Amazing stuff! a few weeks ago i made up a design for the troubled corner site (420 pitt st) which meriton are trying to develope! there designs have been pretty bland and not what the council want for that site! So i drew up a "curved kidney" shape and showed planners! They showed meriton in a meeting a few weeks ago and were told to rethink there design!
Today i was contacted by Meriton to make a model of there new design! you guessed it, its me kidney design!lol
they even mentioned to me they "borrowed" my shape!lol
anyway i think its looks great and its exactly how i envisaged the site. heres a typival floor plan for the 30storey tower.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126420pittfloorplan-med.jpg

my original model design-

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126mymodefromtop-med.jpg

a pic i drew up in August

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126420pittstmydigram.jpg

there original design-

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126modelfromsouth-med.jpg

in 50 years i can look up at it and tell my grand kids i helped with that damn building!!lol

Well done Richard - I like the shape of the building! :) No more boxes anymore!!

But the main problem with Meriton towers is the look of their facades - hopefully this one is gonna be decent! :angel1:

If it's going to be cladded in glass without balconies (or @ least subtle ones), it should look great.

Let's hope Meriton don't try to corner off the edges of the kidney's curves and clad it in some kind of beige stone!!

Stick with the glass cladding Meriton!!

Congrulations. I hope they give you some credit for this!!!

Congratulations Richard!

You must be really pleased.

And it is a terrific shape.

Perhaps they should call it Culwulla Towers!

demand a pay rise!!!!!!!!!!

.....or perhaps a promotion to CHIEF PLANNER!

That's amazing! Well done Cul! Wow...your design skills are pretty good! What formal technical training have you had? Hey, you don't need to be an architect to have ideas, ay?!

10/10 Cul!

Ive completed a drafting certicate and Arts Diploma but ive alsways had an eye for designing skyscrapers. I just accessed the feed back from planners and looked at the site and surrounding bldgs and woked out the shape. id love to design taller ones in the centre of CBD.

BRAVO!! Richard mate thats UNBELIEVABLE! nice one!

This could well lead on to bigger things!!

ok that;s pretty unbelievable,. it looks really nice. awesome man! :cool:

Great stuff Ricardo!!!!

I nominate you to design everything before council!

Great Stuff Richard!! Thats a great shape and design altogether....c'mon meriton don't stuff this up!!!

what i want to know is HOW THE FUCK CAN MERITON BUILD SUCH CRAP (OR EVEN THINk ABOUT BUILDING SUCH CRAP):

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126modelfromsouth-med.jpg

when there are such great simple designs like culwulla's?? its bloody well beyond me- Meriton please dont fuck up sydney anymore, build the kidney shape with a fukk glass curtain- YES a GLASS CURTAIN- THERE IS NOOO NEED TO ADD CREAMY BITS!!! lol

There's no glass curtain - most of the walls are blank with small windows, and the ends of the curves are balconies.

I would be very interested to see what facade they would propose for it.

Originally posted by SydneyDude
what i want to know is HOW THE FUCK CAN MERITON BUILD SUCH CRAP (OR EVEN THINk ABOUT BUILDING SUCH CRAP):


Because the architects thinks that they look great (but really they don't) and then the council approves it.

They can still cover it with glass curtain wall... just cover the solid areas too... I am sick of boring beige and green poo coloured resideential towers... Sydney deserves some glass.

If other cities are building all glass residential towers, I cannot see why Sydney should have one.

heres a quick drawing Meriton have drawn up to show council soon. looks good!

https://www.emporis.com/files_transfer/6/2003/10/221152.jpg

Very nice sketch. I cannot wait to see a better rendering!!!

Thats a great design!!:) Good stuff Cul!:cool:

"May your future influence on new developments in Sydbey increase!..."

Here is a pic of the model, currently being done up by Culwulla. He bought it out to show me and there will be a spire for now.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/p652a01595fdd5dce2d4d5ea1209725d7/faeef248.jpg

yeah i was about half way through the construction. ive added curved balconies now and painted it. meriton are showing the design next week to Lord mayor! lets hope it gos oK?

Originally posted by CULWULLA
heres a quick drawing Meriton have drawn up to show council soon. looks good!

https://www.emporis.com/files_transfer/6/2003/10/221152.jpg

Wow! I looooove the sketch! Even better than I expected! :D

It's much better without a glass curtain wall, because with this busier facade it seems more respectful of the heritage listed pub on the corner. It looks active and lively - like Sydney towers should - instead of sterile, bland, lifeless reflective glass!

