 when Sydney was founded!!!

Originally posted by Fabian
Were talking about remains as far back as 1788 when Sydney was founded!!!
nah, not that far back! as i said they date back to 1830.

Gee, it is a historic site then! I wonder what kind of things they'll find there!

Originally posted by CULWULLA
nah, not that far back! as i said they date back to 1830.

Read the article again. It's mentioned in there that remains back to 1788 have been found.;)

Originally posted by Fabian
Read the article again. It's mentioned in there that remains back to 1788 have been found.;)
nah ive talked to council Archaeologists about it. The article mentions "possibly" dates back to 1788. but in reality its 1830-s-80's. If you dig down anywhere in sydney youll find early foundations.lol
anyway there exposed for 2 more weeks and then there being bulldozed so mustnt be that significant!?

What I want to know is how these old buildings got buried in the first place? Surely as times moved on, the buildings in the spot would get demolished before something new (like a 10 storey car park) is put there. Or did they just dump a shitload of dirt on it??

Anything happening here guys???

There won't be much pikey to see over the next few months as the site is dug up for the HUGE foundations to support this very HUGE building.

view from today! as you can see the hole is getting deeper now! the historic foundations episode is now on back burner and deep excavtions ins now priority!

https://www.emporis.com/files_transfer/6/2003/09/220918.jpg

How did you get access to that view?

Originally posted by Fabian
How did you get access to that view?
its a public square at rear of the 1 margaret st and Authur Young bldgs. its great vantage point!

I have just walked past the Kens site - it's bloody big and excavation is well underway....:) Just wondering why they haven't yet demolished a row of lowrise buildings along Erskine St??

I initially wanted John Boyd tower to start first but have changed my mind - Westpac made a good decision! I like Kens for 2 reasons:

- Cutting edge commercial tower with a very distinctive facade
- That ugly Telstra tower will be well hidden behind it! And Travelex too!! (those who were responsible for the former Citibank tower revamp did a really bad job!) :D

those Erskine st terraces arent going anywhere! There heritage listed and are part of the develpemnt.
yeah KENS will be an awesome developemtn rejuvinating that part of town which it really needs !

Level 35 of 60 Margaret St or the Metcentre will provide a great vantage point to see this tower rise. I didn't grab a pic of what I could see of the site though.

Why did they frost over those looking Panels on Kent Street. What wankers.

Originally posted by climbing_crane
Why did they frost over those looking Panels on Kent Street. What wankers.

Are you talking about level 35, 60 Margaret St?

site today-

http://www.emporis.co.uk/files/transfer/6/2003/10/223699.jpg

Still no change when do they start major Dig ?

Originally posted by Fabian
Are you talking about level 35, 60 Margaret St?


No on Kent Street outside the site they had quite a few what I thought were viewing windows to look in on the site. They frosted over the glass a couple of weeks ago. Dickheads.

Originally posted by Trances
Still no change when do they start major Dig ?

They have. It's fullsteam ahead.

More remains unearthed.

From The Sydney Morning Herald (smh.com.au)

[size=5]Houses beneath houses as another Sydney is revealed[/size
By Geraldine O'Brien, Heritage Reporter
October 17, 2003

Excavations at a site in Sussex Street in Sydney had been more like one in the Middle East with "layer upon layer" of discoveries, says archaeologist Wendy Thorp.

The site, bounded by Kent, Erskine, Napoleon and Sussex streets - and known as the KENS site - was opened to public viewing last month when Ms Thorpe and her team uncovered substantial remains of houses dating from the 1830s to the 1890s.

With work down to the lower, earlier levels, areas of the original Cockle Bay shoreline have been exposed, clearly showing stairs, remnant walls, a spillway and a box drain leading to a slipway for small boats which belonged to the house that had stood above it.

Square holes cut into the sandstone once held posts for mooring boats and remnants of timber fencing show how property owners simply extended their boundaries to the west once part of the bay was reclaimed in 1839.

"From the later part of the 1820s this was an important maritime district," said Ms Thorp, who is about to end five months of work at the site.

"By the 1830s it had overtaken Circular Quay as the principal maritime area.

"It was a far busier area than we had first imagined, and far richer.

"In the area we're working on now, we came down through one house to find another below, and below that were another three buildings with drains.

"It's just a wonderful site." Andrew Cooper, development manager for Leighton Properties, which is erecting a commercial building on the site designed by Richard Johnson, said it had been a rare "luxury" for a team of archaeologists to be able to dig an entire city block, rather than piecemeal excavations.

While excavation work will finish this weekend, Ms Thorp still has a report to write on her findings.

Work will continue on preparing an interpretation strategy which will include elements of the archaeology in an urban park to be developed at the site's northern end.

Nice article.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/pb96a722274b634b77776c64da2a4f78b/fac4a39a.jpg

Excellent vantage point.;) Tell me where that is and what floor.

And if you look towards the Erskine st end of the site, you should notice the remains unearthed during recent work.

Level 14 Powertel building. It aint no empty floor though.

Originally posted by Fabian
Excellent vantage point.;) Tell me where that is and what floor.

And if you look towards the Erskine st end of the site, you should notice the remains unearthed during recent work.

LOL Fabian, you didn't tell him to ZOOM IN! What's wrong with you Crane? ZOOM! I can't read the licence plate on that white truck down there!

Only kidding ;)

heard thru leightons that there going to put a "live" webcam atop the 45 Clarence st (old KPMG) diaginally op KENS. The images will be beamed to Westpac on Martin Place to a 1metre wide plasma screen to watch KENS grow!! cool!

I wonder if anyone would be bothered to watch it when walking past.

At least people like me who frequent Martin Place can monitor whats going on, especially if time is short or we cannot get to the actual site.

So who are people like you Fabian?:)

People like Fabian of course!!

I walked by the site about a week ago and there were 6-7 track hoes all plying away at the same time. The most I think I've seen on any site downtown would be no more than 4.

Point being this is one hellava big foot print!! Bigger than I actually thought it was going to be.

Other people like me ;) we're looking through the peek-a-boos too and we said to each other "This is gunna be big"!

Originally posted by Muse
People like Fabian of course!!

I walked by the site about a week ago and there were 6-7 track hoes all plying away at the same time. The most I think I've seen on any site downtown would be no more than 4.

Point being this is one hellava big foot print!! Bigger than I actually thought it was going to be.

Other people like me ;) we're looking through the peek-a-boos too and we said to each other "This is gunna be big"!

'Point being this is one hellava big foot print!! Bigger than I actually thought it was going to be. '

yeah, well it will be Australia;s LARGEST floor plate!!! over 4000sqm for bottom floors and 3000sqm for typical floor.
HUUUUUGGGEEE!!!!!!!!

Wow! that is wide

Originally posted by flyin_higher
Wow! that is wide
north-south its stretches 85m. And the tower is 54m wide-east/west. The lower podium looking along kent street nealry reaches the full length of site which is 130m!!

Were talking about a Manhattan sized scraper here!!! No longer we will need to go there to see such big scrapers.

