Whats our best most inspirational, impressive, futuristic office building built since 2000???
Only early days but i feel Sydney is pushing ahead with innovative designs leaving other cities behind. melbourne has now some amAzing residential towers with Eureka,Vic Point,YE5 and FWP but what about office bldgs?

we all know what they look like so just click urls if you need reminding.lol

SYDNEY
Sydney now has some great skyscrapers.many with unique/intresting tops. aka, e&y, DB Bank ,Aurora pl,westpac,Angel pl.
Most of these have changed sydneys skyline with distinct features.
Even Sydney's future prospects look best>
FUTURE- 2006 will see even more innovative designs with
John Boyd tower- http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=140699
33 bligh - http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=101303
420 pitt st- http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=140693
& Westfield towers-

CITIGROUP
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=108051
DEUTSCHE BANK PLACE
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=140702
E&Y
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=133068
AURORA PLACE
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=108310
WESTPAC
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=140694
ANGEL PLACE
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=108107
CIVIC TOWER
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=140692
DP3
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5492/dp311410056cb.jpg
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MELBOURNE
Melbourne has had some fine apartment towers added since 2000 but its office towers have been basically flat topped glass boxes.
i didnt use emporis pages for melbournes bldgs beacuse there still pathetic old renders. really needs some updating.
future- more boxes on the way with SX2 & Grand central site. > http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=156107
559 collins looks great though>
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=215248

E&Y
http://members.iinet.net.au/~troneast/ey6/DSCN0394.JPG
UWS
http://static.flickr.com/34/69964679_5da82130b9_o.jpg
SX1
http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/8120/shinysx9vk.jpg
2SBB
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/14-10-2005/fwp%204%20forum.jpg
BHP
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131542
RACV
http://www.melbournephotos.net/pics/2005-03-21%20Melbourne%20-%20Bourke%20St/IMG_6156.jpg
11 EXHIBITION
http://img122.exs.cx/img122/9136/ey30th.jpg
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PERTH
Not much has happened this century but some fine towers on horizon look promising.Only one major tower since 2000>

WOODSIDE TOWER
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131561
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BRISBANE
No major office bldgs since 2000. Riparian is mixed use and Brisbane sq still uc, which looks like being a winner.Only 20storey bldgs added since 2000>

175 EAGLE ST
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131555
BOQ CENTRE
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131547
HALL CHADWICK CENTRE
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131553
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ADELAIDE
Adelaide has been quite with just law courts but future looks bright with City central complex.

COMMONWEALTH LAW COURTS
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=171618

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You can add 77 Charlotte Street, for Brisbane as well, Its office, but built for State Government, finished Around 2004 I think.

The quality of design in Sydney over the last 5 years has indeed been exceptional – at least compared to the previous 50 years. I have based the following notes almost purely on aesthetic considerations. (yes, I know there is more to architecture than consideration of form).

My comments are on Sydney only. Going to melb in March so your info is well-timed for me.

Shame we didn’t put some of the star residential developments in there too though. I’m thinking Cove, Horizons, Luminere and World Tower (although I am quite ambivalent to it – don’t love, don’t hate).

Stars scored out of 5. A 5 is Sydney best, not a world best.

-----------------------------------------------------------
* JOHN BOYD TOWER (3.5 stars tentative)
I know almost zip about this but render looks very promising. Any other info?

* 420 GEORGE (3.5 stars tentative)
A bit hard to call at this stage. Early days, but looks promisingly solid without being mind blowing. Love the podium. Doesn’t try to emulate/copy the neighbouring older buildings. A new fresh idea that refers to but doesn’t defer to its older neighbours. i.e., good architecture when compared to the tripe that is Observatory Hotel.

* 33 BLIGH (4 stars)
I’m really excited by this. My kinda of design, rather than unimaginative blobs (KENS) or contrived architecture like citigroup.

* CITIGROUP (3 stars – but only just)
I’m a bit neutral towards Citigroup. Nothing inherently wrong with the design – there’s a lot worse around - but nothing particularly inspiring about the design in my opinion. But willing to hear why people might disagree.