The shape is just fantastic! Fingers crossed it gets approved! :okay:

so remind me what currently on that site

Originally posted by Trances
so remind me what currently on that site

Currently there is just the heritage listed building on the corner and some other low buildings about the size of the podium shown there - so subtract the tower from the image and you've got what's there! But don't forget to include the big ugly blank wall from the Pitt Tower of the Regis Towers, which this new tower will block! ;)

heres a pic of the kidney model i did for meriton.

https://www.emporis.com/files_transfer/6/2003/10/222226.jpg

similar to 32 storey AEGEAN in Surfers Pd

https://www.emporis.com/files_transfer/6/2003/05/194257.jpg

https://www.emporis.com/files_transfer/6/2001/05/108218.jpg

What happened to the spire?

Originally posted by Fabian
What happened to the spire?
they siad just leave off atm. it might detract from bldg form. it might come back.

If the spire does come back i hope they would use a Joan Hancock type of spire (i know its an antenna..) cause i think it would look better for this design.

well heres latest amended design for the 420 pitt st site. Apparently my "curvy kidney" design was too elaborate and would be "expensive" to create, so Meriton have compromised with a part curved/part straight floor plate shape for the L shaped site. Its not too bad

http://www.emporis.co.uk/files/transfer/6/2004/01/240264.jpg

Too elaborate! What would they know about being elaborate? Too expensive? Well, that's something they fully understand. They just didn't want to invest in the added structural engineering costs that were perceived to be involved.

BTW We hope that's not more blank walls replacing the other Pitt St's structure staring down at us, as the pub on the cnr is here to stay.

Hmmmm...looks like it will now blend in with the existing Regis Towers frighteningly well :|

Cheap pricks! Maybe they should ask Sunland how they managed to design, market and sell a curvy apartment tower and still make a profit:

http://www.realestate.com.au/objects/props/6778/101286778mm1074521599.jpg

"Compromise" is the key word here. Meriton compromise fricken everything! The shape of this building looks as ugly as most of their other buildings and if that blank wall isn't glass, it will be as ugly as most of their other buildings.

Cul, any idea on the exterior colour as well as height and floors ? Please don't tell me it is white/beige/cream in colour. :bash:
I'm sure that the CSPC planners are aware that this block is a clusterfuck of pastel architectural drivel ( they probably wouldn't put in those words though...) so can they influence the developer to go with a different facade to bring atleast some semblance of architectural merit to the area ????

Originally posted by spazpecker
Cul, any idea on the exterior colour as well as height and floors ? Please don't tell me it is white/beige/cream in colour. :bash:
I'm sure that the CSPC planners are aware that this block is a clusterfuck of pastel architectural drivel ( they probably wouldn't put in those words though...) so can they influence the developer to go with a different facade to bring atleast some semblance of architectural merit to the area ????
not sure, but this is one thing the council has pleaded with meriton is to leave the beige/white paint brushes at home!
I reckon a lovely curtain wall with silver balcs would look ok.

The latest proposal is really bad but what else could we expect - after all it's only Meriton! :D

There's a real "The Summit" feel to this design... Those blank walls look all too familar.

Originally posted by Muse
Too elaborate! What would they know about being elaborate? Too expensive? Well, that's something they fully understand. They just didn't want to invest in the added structural engineering costs that were perceived to be involved.

BTW We hope that's not more blank walls replacing the other Pitt St's structure staring down at us, as the pub on the cnr is here to stay.

Originally posted by gazmo
There's a real "The Summit" feel to this design... Those blank walls look all too familar.
nah, theres no blank walls. they have many windows. its just not shown on small scale model.:D

Where does their fucking laziness end? That kidney-shaped design was unique and beautiful.

Now they're going to build a piece of shit building that looks just like every other one of their Goddamned piece of shit buildings. How bloody original.

When is Meriton going to recognise that elaborately designed towers can win awards for them and improve their reputation?

Increased sales and returns associated with the marketing of the apartments would occur as a result:bash:

To have a plainer building on site like this one (even though it has curvy balconies, which makes it differ from the other towers and thats the only thing I like about this revised proposal), shows how lazy and simple Meriton are in making big bucks, unaware spending a bit extra might as well mean more money.

.....Ans so that whole city block becomes the "block that Meriton built" - and it'll be marked as the worst looking block in the city. :mad:

Well, just goes ta show, ya can't teach and old dog new trix!