I dont know its not that High Fab

"yeah, well it will be Australia;s LARGEST floor plate!!! over 4000sqm for bottom floors and 3000sqm for typical floor.
HUUUUUGGGEEE!!!!!!!!"
Another record for Sydney !
Hard to get a site this big again in the CBD right ? So might hold this for some time !

So I take it the floorplates will be wider than La-Maison on Pacific in Nth Sydney.

A big hole has started emerging in part of the KENS site

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid88/p7a78a26f725b94656fcf1ed2a479c6b4/fa92df27.jpg

Interesting to read in the latest CSPC minutes that the KENS developers have sold the strip of land directly beneath the Western Distributor back to the City of Sydney.
Why?
"To facilitate the future undergrounding of the entire roadway !"

Originally posted by spazpecker
Interesting to read in the latest CSPC minutes that the KENS developers have sold the strip of land directly beneath the Western Distributor back to the City of Sydney.
Why?
"To facilitate the future undergrounding of the entire roadway !"

Wow! Good find spaz! I wouldn't expect that road to be going underground anytime in the near future though, since they've just finished widening it. Good to know they're planning ahead though! :)

I went for a little stroll past the KENS site at lunch today, and they were pouring concrete! They must have reached the bottom with the excavations, so they've started with a rectangular slab and some column like thing protruding out of it (well, the reinforcements for a column-like thing). Very cool! :)

thanks for tip finn, did you notice a 200ft crane at all? because leightons has applied for a crane permit and it should turn up very soon!:guns1:

I went to this site the other day as ive never been there before (im always up the southern end where all the action is!), and i was just amazed at the size of the site... its unbelievable. Youd think they were putting two or three huge scrapers on that site, not one big fat mofo...

Anyway ive noticed some stuff around that area and ive got a question:

There is a double decker elevated freeway right near KENS. The top deck connects up to the harbour bridge and there are heaps of cars on it, but its the lower deck that has me confused. I noticed no traffic was on it, then i walked around and saw it just stopped. It had trailers and stuff on it. What are the plans in regard to this?


I also noticed the other day they have started 'beautifying' the flyovers. A bit like Melbourned citilink, theyve put huge steel curvey things on the side, and bits of red and yellow. It looks pretty goood.

Cheers.

And another thing- the nearby Wynyard underground station is in a terrible way... The people of Sydney deserve better than that outdated sewer-like excuse for a train station. Heres to hoping thakral get their way, if they dont, it would be a crime on behalf of SSC on the people of Sydney.

yeah its big fella alright! The excavations will be massive. Some 8 storeys below kent st or 4 storeys below sussex.

The RTA have just added an extra lane to the western side of flyover , thus the new reinforcing.
The colours were done to 'spruce" up the drab looking concrete elevated mass.
In relation to the deck that goes nowhere, it was going to fly down to dharbour and hook up there but the plans were changed a few years back and its remained a carpark all these years.
Leightons wanted it demolished (we did a few models with this removed) and it looked great but RTA wasnt convinced the freeway above would be strong enough with this removed so it had to stay.
Apparently Leightons want to now make it into a "sculptured" roaddeck with 3m holes through it and parts painted but not sure if its happening?.
The 100m roadeck wont be accessible as it will be cut off from ground and be about 3m above new forecourt plaza .

As for Wynyard station, there will be a new big modern undergrouind link to KENS which will be much needed as the building will have a large population!
cya

I saw it yesterday. The excavations aren't at all deep and it seems the footings were already in place.

Originally posted by SydneyDude
I also noticed the other day they have started 'beautifying' the flyovers. A bit like Melbourned citilink, theyve put huge steel curvey things on the side, and bits of red and yellow. It looks pretty goood.


Wow! Sounds interesting... I might, nay, will defintely have to check out this site. Haven't been down there for ages. Might take a picture *gasp* or three.

Got this shot last Friday.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid91/p3d44deaf686f0d807ab86a99d3e6cafc/fa612032.jpg

I'm surprised to see the footings already in place. I thought there was a bit more to dig before the foundations would appear.

That means the tower will be ready to begin it's rise early in the new year. :)

Drove past this site this weekend and I think they were erecting a tower crane.

I don't know why some people don't like this tower, I think it's going to be awesome, it's bulky, but it's well articulated with an interesting design.

There is a crane onsite. So the excavations are similar to the BT site, not very deep.Maybe the structure is self supported.

Originally posted by Grollo
I don't know why some people don't like this tower, I think it's going to be awesome, it's bulky, but it's well articulated with an interesting design.

Yeah, I reckon its about time we had a couple of bulky towers! As much as I love slender soaring 'scrapers, it will be great to have such high quality urban bulk dominating the precinct! :D

Originally posted by SinCity
Here a few pics of KENS .....

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2002/12/174249.jpg

Courtesy of www.jbaplanning.com.au (http://www.jbaplanning.com.au)

http://www.jbaplanning.com.au/images/pic_kens.jpg

Courtesy of www.jbaplanning.com.au (http://www.jbaplanning.com.au)

http://www.leightonproperties.com.au/images/kens1.jpg

Courtesy of http://www.leightonproperties.com.au


Here's the render from page 1. And a pic I took today of the new dragon crane onsite.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid92/p148e048b51f584f6673a9cdf6d5b8a7e/fa58e128.jpg

look how it towers over the citybank building!! That isnt a short building at all! (not that tall either tho) But the unbelievable thing about this building is its size. When i driove by i was taken back..its HUGE really huge. You really have to see it to believe it. This building has booty so big it needs to go on jerry springer. word to ya mother.

Originally posted by zulu69
look how it towers over the citybank building!! That isnt a short building at all! (not that tall either tho) But the unbelievable thing about this building is its size. When i driove by i was taken back..its HUGE really huge. You really have to see it to believe it. This building has booty so big it needs to go on jerry springer. word to ya mother.
cc, right on spot! good news to see crane!

yeah citibank or Travelex as its now known is 91m/300ft high, so it aint no shorty.
As ive mentioned many times before , this big fella will be boast Australia's largest floor plate for a highrise- 4000sqm for low rise and 3000sqm per typical! Just comparison-Grosvenor Place has 2000sqm per floor and thats huge!


Travelex-
http://www.imagenode.com/files/transfer/6/2003/05/194943.jpg

There's a bit of action happening next to the new King Street Wharf building with alot of dirt being dug up.

I got a few questions:

1) Will this be a steel framed or reo-concrete scraper? (I am predicting steel framed due to the huge floor plates?)

2) How many basement levels is it goin to have?

Thanks in advance. Really lookin forward to this baby!

Originally posted by SydneyDude
I got a few questions:

1) Will this be a steel framed or reo-concrete scraper? (I am predicting steel framed due to the huge floor plates?)

2) How many basement levels is it goin to have?

Thanks in advance. Really lookin forward to this baby!
im pretty sure its an all concrete scraper? ill find out.
it has 8 basement levels!

Originally posted by climbing_crane
There's a bit of action happening next to the new King Street Wharf building with alot of dirt being dug up.