The roof structure is OK – again I am neutral towards it. Nice ideas there that didn’t really get pulled off well. I.e., nice ideas, bad proportions. Kinda reminds me of Coruscant. I like the IDEA of the horizontal fin but it wasn’t pulled off well, compared to say the brilliant fin/roof structure on the 1950’s AMP building.

I generally find spires are over used and under achieve. Some are great if done well (see below) but most fall well short of the mark. They are not compulsory as the last decade’s batch of big buildings would suggest.

* DEUTSCHBANK (4.5 stars)
One of my favourite Sydney buildings of all time – not just recent times. Take away the spire and the awe-inspiring internals and it would still be a favourite of mine. Great proportions, stylish façade treatments (kinda “classy hi-tek industrial meets modern commercial” in my words). No need to describe the brilliant spire and structural supports – always loved the exposed structure designs. Beauty created by showing how the builing/structure works.

* ERNST & YOUNG (just scrapes thru to 4 stars)
An excellent building. Not quite a top 10 landmark in terms of size but can’t really fault it. Doesn’t quite have the wow factor that DeutscheBank and Aurora have. Actually, it doesn’t look so impressive from street level – but from a distance excellent (but I could warm to it). But great façade treatments really show up the ugly Westpac/Kens building.

*AURORA (5 stars)
Is this my favourite big Sydney tower? It comes damn close. Perhaps only Australia Square pleases me more. If I was to analyse completely rationally I would have to say that Deutschebank is better, but there is something more to Aurora. I once worked on the 61st floor of GPT and Aurora just looked awesome from that angle. A view that completely encapsulates what is so moving about great architecture and this point segues so well into….

* WESTPAC (2 stars and only just. happy to go with 1.5 too)
What a boring, ugly, intimidating, awkward, botch job of a power station, sorry high-rise office building, this is. Could have been great with the superb site and all the money thrown at it. Perhaps the basic shape is not all that bad especially if it took some of the façade ideas from Deutsche or E & Y and got rid of the afterthought funnel (I don’t care if was always part of the design – it LOOKS like an afterthought and that is the problem).

* ANGEL PLACE (3.0 stars, 3.5 at a stretch)
Decent effort. I kinda like it but not passionately. Good but looks a little awkward from some angles. I particularly like the lobby but that is more of a superficial fashion treatment that may not look so good in 10 years. Love the hi-tek industrial looking solar panels. But anyone know how functional they are?

* CIVIC TOWER (3.5 stars)
On paper for me this is great but lacks that extra “wow factor”. By now you can probably tell I am a fan of the clean modernist look and this building does it very well. Good to see the original building finally finished. It’s formally ugly podium now makes much more sense with its top than it did without. Lovely clean window design treatments.

* DP3 (3.5 stars)
(I’ve considered here the whole development – not just the latest addition) I’ve always kinda like these but they are let down by the lobby/podium area which for me is a bit to hotelish. Very nice garden and although the connection to Cockle Bay is a great idea I feel it could have been down better – ie, more obvious. But maybe this was intentional
It must be the Seidler influences in the building that I really like, but it’s not quite as good as a real Seidler. A prescnce all at once modernist, bold, organic and curvey and calming on the skyline. Lobby area too “busy” though

^ yes DP3 is not much to look at but with its other 2 towers, creates a nice waterfront office complex.
Civic tower does got a wow factor, when you are standing under it. nothing like it in Australia.
my fav office out of this bunch is DB place. only recent office bldg in OZ to give a shit about its internal structure.Aurora is great. very beautifuly crafted scraper.i think your a bit harsh with Westpac. Its a mighty fine massive office tower.make sure you visit it and walk around its foyer and grounds when it opens. might change your mind.
as for up and coming projects, 33 bligh looks our most promising. John boyd also ill be a fine addition. lets hope 1-9 bligh turns out the way i envisage it, instead of 130m block.

^ yes DP3 is not much to look at but with its other 2 towers, creates a nice waterfront office complex.
Civic tower does got a wow factor, when you are standing under it. nothing like it in Australia.
my fav office out of this bunch is DB place. only recent office bldg in OZ to give a shit about its internal structure.Aurora is great. very beautifuly crafted scraper.i think your a bit harsh with Westpac. Its a mighty fine massive office tower.make sure you visit it and walk around its foyer and grounds when it opens. might change your mind.
as for up and coming projects, 33 bligh looks our most promising. John boyd also ill be a fine addition. lets hope 1-9 bligh turns out the way i envisage it, instead of 130m block.