For those who were putting all there eggs inta won basket and reassuring the rest of us that Meriton's CBD designs have improved just by the likes of W.T. and the pre-fab Rialto, please always remain healthily skeptical.......AT ALL TIMES!!

What Fabian posted has credence, but they're not interested in winning awards.

I'm sure they have there own Meriton formula down pat!

Ewww, imagine a job as an in-house architect for this company. You'd always have somebody lookin' over your shoulder making sure you are cutting costs to maximise returns. In fact, that would be the culture throughout the whole company, regardless of what department you belonged to. The wages vs hours would be horrendous for most of staff too.

*Keeps Harry T. in (koshered) sausage and even more chops*

One big EEEEWWWWWWWWWW!

Just keep that SSC pressure on to at least not blend with the other 3 stooges!

Hey All I Want To Say Is Meriton Are Cheap, always have been always will be..... World Tower or not.....

Oh dear. We all go shooting off at the hip yet we forget about the fallen. Let us take time out brothers and sisters and remember those who have fallen.

Welcome into our open arms .....into "The Meriton Aftermath Support Group". Feel that you now belong to a 'safe place'. We will help you pick up the pieces 'shattered one'.

:angel1: :grouphug: :angel1:

As you can see, they all run a freakin' mile when somebody is in dire need of support ;) :| Obviously wrong forum for that!

view from TNT tower today. that horrid blank wall on Regis tower hopefully will be covered soon by 420 pitt st

http://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2004/02/246263.jpg

well the latest is that Meriton have done a "Meriton" and chosen to erect the boring straight edged tower instead of curved design. Apparently it was approved last year but had small issues, so Clover might not be able to stop it.
It will be a cost cutting idea to go with the simpler version.
this is block model of earlier design which they want to build>

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126modelfromsouth-med.jpg

What a bunch of cheapo's :bash:. I have to admit that the shape of the tower moulds in with the existing tower. I hope they do up a good facade to make this one stand out from the other Regis Towers. I'd look so bland if they didn't, and would only make the block even more bland.

While I loved Cul's kidney design for the tower, Meriton stuffed around with the concept so much that it wasn't really resembling it at all anyway...I didn't mind the original square design too much - it had a sort of minimialist feel to it, as opposed to the 3 other Regis Towers which just have a generic vomit-feel about them. ;)

So long as good materials and colours (i.e. very different to the bland vomit-beige of the others) are used, it should be ok.

Meriton will start this one soon.

Meriton will start this one soon.

Great ..... another Meriton Beige Plain Jane for the skyline ...... :(

word is this is the last big one in Sydney for a while. harry is now concentrating on GC.

oh well this one is nothing special
dont really care about it

There was an article in Fin Rev 30oct MERITON ON MOVE!- harry highrise.
HarryT is now convinced Sydney is over the slump and isnt slowing down with his projects. he has 4 new towers planned to start soon.
AVANTI- 14ST IN HORNSBY
SOLAIRE-22ST IN GC
LUMINA -14ST IN MOOREPARK
ZENITH-27ST cnr Pitt & campbell
So Zenith is the name of his newest one at 420 piit st.

What a misnomer! If it is anything like his usual standard it should be named Nadir!

Nadir: Noun: An extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything. lol

Now We're going to have 2 Zeniths within the Sydney City boundaries. The other one @ the top of William St @ The Cross (Previously known The Hyatt and then known as The Millennium) and both to be apartment scrapers.

im currently making the stage 2 model which is being lodged this week. Meriton want to start o this one early next year.

just to let everyone know. ive recently completed a stage2 DA model for Meriton and is now in place in city model. Meriton want to start demolishing the existing premises asap.

yay matey

pic of model
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/newDA.jpg

Plus ça change, eh?

Looks just like everything else they pump out. How exciting for Sydney.

Rendering of ZENITH:

http://www.meriton.com.au/zenith/zenith_big.jpg

wow, thanks finn! yep, sure looks like the model. still would of been better with curved corners.
cheers

Very stylish!!!! Meriton have done a great job with this one. Well Done :okay:

Oh no, lots of blank walls again! :bash:

http://www.meriton.com.au/zenith/zenith_big.jpg

that area of town is kinda boring

Do Meriton have a computer programme that churns this junk out? I expect it to turn out like a two-tone version of Summit. Oh well, I guess it's better than a fourth Regis Tower.