You must be refering to the 10 storey office building being built next to KPMG.

The site today and the action nearby at King Street Wharf.
\

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid92/pa395d4662100ac474437ad5be03f535c/fa5685e9.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid92/p21597de3a439a93e5c60fc619e2fb250/fa56854b.jpg

Those are the Apartments in front of KPMG.I think Multiplex and Australand JV.

And next to KPMG the South Tower Isn't under Construction at all from What I've seen I could be wrong ,BUt its still red on the Sydney City Model.Confusion all round


:? :? :?

The site today from above Kent St. It's mainly the eastern side that is being prepared for a concrete pour. They may sneak it in before christmas.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid92/p8dfbe43b4c53c4e639fb272baec458d9/fa547d66.jpg

I got 2 pics from above Kent Street as well today. Maybe we were at the same spot.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid92/p4e282365b05f19f65dff8b683461ca1d/fa5443c3.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid92/pbefe43f5424d388af9d76c9aba9de1bd/fa544435.jpg

If that last photo by CC was taken from the travelex building, how come I was treated to barriers when I went there?

Originally posted by Sydguy1
Those are the Apartments in front of KPMG.I think Multiplex and Australand JV.

And next to KPMG the South Tower Isn't under Construction at all from What I've seen I could be wrong ,BUt its still red on the Sydney City Model.Confusion all round


:? :? :?
i couldnt be bothered to repaint back to grey!lol
Apparently it will start next year so ill leave it red.
The site in fron tof KPMG hasnt approval yet so it wont start yet. not sure what all the action is down there?
That site is known as Max Dupain Bldg.dont ask me why.

Leighton's KENS's site will be closed from 23rd Dec. - 5th Jan., although the construction workers will be working 3 days between these dates from the 29th Dec. - 31st Dec with half a day off on this last date - understandably being New Year's Eve.

KENS, sunset NYE 2003.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid96/p8bec98ad960ce370c33f65f4986ce50e/fa1f4911.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid96/p17c902e02075705a1e1bc9bb56f35841/fa1f49bc.jpg

Nice pics there Crane. Love the sunsets... really sets the scene for 2004 for this big baby. by this time 2005 KENS will pretty much be complete externally right? Should be an impressive sight no doubt.

Here's to 2004: The year of KENS! :cheers:

Originally posted by fro
By this time 2005 KENS will pretty much be complete externally right? Should be an impressive sight no doubt. Here's to 2004: The year of KENS! :cheers: Yes, to KENS!! Hip-hoorah!

It's not amazingly tall by any means. Just that massive footprint will pave the way for a 1 1/2 years - 2 year top-out.

...and in 2005 expect the already blazing W.T. & Cassia Garden lanterns when KENS' beacon will join them! Whoooooo!

The plume of dust has returned to the KENS site!
Window washers in the western edge of town will be driving Porsche 911 Boxters soon - there's bloody dust all over the joint.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this mofo rise, however I'll be equally be frustrated when it tops out because it'll be one massive beautiful black stump desperately in need of another 100m. Oh well, coulda been much shorter if it wasn't for Frankie boy.

Originally posted by spazpecker
The plume of dust has returned to the KENS site!
Window washers in the western edge of town will be driving Porsche 911 Boxters soon - there's bloody dust all over the joint.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this mofo rise, however I'll be equally be frustrated when it tops out because it'll be one massive beautiful black stump desperately in need of another 100m. Oh well, coulda been much shorter if it wasn't for Frankie boy.
here here! KENS was so close to being 3x80m towers with non descript designs. Then 2x 100m circular towers, but then the design of the decade which combined the towers to create a mega tower of 140m! topped by a unique 30m weather beacon!
With the largest floor plate ever to hit Australia, the 3000sqm plates will look HUGE while UC and the lower 4000sqm floors will look even more ridiculous!!:guns1:

Originally posted by CULWULLA
here here! KENS was so close to being 3x80m towers with non descript designs. Then 2x 100m circular towers, but then the design of the decade which combined the towers to create a mega tower of 140m! topped by a unique 30m weather beacon!
With the largest floor plate ever to hit Australia, the 3000sqm plates will look HUGE while UC and the lower 4000sqm floors will look even more ridiculous!!:guns1:

It was supposed to be residential with parking & retail on the lower floors. The council actually didn't like the old D/A for numerous reasons and also breached a number of council policies eg restriction on the number of parking spaces. It appears in the council book "Unwanted legacies of the Land & Environment Court." if anyone still has it.

And it was a good thing too, :) meaning Sydney will have another landmark tower.

The core has begun to take shape. It looks as big as World Tower.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid99/p4f66b0d6e2ba9d15767c6a37aac125c6/f9eee3f4.jpg

Also take a look at how deep the hole is at the northern end. It is very deep and today with the rain, very waterlogged.

That core seems to be sitting on dirt.

Originally posted by climbing_crane
That core seems to be sitting on dirt.

It's probably on solid sandstone, as you can see from the cutting right next to it.

Yeah, below the retaining wall, it looks like solid sanstone or close to it in composition.

Even if it were to be ummm "dirt" that this initial construction is sitting on, it would be so compressed and rock hard in itself. Also mixed with rock from previous diggings in years gone by. It's had a history of 'stuff' sitting atop too. The necessary geological tests would have done (we would hope!).

In the extreme, it isn't your typical cactus garden topsoil there.

Views of North and South halves. I've never had to take 2 photos of the 1 construction site before just to show it all. It's huuuuuuuge.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/p2efe0c928198591e64ef4d58df6ab61a/f9e2a3ac.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/p15cfb90cc739213dc4ed28d1f653a1a6/f9e2a4a8.jpg

Could that square in your first pic be for a 2nd tower crane??

Originally posted by climbing_crane
Views of North and South halves. I've never had to take 2 photos of the 1 construction site before just to show it all. It's huuuuuuuge.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/p2efe0c928198591e64ef4d58df6ab61a/f9e2a3ac.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/p15cfb90cc739213dc4ed28d1f653a1a6/f9e2a4a8.jpg

Originally posted by gazmo
Could that square in your first pic be for a 2nd tower crane??

I had a look today. It's now concrete and I think it will probably be apart of the foundations of the tower.

Meanwhile the core is continuing to form at quite a rapid pace and continues to enlargen itself by the day. It Looks like were in for massive one.

http://img8.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Picture_048.jpg

its progressing well! thats a large core.:eek2:

You should of gone round the other side Fab because the gates open. I don't see it open all that much. Nice pic.

Originally posted by climbing_crane
You should of gone round the other side Fab because the gates open. I don't see it open all that much. Nice pic.

That was good, but wouldn't of been able to see what was actually was going on like you could from Kent St with the fence.

You would of got a shot of the whole site though. I'll shoot by tomorrow and see if the gates open.