Yes, we are in close agreement - although we know the one on which we disagree. lol

Westpac - i'm alwasy open to changing my mind. My main gripes are the funnel (in case you forgot :) ) and the facade. It is HUGE which is not in itself bad, but to have that dark facade on such a dominating stocky building doesn't do much for me. Yes, looking forward to walking around on completion.

Civic - great stuff but not quite up with the best in sydney. But it wasn't trying to or needs to be. Just good architecture, not everyone can be Aurora or Deutsche

Nice point on the internals of that German Bank building. I love Capita Centre for this same reason. (or maybe I am just a Seidler junky).

My patience is running thin with some of the office tower designs Melbourne's producing.They're acceptable but nothing to crow about, I wish some of the developers would think outside the square. Sydney has certainly produced the most interesting and least boxy office buildings thus far.

My patience is running thin with some of the office tower designs Melbourne's producing.They're acceptable but nothing to crow about, I wish some of the developers would think outside the square. Sydney has certainly produced the most interesting and least boxy office buildings thus far.

Nothing necessarily wrong with boxy though either...

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/944/sydney10fh.jpg

http://img204.exs.cx/img204/2746/101bathurststnewrender3nb.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/503/379regentplacenight1.JPG

MELBOURNE
Melbourne has had some fine apartment towers added since 2000 but its office towers have been basically flat topped glass boxes.
i didnt use emporis pages for melbournes bldgs beacuse there still pathetic old renders. really needs some updating.
future- more boxes on the way with SX2 & Grand central site. > http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=156107
559 collins looks great though>
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=215248

E&Y
http://members.iinet.net.au/~troneast/ey6/DSCN0394.JPG
UWS
http://static.flickr.com/34/69964679_5da82130b9_o.jpg
SX1
http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/8120/shinysx9vk.jpg
2SBB
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/14-10-2005/fwp%204%20forum.jpg
BHP
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=131542
RACV
http://www.melbournephotos.net/pics/2005-03-21%20Melbourne%20-%20Bourke%20St/IMG_6156.jpg
11 EXHIBITION
http://img122.exs.cx/img122/9136/ey30th.jpg
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I’ve just been through the Melbourne photos and I don’t necessarily think that at least some of the Melbourne “boxes” are all that bad. OK, they don’t necessarily have the charisma of a Q1 or Deutschebank but that doesn’t mean they can’t be good buildings. Melbourne (and Sydney for that matter) have enough big but essentially poorly designed buildings with spires chucked on the top. A great building a tall spire does not necessarily make.

Some of these smaller ones provided by Cul show some real nice understated style. Very Melbourne in that respect. :)

I'm hard on the buildings because they could be so much more. Don't get me wrong I'm glad we have them but they are pretty uninspiring. I do however like the look of 565 Collins. For a mostly boxy building it's fairly decent.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/11/565photoshop1iu.jpg

Aurora and DB are the only things really worth mentioning.

Wait and NAB docklands if it was a skyscraper.

Yet again im in total agreement with you uewepuep :P

Woodside or SX1 for me.

Aurora by a country mile!.... tho I'm yet to see a photo of it that does it justice - It's a completely different building in the flesh!!

I concur
heres a pic i took last year. love its angles
http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=300937
magnificent at night
http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=163893
theres 48 pix of Aurora on emporis

I dont like DB or Aurora a great deal.

One fine looking building. Aurora Place.

http://home.exetel.com.au/miliux/scraperimage/Aurora%20Place.jpg

nt

I dont like DB or Aurora a great deal.

You have to see them in person I think, and from all angles ..

DB from the west is a completely different building to what it is from the east.

Aurora is my fav bldg in aus so that takes the cake. DBP isn't too far behind.

What do we have here? Consensus in OzScrapers?

I must say that I agree with what everyone else has said so far. Most of Melbourne's stuff is just good for gap filling.