This project has gone to Land & Environment court over past few years.On the south wall of the Pittst Regis tower there is a blank wall which this one buts upagainst. At the top there are 2 floors only that have southern views. This was the problem at L&E. The owners were assured the would always have views instead of a brck wall. So in the end the tower was reduced by 2 floors so these penthouses could keep there views, even though basically its gonna be a view of the top plantroom of Zenith.
A year ago there was a competion and the latest render was winner designed by Marchese architects. A condition was that there would be NO BLANK WALLS which as you can see there isnt. They have elements of design and breakup of treatment.
The tower also had to have a 10m setback from Pitt st and 10m from Campbell st.

Why won't I be surprised to find the finished building is compromised from this Marchese design? Meriton just cannot help itself. Even when coerced into a competition and gaining a good design they cheapen it, nickel and dime it and end up with something that is not as good as it promised. It's is disease called "cheap-shit greed".

They should rename Sydney, "Meriton". Seeing as every street you walk down you'll find at least one of their craptacular designs.

This section of town is definitely the "cheap 'n nasty" district... so much for freaking architecture excellence huh? I don't think this is another Summit, but heck, I hope it turns out better than the render. I can just see those white balconies looking atrocious when completed...

Zenith will be pretty well hidden. At this end of town a 300f00ter goes unnoticed. Across from this is PARK CENTRAL which is an excellent design by a very good architect., That should commence soon.

The design doesnt look too bad.

hoarding is going up. demolition will commence soon.

hoarding on Campbell street. these bldgs are to be razed while the ones facing pitt are to be retained.
http://img62.exs.cx/img62/5915/zenithhoarding1rm.jpg

pic today. thats bldgs gone!!
the heritage bldg on pitt st is still there, which will be restored.
now there at digging stage already!!
http://img106.exs.cx/img106/466/zenithsitemarch164kj.jpg

OMG They're quick!!

Looking forward to the largest Marchese and Partners we've yet to see.

Get some dark stone into the area at last!! It'll look shnazzy!

pic today. thats bldgs gone!!
the heritage bldg on pitt st is still there, which will be restored.
now there at digging stage already!!
http://img106.exs.cx/img106/466/zenithsitemarch164kj.jpg

Yeaaah! Sell all dilapidated CBD buildings to Meriton! I love their expertise lol :)

It's a shame we're facing sort of oversupply so those great guys must turn many new condos to serviced apts! (World, Rialto, future Meriton etc.)

Now if only Kimberely Securities, the developers of Aspect would take note.

This is how to get a project going!!

^agree

yes, its hard to believe that this one started 3 weeks ago and is nearly at the stage Aspect is at which has been going for 18 months.lol
One thing i admire about Meriton is there go-getters!
they get there site,
get there design
get there builder
start building the bloody thing!
simple!

Checked it out yesterday (Firday) and no foundations being dug as yet. On the Campbell St side, it is barely half a level below ground. The rest of the site on the Pitt St side, is @ ground level. I couldn't see any machinery eg. track hoes nor even worker's huts on site.

Hopefully, the foundations will start to be dug relatively soon.

^ thats because meriton had to stop @ the site and await final approval which they got at CSPC on Thursday night. things should start to kick along now.
On the pitt st side, the old shops will be retained back to 10m .so only the centre of the site and Campbell st will have the actual foundations.

NAME CHANGE!!
now known as MOSAIC!!
i suppose there was already a Zenith in Darlinghurst.

...and Zenix in Erskineville. It does get a bit silly with so many same or similar names...like Ikon, ICON, Icon etc and a couple of Paramounts.

Great name. Classy!!

Lol, and here was I thinking somehow I'd missed some big project that had been going on for a while....Hope they are still doing the work work, not just name-change work. Good name though, far better, and IMO more appropriate, than Zenith...

Rendering of ZENITH:

http://www.meriton.com.au/zenith/zenith_big.jpgThe interest is actually in the name as far as the design goes. They wouldn't be calling it "Mosaic" if there wasn't going to be any related aesthetics.

As with the render, the huge sheeting or tile work scaling the height of the building is going to give the tower a really interesting look....and I don't think the render is going to do it justice.

Also, what will the podium/entrance/lobby be like? Once again, they wouldn't be calling it "Mosaic" if there wasn't to be a certain image to be portrayed.

This might prove to be a real, like a reeeaaaaaal "looker" as Marchese & Partner's Paramount on William Street is.