The Core today

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid102/pec363222701ffad20165bc772e205226/f9c910a8.jpg

In other news, the site has now been fully dug up and a second crane is about to be set up towards the northern end of the site as marked by the Square in CC's recent photo below.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/p2efe0c928198591e64ef4d58df6ab61a/f9e2a3ac.jpg

So Gazmo was right when he mentioned this a week ago.

Mammoth core there, this is one huge tower site, thats for sure:cool:

Lovin that 'block of cheese' sandstone. :angel1:

New tower crane has arrived.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid102/p955b24506f571bc6ff45a816eb9ddb9c/f9bdb769.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid102/p1527cda113bf26ba16e6cace905b31ec/f9bdb6e5.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid102/p0abd78ecb84588cd0cd58d8d20ccb911/f9bdb683.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid102/pc333a1f514548d66f3f89f1d6989a6a2/f9bdb5d8.jpg


And KENS may be as high as Maritime Tower, this one looks huge from out back.

top pix yet again CC! the taller of the Maritime Trade Towers rises to 128m from Hickson road. KENS Towers roof will be 140m from sussex st. Also to give an idea of size, the maritime trade bldg (AON) is 40m across , while KENS will be 80m! the shorter step on KENS facing Sussex st will be 100m high x 80m wide!

That is huge Cul
Cant wait till we get some rise
Should be able to see this mother from space !

KENS core today continuing to take shape

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid102/pd094d97a298f78453780dcb7de357303/f9b639e0.jpg

Wow, the progress on this core is impressive. Gotta love that Sydney sandstone, a builders dream.

Originally posted by fro
Wow, the progress on this core is impressive. Gotta love that Sydney sandstone, a builders dream.
Sydney sandstone is actually a better foundation for a skyscraper then the granite of New York City.! Granite hasnt much movement and tens to 'shake" the skyscraper if there is an earthquake ect.
Sandstone has "movement" but has stabilty at same time! perfect to hold something big!

Why is there that overhang sticking out from the core in that last pic?

today>

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/02/242438.jpg

looking north. the hole is getting really deep at northern end of site.

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/02/242440.jpg

If you want to see the hole clearly, go to one of the fences draped in green mesh along the Kent St side and peep through some of the torn mesh of the fence.

KENS core today.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid103/pc7ffdcf3d0afc3d84e4119235c2c97eb/f9a5262a.jpg

Also preparations for the foundations towards the northern end is being done with bit's of concrete poured.This has been hampered a bit by recent storms which have left some fairly big puddles.

Are they making a smaller core. It will be called the barbie core.

Those pictures of the KENS core aren't conveying just how big it must really be.

Cul, did I read it right that KENS is going to hold some sort of southern hemisphere record for the number of lifts?

Right now, if you want to see a big core have a look at 101 Exhibition Street (Old SX Office)

http://homepage.mac.com/jbadcock/Melbourne/misc/P1020259.jpg


http://www.urbanmelbourne.com/gallery/galleries/Tour_2003-10-29/image033.jpg

Now that's big! By all accounts, the KENS core will be bigger, right?

Today

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p4d94c09dbedc55be429a6ca25da7eae5/f998e517.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p4fb287661c038f9cf76962c8058be905/f998e420.jpg

Originally posted by gazmo
Those pictures of the KENS core aren't conveying just how big it must really be.

Cul, did I read it right that KENS is going to hold some sort of southern hemisphere record for the number of lifts?

Right now, if you want to see a big core have a look at 101 Exhibition Street (Old SX Office)


Now that's big! By all accounts, the KENS core will be bigger, right?
KENS is going to be the LARGEST office bldg in Australia! its avergae floor plate will be 3000sqm!!!! and the lower floors will have 4000sqm! now to show you a comparison, Grosvenor Place has 2000sqm per floor!
Ill see if i can get hold of KENS plans to see the service core/lifts ect. I reckon it will be very large indeed. the most lifts atm in Australia for a skyscaper is World tower with 13 .

Given Kens huge floor space, isn't it a pity they couldn't ulitlize full height potential ie 235m+. I know the site sits in a lower height zone.....but really....I'm just dreaming :angel1:

Originally posted by andad1
Given Kens huge floor space, isn't it a pity they couldn't ulitlize full height potential ie 235m+. I know the site sits in a lower height zone.....but really....I'm just dreaming :angel1:

I kinda think tho that if it was that tall it would look ugly being that wide, unless of course it thinned out via steps...but now im just dreaming...

Originally posted by andad1
Given Kens huge floor space, isn't it a pity they couldn't ulitlize full height potential ie 235m+. I know the site sits in a lower height zone.....but really....I'm just dreaming :angel1:
considering its in a 80m height zone, its done pretty well!
140m + beacon-166m! over double!
It will have a '235m" impact viewed from west!;)

Kens yesterday.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/pbebf1f973c40085de2e6217f0921042d/f9920882.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p8c38ed93e9e43b1f525db376911ffe9e/f992096b.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p309af127bfbd9f3f005ef6b2a46dabed/f9920a25.jpg

Work on the core has appeared to be a bit slow as of late as it has reached the edge. Now it's time to focus on building the lower levels, and were not from concrete being poured by the looks of it.

The core today. Like many other sites, the heat has slowed down work....

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p03e0d1d3cbe98ae530980f45a611b7ae/f984fcce.jpg

....but the rain virtually makes any sort of work totally impossible. A large part of the site was flooded over the past 24 hours

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/pb6c1dca0a47f90ce6cdcc6116732b85a/f984fcb4.jpg

They were working yesterday. They are drilling away the rock under the core. Notice my last pic to your 1st one and a bit more rock is gone.

yeah not much going on with wet weather.
hey heres a blast from the past!
the original proposal for KENS.
height to chimneys-192m (roof-162m)
The chimneys were to immulate the power station opposite!lol
I sort of like it but maybe loose the stacks. I love the curved facade.

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2003/04/187596.jpg

Very Sim-City. You're right about the chimmeys.

Originally posted by CULWULLA
yeah not much going on with wet weather.
hey heres a blast from the past!
the original proposal for KENS.
height to chimneys-192m (roof-162m)
The chimneys were to immulate the power station opposite!lol
I sort of like it but maybe loose the stacks. I love the curved facade.

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2003/04/187596.jpg

Yeah, looks like they are cutting the rock-face smooth and sheer for the basement levels, but I'm curious as to why there is no lift core at what I imagine are the car park levels...

Does anyone know what was meant to go on underground? Underground interlink to a rail station? shopping arcade? or just parking?

Originally posted by climbing_crane
They were working yesterday. They are drilling away the rock under the core. Notice my last pic to your 1st one and a bit more rock is gone.

Originally posted by gazmo
Yeah, looks like they are cutting the rock-face smooth and sheer for the basement levels, but I'm curious as to why there is no lift core at what I imagine are the car park levels...

Does anyone know what was meant to go on underground? Underground interlink to a rail station? shopping arcade? or just parking?
there will be 8 levels of carparking. there will be an underground predestrian link under Kent st to Wynyard station.
there will be 2,000sqm of retail at street level.