^ i hope it becomes a "real looker" as the site deserves it. I sometimes wish they adopted my "kidney" design back 2 years back.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126mymodefromtop-med.jpg

it slowly became more straighter but kept some curves and finally ended up with current all straight walls.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/p652a01595fdd5dce2d4d5ea1209725d7/faeef248.jpg

Yeah, that's a darn shame. Wasn't there a sketch as well CULWULLA?

the stage 2 was approved last week and excavations will now commence. model is now red in Sydney model. also painted Dupain & phoenix too.
getting back to red again.

Fantastic. Great to see a few more starting up in Sydney again.

Hey cull is that your model under the floor?

nah, thats a replica of our city model. its pretty good but not as detail. they only had 6 months to make it while ours took 10 years.

Passed the site yesterday, Sunday 17/07/05 and they were in the midst of constucting the hoardings where it will meet Pitt St.

As far as the foundations go, just flat @ street level. Not a track hoe (digger) to be seen. Pffft! :(

dont worry, digging will start soon enough. they have recently recieved there CC.

Whats that relatively suave little thing to the left across the street of mosaic in the second model pic just above here (the semi curved one)?

^ thats just a DA for a total convert of existing 12storey hotel to 16 storey apartments. its was approved a few months back/
i went past Mosaic site today. theres now hoarding on pitt st frontage.

excavations are getting deep/

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9223/mosaic5kj.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/6693/mosaic5xa.jpg

lots of action today
behind those 2 cars were about a dozen workers .
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/8331/mosaicnov34cv.jpg

model pic from meritons sales office (on george st between 3 monkeys pub and meriton tower). make sure you checkout models displays. all over aus.
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/3959/mosaicmodel1ws.jpg

ughh! Give me your kidney anyday over that Cul!

Actually looks better than i hoped, why isn't saying much. At least it isn't white!

Has anyone got the Official Render picture it has dissapeared

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/1845/zenithbig8pz.jpg

Meriton's track record on sticking to the original colours as rendered is 0.

Look at what they did at Chatswood and with Meriton Tower.

This one may yet be white! I have zero faith in them.

Was in that part of town yesterday and the sales office was open (On Australia Day) and after enquiring, was told that the anticapted completion would be sometime in the early half of 2008.

Also that the foundations being dug would be 25m deep (and used mainly as car parking levels). Foundations are currently @ around 11m deep.

The hoardings along Pitt St have been painted yellow, along with the rendering.

Current prices for apartments (included in the info pack I was given):

* 1 Bedroom apartment, no parking:____from $455,000
* 1 Bedroom + Parking_______________ from $595,000
* 1 Bedroom + Study________________ from $590,000
* 2 Bedroom Maisonette______________from $615,000
* 2 Bedroom Apartment_______________from $630,000
* 3 Bedroom Apartment _____________ from$1,055,000

It will be constructed by Meriton alone.

.....

All these long forgotten threads being dug up again! Thanks Muse!
Me have little faith in the colours turnign out right aswell. Godo to see they're at work, but beginning 2008 sounds like an awfully long time to be usy with this one.....

Considering it is already 2006, early 2008 sounds reasonable. Mosaic has a reasonably large L-Shaped footprint, they are still digging the deep foundations, the crane/s have to be brought in and lodged, the retaining of the Pitt St facades along with the reinforcing of them and the pub on the corner.

As we know, the architects are Marchese & Partners so we can expect quality finishes as they deliver and the lower-level apartments will feature landscaped & plaza areas etc etc.....

So 2 years is quite reasonable :okay:

...

gee, Meriton love digging deep holes.this one will be like meriton tower taking a year just for excavations.patience needed for this project which will just be another unit block next to early crap meriton blocks.
btw thanks for getting info muse. for what it was worth.
cheers

still going
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5181/mosiac0li.jpg

^^ Gee, CULWULLA, why didn't you venture into that small tarmaced walkway between the site and the 2-3 level building on the other side to get a pic of the foundations? It I have time tomorrow whilst downtown, I may do that.

Hopefully I may be tall enough to peak over the right-handed fence...or @ least be able to take a pic through the mesh @ the top of that smallish-looking tarmaced driveway...or possibly both.

Don't lean on it too hard in case it gives way and you end up taking shots from the bottom of the hole!

Don't lean on it too hard in case it gives way and you end up taking shots from the bottom of the hole!Thanks for the tip Lord_Bertrum. I have no desire to fall almost 25m to my death (which is how far down the foundations are being dug).

I'll do my best tomorrow to get a pic of how the foundations are progressing :okay:

lots of concrete pouring today

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3530/00002763zq.jpg

Great!! It's near impossible to get a shot of the pit.

something seems amiss underneath that caterpillar in the last shot...

there were some tyres under the cat to stabilize it on the road.either that or the driver just flattened some car;lol

there were some tyres under the cat to stabilize it on the road.either that or the driver just flattened some car;lol
The tyres prevent the tracks from ripping up the road.

lol, for all the technology and sophistication of the modern world, the simple practical manipulation of the world's greatest invention is all these construction folks needed... the things i never knew

edit: wrong thread.

http://www.archiform3d.com/portfolios-architectural-renderings-video-website/06-mosaic-3d-renderings/3d-renderings/01-mosaic-3d-rendering-640.jpg

http://www.archiform3d.com/portfolios-architectural-renderings-video-website/06-mosaic-3d-renderings/3d-renderings/05-mosaic-3d-rendering-640.jpg

http://www.archiform3d.com/portfolios-architectural-renderings-video-website/06-mosaic-3d-renderings/3d-renderings/04-mosaic-3d-rendering-640.jpg

cool, very well done.never heard of archiform.
cheers

I wonder if that could be imported into Simcity 4?

The crane is being put up right now.

yes.
the guy in pic asked me what i was doing, i said taking a photo. lol

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/9929/00003839gd.jpg

core not far from pic. hard to take pic over fence.
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9156/0000523ca7.jpg

core now 1 floor above campbell st. (behind truck)
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5201/0000622lb7.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4219/0000647eh7.jpg

basement floors are now at street level and core is 2 above grd.

just realised im talking to myself
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3991/0000696na5.jpg

just realised im talking to myself


That you are not. Even if we don't respond, we all view and greatly appreciate your countless updates to various projects around town.

Here here!

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5301/image006rc5.jpg

meriton rears its ugly head again.... thanks for the heads up cul

Well, it's reared up a little more...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/MosaicA21Nov2006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/MosaicB21Nov2006.jpg

went past today. very busy bees. counted no less then 7 concrete tucks. big pour happening.

today
looks like facade is going up
sort of a sandstone block.

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/8056/0000787re2.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/3075/0000788xh1.jpg

looks like this one will be built the same way as Rialto. lots of pre-cast concrete panels. fast

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5408/0000816vt9.jpg

today
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/155/0000866sg2.jpg

Yesterday...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/MosaicA11Feb2007.jpg

Now easily visible from the Pitt St side:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/MosaicB11Feb2007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/MosaicC11Feb2007.jpg

Taken last Thursday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P2080175.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P2080176.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/394837570_511319e137_b.jpg

Yesterday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P2220834.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P2220829.jpg

the floor says number 15. must be starting from 8th floor basement

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/404163992_d3eb6f216e_b.jpg

^^ Best angle to capture this one from now on.

Starting to see the "M & P magic" in "Marchese & Partners" arise (the slots on the inner western face).

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/1845/zenithbig8pz.jpg

Looks like they're going for the typical Meriton washed-out colours instead of the darker brown of the render.

I really think the state government need to create some anti-Meriton-clustering laws (similar to those for convenience stores in the city) to stop Meriton building anything within 100m of an existing Meriton building. All that blandness gives me a headache.

Looks like they're going for the typical Meriton washed-out colours instead of the darker brown of the render.The darker shades in the render is just where shadow is cast. But yeah, the tiles could be a few shades down. We thought the initial idea of this tower was to break up that bland gaggle. Instead, it looks like it's adding to it.

I really think the state government need to create some anti-Meriton-clustering laws (similar to those for convenience stores in the city) to stop Meriton building anything within 100m of an existing Meriton building. All that blandness gives me a headache.LOL

BTW I am just perusing Meriton's website for Mosaic and it states that GSA are the architects and not M & P. Can't see anything about it on either practice's website though.

http://www.meriton.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=11210

...

Argggh, the fawn-coloured tiles just look painted. The exposed apartment balconies, dividing walls and floorplates are getting an undercoat. They will just be painted white esp. on the Pitt St side, as in the render.

Apart from the glass feature flanking the southern wall on the 11 floors towards the top, this tower I feel will reek of blandness....fawn and white! :ohno:

up up and away
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7161/0001131sf6.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/171/434597642_8cbbf39001_b.jpg

Very slender orange metallic bars have been placed across the windows on the 4-level Campbell Street podium.

On the Pitt Street side, a few of the balcony dividers are also being painted orange. Don't know if it's an undercoat or the final paintwork. The render just shows them all as white. Time will tell.

The walls are "flat" without the cool Mosaic effect of the render and it's name sake... what a waste.... more pre-cast concrete blandness...