Originally posted by CULWULLA
KENS is going to be the LARGEST office bldg in Australia! its avergae floor plate will be 3000sqm!!!! and the lower floors will have 4000sqm! now to show you a comparison, Grosvenor Place has 2000sqm per floor!
Ill see if i can get hold of KENS plans to see the service core/lifts ect. I reckon it will be very large indeed. the most lifts atm in Australia for a skyscaper is World tower with 13 .

Rialto has 33 lifts and 685 lift door openings! 101 Collins has 30, Melbourne Central has 27, Bourke Place has 25 :-)

Originally posted by Grollo
Rialto has 33 lifts and 685 lift door openings! 101 Collins has 30 :-)
sorry, forgot to mention most lifts in an "apartment tower" as opposed to office tower.
i still have to find out how many lifts are going in KENS, i dont think any more than 20?

Originally posted by CULWULLA
sorry, forgot to mention most lifts in an "apartment tower" as opposed to office tower.
i still have to find out how many lifts are going in KENS, i dont think any more than 20?

You posted that there were 28 lifts, back on page 7 of this thread. I went back through the thread because I knew you had posted it.

Originally posted by Fabian
You posted that there were 28 lifts, back on page 7 of this thread. I went back through the thread because I knew you had posted it.
lol, yeah i thought i posted some where! oh well 28 it is!
most in Sydney anyway!
so most lifts in Australia looks like this>
Rialto-33
101 collins-30
KENS-28
Melb central-27
Bourke place-25

Im not sure about any others in Sydney beacuse i havnt researched it yet. MLC and GPT chifley must have over 20?

I dare say that Sydney scrapers such as GPT, MLC, Chifley and citigroup can be compared to Melbourne scrapers like those listed in terms of numbers of elevators.

Still, 28 lifts in a 150m building is ALOT!

Hey Cul, I just read your post in the PROJECT: 101 Exhibition Street [SX Office] thread.

So KENS has a rival to the title of largest in OZ? Told you it looked big from the photos. I walked past the site in late October when it was still a hole in the ground - its big!

Are you infering that because KENS is shorter then SX, that its floor plates are larger, or that overall, KENS is the larger building?

You also lost me on the the "most lifts in an apartment building" - KENS isn't apartments.

Originally posted by gazmo
Hey Cul, I just read your post in the PROJECT: 101 Exhibition Street [SX Office] thread.

So KENS has a rival to the title of largest in OZ? Told you it looked big from the photos. I walked past the site in late October when it was still a hole in the ground - its big!

Are you infering that because KENS is shorter then SX, that its floor plates are larger, or that overall, KENS is the larger building?

You also lost me on the the "most lifts in an apartment building" - KENS isn't apartments.
yeah Kens is some 23m shorter to roof than SX, and measures 80m x 45m while SX measures 68mx44m. So this gives an idea which is larger.
The most lifts in an apartment bldg i was referring to was World Tower which has 13.

heres todays pic-

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/03/247905.jpg

Thanks for giving us the dimensions - heck that's big!!!

SX felt big because it was a squarish block - reminded me of them Citigroup was a hole in the ground or when you could look across the World Tower site and see the opposite wall.

I wonder if you consider the sub-levels, will KENS total construction still be shorter than SX?

Originally posted by CULWULLA
yeah Kens is some 23m shorter to roof than SX, and measures 80m x 45m while SX measures 68mx44m. So this gives an idea which is larger.
The most lifts in an apartment bldg i was referring to was World Tower which has 13.

heres todays pic-

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/03/247905.jpg

The KENS tower will be 140m to roof and 166m to weather beacon. SX will be 163m to roof.
The 30m tall weather beacon will be a first for Australia!
the tower of light will indicate colours for impending weather and also indicate time!
sussex st elevation
http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2003/05/193362.jpg

So the official Height of KENS is 166m? I would think so as the weather beacon is a significant part of the structure, moreso than a spire.

That would make it the second tallest commercial building UC in Australia (if you're not counting the steel cage on 126 phillip st)

Originally posted by SydneyDude
So the official Height of KENS is 166m? I would think so as the weather beacon is a significant part of the structure, moreso than a spire.

That would make it the second tallest commercial building UC in Australia (if you're not counting the steel cage on 126 phillip st)
correct. its has always beeen listed as 166m on ss.com!
:D

KENS core this morning. The corebox is being assembled.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/p34098abdc427ab8ab9490789182be5fa/f970c21b.jpg

But the big news for this week is that the floorplate for the first basement level is being laid. It's rise has officially begun!!!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/pdb50d14c1a0ec17fe56c7a0f3420276b/f970c265.jpg

Wow. Time for a photo round I think.

Some more stats everyone might be interested in!
#size of core- 16m x 42m (25 lifts) -for comparison WTs core was 10m x30m.

#costs of project-$87,500,000

#KENS daytime population-5,200

scoop pic today. i managed to persuade the secratary on 8th floor of medibank bldg op KENS to allow me to take a pic of the site. lol.
great vantage point!

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/03/250628.jpg

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/03/250630.jpg

the 90m Arthur Young bldg looked good from here-

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/03/250632.jpg

Cul, great stats - No photo yet conveys this monster's size.

I was driving north-bound to the H-bridge and the northern yellow crane was working away, and its hook and cable were *so* close to the south-bound carriage way, you could reach out and touch it!

How does that core size compare with KEN's rival, SX 101 Exhibition St in Melb?

Originally posted by CULWULLA
Some more stats everyone might be interested in!
#size of core- 16m x 42m (25 lifts) -for comparison WTs core was 10m x30m.

#costs of project-$87,500,000

#KENS daytime population-5,200

KENS today. I was able to put my camera at an angle which was able to eliminate the wires on the fence.

Workers were busy on the core. You'll notice that some further work has been done just to the right in this picture below during the week.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p0fc436eaf1a19a869a60028d9b62215f/f95ebb17.jpg

The floorplates for the first basement level continue to progress

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p79191dd6945b1446dd27839b32866169/f95ebae4.jpg

Alot of action this week. The first core pour and rise took place too.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid108/p3bd3c2b8047793535dc889b0a7a4d4df/f94c8b09.jpg

This week has also seen the first concrete poured for the first basement floor.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid108/p200f7bc1169f9437a947b19be663ed1c/f94c8ae6.jpg

Looks like the main core is going to have a smaller services core along side it in a similar manner to Latitude.

Originally posted by Fabian
[B]Alot of action this week. The first core pour and rise took place too.

Acres of fresh grey 'gold'.......smoooooth 'n shiney, lustrous 'n glowing.

Originally posted by Muse
Acres of fresh grey 'gold'.......smoooooth 'n shiney, lustrous 'n glowing.

:D Looks good enough to eat

Great shots Fab. Looks like I'll be back in Sydney for a week in a few weeks time (this place is fast becoming my second home!!!) so I'm gonna make a point of checking this site out again!, and visit a few old friends!

Yep all these great shots are teh window to my home city
( am in sapporo today)

sounds like you have picked up some Engrish :D...

Up Up and Away!

One core tops out (Latitude) and another one starts!