It's coming along nicely. Good cladding :) It's now visible from the suburban platforms from Central. I will be watching each day from now on. :)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/456154915_87e21d486b_b.jpg

I got up close and personal yesterday....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P4131261.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P4131259.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P4131260.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/469430082_18a0b2a2c6.jpg?v=0

It's going up so quick!

Were the other apartment blocks behind Mosaic built by Meriton as well?

If so, the area can be named Meriton Square and can compliment World Square. I know they're not surrounded by the same 4 streets but they're in close proximity. Maybe Meriton Way?

Yes, the other 3 towers were built by Meriton.

By the looks of CULWULLA's last pic post, seems they are starting to leave the space for the upper 11-storey middle glass feature on the inner-most southern wall - the wall directly behind The Chamberlain Hotel on the corner and the space I mean has a cage extending above it.

yes, turning out like render
http://www.archiform3d.com/portfolios-architectural-renderings-video-website/06-mosaic-3d-renderings/3d-renderings/01-mosaic-3d-rendering-640.jpg

that sky in the render is false, it won't be there from that view and gives the impression that this will stand out but it won't be that prominent against the rest. the render itself is looking quite accurate.

...except the stonework in the renders has more of a brownish tinge, whereas in actuality, the stone tiles have more of a pinkish hue.

mcmeriton way

i think we all know the sky wont be there. i was talking about the render of the bldg. s basically what we are getting. This wouldnt be too bad a skyscraper if it was standing by itself, but unfortunately its shares boundaries and is just part of a block with 100m towers surrounding it.

15 + 2
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/474175075_789fd0bf84_b.jpg

i was bored. not much to take pix of these days.
reduced to taking pix of 90m meriton stuff.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/227/480885970_ab9eb00ebf_b.jpg

All quiet on the western front eh?
This one doesnt look too bad for concrete panels. I was expecting some complete horror.

^^ You mean on the "southern front" as it's in the southern end of Sydney's CBD. However along with this building, the already under construction in the southern end are the 150m Aspect Tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=438945), the almost completed 53m ATO Centre @ World Square (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=atocentre-sydney-australia) & the Approved 130m 403 Pitt Street (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=153253), amongst a couple more Approved & Proposed...

...so it's not completely quiet ATM in this part of town.

i was walking around this area on the weekend. does anyone know if there's plans to develop the carpark across the road fron this site? it seems prime and would have great park views looking up towards central. and what about the carpark opposite Market City and the UTS library, any plans for that one?

^thats the site for the 15storey park central
http://img52.photobucket.com/albums/v158/culwulla/parkccentral.jpg

Stanisic Associates site (http://www.stanisic.com.au/) -
http://www.stanisic.com.au/images/live%2Bwork/parkcentral/main/parkcentral_01.jpg http://www.stanisic.com.au/images/live%2Bwork/parkcentral/main/parkcentral_02.jpg http://www.stanisic.com.au/images/live%2Bwork/parkcentral/main/parkcentral_03.jpg http://www.stanisic.com.au/images/live%2Bwork/parkcentral/main/parkcentral_04.jpg http://www.stanisic.com.au/images/live%2Bwork/parkcentral/main/parkcentral_05.jpg

thanks cul ! i see from the website that it's all been postponed so may or may not happen in current form. i would have thought that more than 15 storeys would have been allowed in that spot due to taller buildings all around it so i'm guessing sun access to the park might be an issue. any ideas on the sight (carpark) opposite the uts library near market city, it's got an old heritage facade on one corner being held up by braces??

this will eventually go ahead. its built to the max sun plane.
the site you mention near UTS has a 50m max height.

i thought that was the case with the sun plane. i don't get why the uts site can only be 50m, that's ridiculous considering the height of the market city scraper. it's right next to the old rail line and abc and near uts tower so why not much more than 50m? there's no park or anything nearby that i can think of.