It was hard to tell how deep the northern northern half was because the site is so big. At least 5 stories maybe 15 metres down.

It looks like there will only be three basement levels. There are only another two basement floors to go before it's at ground level.

Originally posted by perthguy78
sounds like you have picked up some Engrish :D...

LOL :D Go Trances you crazy mofo...

I get the feeling the floors on this one will take a long time to rise. Look at the size of 'em!

It's really wierd how this building building has such a shallow basement - looks more like a Melbourne building site.

It'll be interesting to compare KENS' progress with that of 101 Exhibition St (SX) - both are of similar size, both have massive cores and floor plates.

Shallow excavations like BT Tower.

It looks like Leightons are very eager to get this one rising. They have already begun laying the floorplates for the second basement level. It looks like it might even break ground level on the Sussex St side by Easter.

level 3

The view from Kent St today

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/pa8bd798727590afd97ad74f3d354b2f0/f93993a7.jpg

The floorplates for the next basement level continue to be laid

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/p5aa7d569dda978b001db6e99eced1c87/f9399392.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/p34a491ad5c88a0ace34da0a09223311d/f9399383.jpg

First core rise guys!!!!! It happened this week

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/04/256882.jpg

And it looks like the concrete is about to be poured for the next basement level. They might of done it yesterday afternoon after the shot was taken.

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/04/256884.jpg

Here's this weeks update

The core still continues to develop as shown by the work on the right of this image

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/04/258434.jpg

And the floorplates for the basement level continue to progress quite rapidly. After this floor is laid, there is only one more floor before it breaks ground on the Sussex St side.

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/04/258436.jpg

Are they still having the big screen outside Martin Place that I read about a year ago.

joyous

That last pic is good and It will make for good comparisons when it's done. I have to admit I'm going to miss the view from Darling Harbour & Sussex St of the scraper wall along Clarence Street.

That last pic is good and It will make for good comparisons when it's done. I have to admit I'm going to miss the view from Darling Harbour & Sussex St of the scraper wall along Clarence Street.
wouldnt ya like a 80-90m wide 140m tall "manhattan" sized skyscraper blocking that view instead?? i know i would!lol
great pix guys! keep em coming.........

climbing_crane you need to adjust the settings on your monitor. The picture is ending well short of the edges of the screen. Use those buttons at the bottom of the monitor to extend picture coverage further towards the edges of the screen, and you will increase your viewing area and better your enjoyment of the picture.

Despite the long weekend for easter, it's been gangbusters on site as they try to make up for the lost time. The floorplates for the next basement level continued to be laid during the week.

The corebox for the smaller core is now done.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/pee0da8f52d8f269e1798ebe438292860/f8fe5032.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid112/p2e5abba014f5d4d9d0842757b671cec1/f8fe5042.jpg

pix from today! major core rises. its now 5 levels!
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kens.jpg

http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenscloser.jpg

progressing well with the new 4 storey link bldg from Erskine Street
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensshops.jpg

The below quote made by SydneyDude on Mar 2, '04...So the official Height of KENS is 166m. I would think so as the weather beacon is a significant part of the structure, moreso than a spire.

That would make it the second tallest commercial building UC in Australia (if you're not counting the steel cage on 126 phillip st)Indeed, the tallest u/c in Oz of course is E & Y Centre @ Latitude @ 190m to roof/LMR/plant room/s.

KENS aka Westpac World HQ is earmarked for antication completion date, 2005 - I'm guessing late 2005 as it has such massive floorplates as we all know. At this rate judging by the above construction pics, it will 'make it' on time :okay: unless any unforseen holdups eg; strikes

BTW I'm kicking myself (stand in line to kick me, O.K.!! ;) ) for not visiting this thread more often. Just love the latest construction updates by climbing_crane, Fabian and CULWULA's pics from today.

Arhchitects: Johnson Pilton and Walker (JPW), formerly DCM Sydney, hence of either the blue or yellow arbour entrances in the renders below. Also by CUL's last few pics, toward the Western Distributor and on the north-eastern side, the traingular section is apparent in the below renders (glass cladding in the 1st render post, just greyed-out in the 2nd one):

If this render shows the dreaded x, just right click onto the the red x to get the URL address and paste and copy into the address line above. Voila, render should appear :) :

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2002/12/174249.jpg

http://www.jbaplanning.com.au/images/pic_kens.jpg

Good shots from the adjoining tower. The core looks like it has reached ground level when viewed from the Kent St side, or level one on the Sussex St side.

Here's something different from me this week.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid113/p1c9482546cb146d2962155caaa795280/f8ea6718.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid113/pf369373102ac22d99089dde878a57d6b/f8ea6696.jpg

Sunday of last and Im still

Great Work with the street-level shots there Crane, love seeing the impact this is now starting to have. When I was in Sydney in December it was just a hole with those peeky-holes in the fence to look through. Luckily soon enough those peeky-hole thingy's will be useless. Looks like they're definitely moving quickly now on this. Cheers

when i grow up, i want to be a lolly pop man!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid113/p1c9482546cb146d2962155caaa795280/f8ea6718.jpglol

I was thinking more 'Sydney Fashion Week" showing the latest in on-site trends.

They have hoarded up the fence on Kent St which was providing me and passersby with clear views of the site :bleep: so for the next few weeks you might have to put up with not so good images of the site. I'll do my best to get good images in the meanwhile.

Here's one of the core from Sussex St

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid114/p66c5a14a7cec6fd598bffb2a23e84b2b/f8d5bdd5.jpg

I went to the other gate on Kent Street which was full of fencing and they are now one basement level away from reaching ground level on the Sussex Street side.

No picture today due to a dead battery, but I still made my way down to the site. There has been a core rise over the past week and the Corebox is now level with Kent Street. The floorplates for the basement levels have reached the ground when viewed from Sussex Street, but I've noticed that they still excvating on the southern side of the site as the flooplates are slowly added.

today
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenswidemay12.jpg

This is such a great construction site! :happy:

And it's so easy to check the progress from Clarence St... First class vantage point! :clown:

Core is so huge now

Core is so huge now

Understatement surely.
I'd go as far to say that the core of KENS is about the same size as the entire size of Rialto!!!

Yes, it's big. :D

That big
Wow bt guess its expected

as for which is largest core in Oz atm, its between KENS and SX tower in Melb.
kens is thicker approx (12m x 26m) and SX tower is thinner- (6m x30m)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid114/p66c5a14a7cec6fd598bffb2a23e84b2b/f8d5bdd5.jpg

SX>http://metropolis.tayser.net/projects/cbd/sxo/sxo1404047.jpg

Kens core = 312 square metres
SX core = 180 square metres

Kens wins :)

as for which is largest core in Oz atm, its between KENS and SX tower in Melb.
kens is thicker approx (12m x 26m) and SX tower is thinner- (6m x30m)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid114/p66c5a14a7cec6fd598bffb2a23e84b2b/f8d5bdd5.jpg

SX>http://metropolis.tayser.net/projects/cbd/sxo/sxo1404047.jpg

Wow, I had no idea then in relative terms the KENS core was only 4m shorter than SX because let me tell ya, the SX core looks gigantic, and I was always considering it bigger than the KENS core.

Horray for being wrong! :)

Hoorah!

...and I had no idea that the core was already reaching such heights.

Yay!

A new shot of the core today from Sussex Street. I also went to the Kent Street side, and they are currently excvating the south west corner of the site.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid116/pbe7492e7f065ff9258e65f0e9da7c60d/f8ad08c5.jpg

apr30>
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid114/p66c5a14a7cec6fd598bffb2a23e84b2b/f8d5bdd5.jpg
core rise>
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenscoremay26.jpg

Cul that first photo you posted was from April 30 and is now four weeks old.

The core has been going up a floor every two weeks by the look of it.

thats looking great alrady

Core Rise!!!!!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p2594e5778a2ea5632d6616d526db04b2/f87f23bc.jpg

Kens

Walking past the site today, I noticed a third core had appeared on the SE corner of the site, next to the main core. Also the floorplates are just two levels away from reaching ground level on the Kent Street side. It should break ground by months end.

hi

I passed by KENS yesterday morning. I tend to do walks in the morning compared to you doing them late in the afternoon after work or very early in the morning as you head off to work. There will be a day when a bump into each other.

And is the IBM site your talking about at Darling Harbour? If so it's Darling Park 3, which I did visit.

The third photo by CC shows how it has two levels to go before reaching ground with Kent Street.

wow, ive checked out the plans again and its not 12m wide but 17m!
the core is expanding from 26m x17m to 40mx17m. easily the biggest core in the country!!
when KENS is complete it will be 60m deep x 80m wide!!

today, the smaller core to right will be basement to podium in kent st tower.
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenscorefrommedjun9.jpg

that is what you call a CHRONIC CORE!

Now that's a pic!! Such mass.

Hahah Check out all the construction buildings under the freeway. Looks like a little Shanty :P

woot! that is one fat mofo of a core....gonna love to have a look at it next time I am in SYdney...:D

I took these from the podium of 1 Margaret Street and the tower next to it. I suspect there that there has been another core rise

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid121/p993955291c95eef374e6c3011ca48bc7/f8546069.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid121/p711a6b3e22ff2c097bd6ced3cfc5878e/f854607c.jpg

we have floor numbers now! but its 3 levels from Kent st , not Sussex. Its 6 floors above Sussex. thats just to confuse us! so from now on just add 3 floors to floor number because KENS heights stats are from Sussex st.
height from Kent st- roof-130m 37 storeys
height from Sussex st-roof-140m 40storeys
(10m difference from Kent to Sussex)

http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenscorejune16.jpg

Finally a well lit shot taken in sydney
Great Cul

I've noticed that my photo from 1 Margaret Street from last week also has level three marked on the core (even though it's tricky to see as it is small). Were due for a core rise very soon.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid121/p993955291c95eef374e6c3011ca48bc7/f8546069.jpg

I went past this afternoon and the floorplates are just one level away from reaching ground on the Kent Street side.

I also noticed what appears to be a fourth core on the northern part of the site as well. Would that be another lift linking the underground levels with street level?

KENS today from 800ft above the street. I went past the site as well and still no core rise.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid123/pe08ad66d7620ffeb1d5490fa0cf7e448/f823002b.jpg

WHere that from Fabs ?

Trances - Sydney Tower

Core Rise!!! Level 4 exposed

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid125/p01d9cf9de66d974e655c17c7c584c8f8/f8072c55.jpg

WHere that from Fabs ?

id say centrepoint

Core Rise!!!! Level 5 Exposed

The core is now starting to take off at long last.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid127/p1ce58951bd40ef8c10dcadc880307060/f7f03d5b.jpg

And the hoardings are coming off the heritage listed buildings in Erskine Street. From what is now visible, they have done an excellent job with the restoration and they appear to be as good as new minus those annoying weeds.

fabian mate! ur on fire!

This is the biggest most insanely huge core i have ever seen. so much girth!

the core is 8 levels above Sussex st. this is where the height KENS tower is taken from.
If you take it above kent st the core numbering doesnt include the ground floor so level 1 is really level 2. so its 6 levels exposed (above kent)
its only 33 levels and 130m from kent.
From Sussex st its 140m/36storeys
(there is 5 basement levels not included)
ill post an elevation tonight which shows levels ect

http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensjuly12.jpg

Man That Construction Site Is Huge!

Today

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pacf3702fbd64e629a0cd4e2b19e893d8/f7d84b6d.jpg

I nearly ran a red when driving past this site today.. my god that core is so fucking huuugggee. This has to be the biggest core in Australias history? Culwulla?

lol @ sydneydude - for nearly passing a red light

I nearly ran a red when driving past this site today.. my god that core is so fucking huuugggee. This has to be the biggest core in Australias history? Culwulla?

I saw it yesterday too and was gobsamacked by the size of it. It must be the largest core for the SHORTEST skyscraper in Australia anyway. ;) It has the core of a building that should be much taller and I will be a bit let down when it eventually tops out at only 140m (?).

Great shots guys. I cant wait for the floor plates to begin construction on this beast. Sydney definately is getting some stunning commercial towers.

We talk alot about KENS core & floor sizes being huge, but how does it compare on a global scale? How big are cores typically in say New York or other big cities? What floor sizes are out there, say in the Empire state?

I'm surprised it hasn't been reported yet, but I noticed on Tuesday that the smaller core at the Ken St corner is finished and it's box has been dismantled.

gazmo-there are smaller cores which only serve the carpark.
demanjo-KENS is huge on Aussie scale at 3000sqm per floor and 4000smq on lower floors. i think this is still large on world scale.ESB has a total of 204,000sqm of space compared to KENS with 77,000sqm. but obviously ESB soars to over 300m/102st.
the tower part of ESB is only 40mx40m while Kens is 60mx80m.
christarrant- we are very lucky to have KENS at 140m to roof. it is in a 80m zone. after 2 years of much deliberations it went from original 3x 80m res towers to twin 100m towers then 120m and 80m tower, then finally 1 x140m tower!!
taken ealier this week
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenscorejuly20.jpg

View from Kent Street today

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/pdd717b241f3882655d32ccc7e79174db/f7ba17ef.jpg

This picture of the city model, IMO, serves justice to peoples' doubt on how a 140m building will impact on Sydney...

http://img8.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/P7220063.jpg

I think it will fit the gap between the northern CBD and MLC quite well (this gap courtesy of Martins Place, which will scream bloody murder should its open spaces be fouled by looming shadows from anything bigger than Angel Place).

The KentErskineNapoleonSussex Project

those 3 large cylindrical things are columns to hold up the 100m long x4storey office section which runs along Kent Street!

Ground level at long last!!!! The real work can now begin.

It's amazing that this one has already broken ground. Just months ago, it was one of the biggest holes in town and also overtaken Meriton Tower in the progress, which is still at the digging stage, and also had a six month head start.

This one is progressing fairly nicely, especially for such a massive site.

Yeah, should be more of interest now that it's coming out of its foundations. There's 3 or 4 major floor reconfigurations. Hope they go relatively smoothly.This picture of the city model, IMO, serves justice to peoples' doubt on how a 140m building will impact on Sydney...Hrmmm, dunno if anyone has had doubts unless I've missed something. I think in addition to a reasonable height (mid-riser), the sheer bulk of KENS and its 30m weather beacon will certainly be hard to miss. Apart from these additional factors, it would more-than-likely be lost if it were positioned further into the skyline.......but it's not!! :)

Is the base larger than BT Tower?

matixvolta-
BT Tower's floor plan measures 60m x 45m.
KENS floor plan measures 80mx 60m.
So yes, KENS is larger! Sydney is getting a "Manhattan: size scraper!l


i got around to some scanning.
check these out!

the familiar render but larger.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensrender.jpg

south elevation, massive 60m wall rising 140m straight up!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensrendersouth.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenskentst.jpg

view along Kent st. the length of the kent st building is a whopping 137m!!!
the bottom 4 floors of KENS is 3,700sqm office space each! and thats net!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensrenderkentst.jpg

floor plan of lower floors.
its that the largest office floor plan you have ever seen?? it measures 137m long x 62m in width!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensfloorplan.jpg

floor plan of lower floors.
its that the largest office floor plan you have ever seen?? it measures 137m long x 62m in width!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensfloorplan.jpg

So are they going to give the office couriers bicycles to get around inside this building? :)

Fabulous! Now I can finally see how the core relates to the tower itself. And the larger rendering gives us some idea of the glass and facade to be used!

Cull said:"Manhattan: size scraper!"

Er... you mean a manhattan sized core with sydney hight resctions applied?

sad but true is massive base again

Thanks Cul for the renderings. The glassy facades look sensational especially from the northern and southern sides of the building. The parts that tend to follow GPT's facade have been done up very well, looking just as glassy and should easily rival that of GPT.
Avatar should happy with this:)

The urban park looks to be very promising too while the podium doesn't look too bad either. They could tone up the Kent St side a little.

Cull said:"Manhattan: size scraper!"

Er... you mean a manhattan sized core with sydney hight resctions applied?

LOL, how true!

One word: LANDMARK

One reaction: :drool:

Core Rise - Level 6 Exposed!!!
The southern crane has also risen.
As for progress on the floorplates, the floorplates on the southern side have now caught up with those on the northern sides. They still need to lay the floorplates for the ground level on the southern side. The northern part of the site down to the core has had the floorplates for the ground level laid. Also the small core that serves the underground levels is now done as the corebox has since been removed.

Therefore it's been very busy on site as of late.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/p86d8fb3f4f597e109124565a97baa532/f7a0bf12.jpg

And the scaffholding also continues to come off the heritage listed buildings along Erskine Street. They appear to be well restored, even old signage being retained and restored? What do you think?

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid132/p5626a7a060c9a860cf212f0c638e6e37/f7a0befb.jpg

Man , i feel sorry for the pub there! the entire area aorund it is construction sites!

Man , i feel sorry for the pub there! the entire area aorund it is construction sites!

I don't think it has been affected one bit. You can still access it as normal.
The workers probably go there for their afterwork drinks meaning extra bucks for the owners.

I think they've done a nice job with the renovations... Should be really nice once KENS is complete and the whole area around it is done. It's great to see big commercial developments in harmony with what's left of Sydney's past

i got SX tower dimensions from grollo. to show compariosn to Melbs largest office tower uc atm

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenssxtower.jpg

as you can see SX is large but not quite as big as KENS

I think they've done a nice job with the renovations... Should be really nice once KENS is complete and the whole area around it is done. It's great to see big commercial developments in harmony with what's left of Sydney's pastI'm glad you posted with "what's left of....." How true is that!?! How many terraces in a row are left? Kind of unique these days.

Even when GPT was built with a Museum of Sydney celebrating Sydney's history, a partial row was torn down for the plaza areas along Phillip St. How ironic. :no:

today
how dense is this part of CBD???
KENS will suit its posi perfectly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/westernskyline.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kenscloseaug3.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/kensaug3.jpg

That first shot from Pyrmont Bridge was a ripper. The skyline has never looked so good. I like how the buildings on King Street Wharf provide a nice step up effect to the buildings that lie several blocks back.

KENS will be at it's best from out there and one of the few vantage ponts where you can admire the building at it's best. The only bad thing about it is that it will wreck the view of the Kent Street skyscraper wall along with the view of AAPT Tower & Grosvenor Place, which I have enjoyed seeing for many years.

this confirms KENS is Australia's largest office tower /floor plates
i talked to SX Towers archietcts today and they confirmed the floor plates as 44mx65m compared to kens 62mx80m.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/floorplates.jpg

Now that's what I'm talking about!! :okay:

this confirms KENS is Australia's largest office tower /floor plates
i talked to SX Towers archietcts today and they confirmed the floor plates as 44mx65m compared to kens 62mx80m.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/floorplates.jpg

Cull, how as the core of KENS compare with some less substantial buildings? I mean I would guess that KENS' core alone is almost as big at the entire floor plate for something like Meriton's Rialto.

It would be interesting to compare.

Rialto measures just 25m x30m. so KENS core is approx 20x40m, so not much smaller.

kens will hide the 3 sisters perfectly!

http://www.pierluigisurace.it/imagerie/images/aatw/DOT_Australia_III_Sydney_Darling_Harbour_1.jpg

^ That's not such a recent pic. You'll notice through the midst of scrapers that Westpac signage is still atop of what is now Metcentre (without signage).

Is that a tennis player on the Veritas Building? Pat Rafter perhaps?

Also, does anyone know which towers CULWULLA is referring to as "the 3 sisters"?

@ muse think Blue Mountains.

^ That's not such a recent pic. You'll notice through the midst of scrapers that Westpac signage is still atop of what is now Metcentre (without signage).

Is that an Olympian on the Veritas Building?

Also, does anyone know which towers CULWULLA is referring to as "the 3 sisters"?

Also, does anyone know which towers CULWULLA is referring to as "the 3 sisters"?

I think Cul is referring to the attraction in the Blue Mountains with the skyrail, etc...

Unless he's referring to someone farting three times in succession?

I know the 3 Sisters of the Blue Mountains, but what did CULWULLA mean by that? Perhaps he meant that if you stand at the base of it on Sussex Street when it has been completed, of course we wouldn't be able to see the 3 Sisters. lol

I think Culwulla might of been referring to the Telstra building and 2 to the left as the 3 sisters. They are kind of similar how they angle off like that??

Yeah, you're all right - when I first read and replied to the message alluding to the Blue Mountains, Cul's photo of the surrounding pictures wasn't loading.

I drove past KENS yesterday finding "3 sisters.... I don't think the core is *that* big".

So I withdraw my Blue Mountains statement as a mistake on my part.