Lance, I think from posts in previous threads, the marketcity tower was built on land under the juristiction of Darling Habour Authority and not Sydney Council who opposed the tower there. Sydney council has lower building height regulations for that area. Personally I think that area should go higher too. If my theory is incorrect I'm sure someone will point it out.

cheers bert. i'm all for sun access planes if they are really ligit and will truely make a difference on the ground but that site near uts library, as far as i can see and imo, could go very tall indeed. there doesn't seem to be anything around it to stop it from going tall, it seems like the perfect spot unless someone can point out otherwise. maybe that's why it is being held onto in it's current state as a carpark, holding out for an inevitable increase fingers crossed.

yes market city was under darling Harbour Authority. the 50m height limit on the UTS site you asked about isnt a sun plane limit but purely for asthetics. 50m or 12st is deemed big enough for Haymarket.

considering that "the peak" above market city is 168m (sydneys 17th tallest according to emporis) i reckon it's only a matter of time before haymarket goes higher than 50m, especially once the CUB site is developed. i see a row of scrapers going out to cub even if it's just a thin strip and slightly scattered along the route so as to not disturb ultimo and chippendale too much (only their broadway fringes would be impacted, and maybe along the trainline to redfern). besides edh, the cbd is running out of options so the pressure will force it out somewhere and that's a natural and obvious direction that would expand the length of the cbd skyscraper row.

there is some sensitive areas in Haymarket which will stay 30-50m high but i reckon in future some areas near BBway will be 100m+

I imagine that Sydney Council is attmpting to manage growth of skyscrapers in such a way that taller ones will develop on the periphery of the CBD later on rather now. Perhaps once all the current CBD locations are complete, some may say that is near.

18floors + 2in core

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/500365300_d7dfa7bd4d_b.jpg

this thing is flying up. already 90% painted
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/510388002_83712c9b51_b.jpg

^^ That is definitely the best vantage point to take pics of Mosaic's construction.

It is now up to floor 19, so they are building 1 floor per week. With another 7 floors to go, it should take 7 weeks to a month to top out floor-wise if all goes accordingly.

I would say it will reach high enough to cover the blank wall underneath the 4 very small windows on the southern face of the Regis Towers Pitt Tower (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=pitttower-sydney-australia), which this well enough shows: Mosaic Render (http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=339952)

Cheers CULWULLA :okay:

^actually muse, the full height of mosaicy reaches half a metre below 2nd south facing window. previous DA covered those 2 windows but court ruling by those units owners won, so now there not looking at a brick wall but a rooftop. they still wont see belmore park or much else.

yesterday
19floors + 3=22. only 5 rises to go.
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5903/0001424ajp6.jpg

I've been away quite a while now, and this building sure is going up.

Off topic to this UC thread, this is one image for a competition entry for this site (didn't get shortlisted, they opt for the current design, which I think is crap compared to this one). The architect has put this image in their website so I guess it is ok. The screen is metal mesh with oversize graphic.

Architect : Tony Caro

Image:
http://www.3designarchitect.com/bigimage/bigimage4765.jpg

Architect : Tony Caro

Image:
http://www.3designarchitect.com/bigimage/bigimage4765.jpg

Shades of Sean Goodsell in Caro's design. If only, eh? If only...

Would have completely drawn the eye away from the Meriton blandness/sameness in that area, and lifted it immensely. I just hope Meriton have something in store for this building that we haven't seen yet.

From Tony Caro's Website:

Residential Project, 420 Pitt Street Sydney 2004

An envelope had been pre-defined for this invited competition entry scheme. The setting for the tower over a commercial base is of existing high rise residential buildings, with relatively poor outlook and orientation to the south and west. The scheme was conceived with two primary intentions. Firstly to make a well designed plan of apartments that maximised amenity within the very constricted footprint. No external living spaces are proposed because of lack of sun and high exposure to wind. Instead a series of sliding and bi-fold panels on the building edge create the feel of a verandah to the living spaces when conditions are benign.

The tower form was conceived as an articulated sculptural form, purposefully avoiding conventional fenestration by proposing a thin sheath of bi-folding or fixed aluminium panels perforated with a "super-graphic" based upon an image of giant bamboo. We felt that this would resonate subtly with the towers' Chinatown setting, the image of an over-scaled street lantern and perhaps the traditional scaffolding methods still occasionally used in Chinese construction.

The building skin is intended to be constantly changing as shutters are moved and lighting animates the facade in the evening.

How could you refuse that?!

^^^^

That is fucking sexy!!!!

Can't beleive they didn't consider it.

Maybe the design was too interesting for the area because of "heritage" reasons; much like the proposed colours of the approved "Park Central" across the road. When will the council learn that surrounding heritage buildings with blandness detracts from their value?

I wonder how many other boring buildings have won design competitions that included interesting buildings? The council should release the entries in each design competition once it has been decided. There's no need for the public to have a say in who wins, but we should certainly be able to heap scorn upon the judges when they make a choice like this.

^ agreed! what a pity, it was a very interesting design that would have broken up that plainness somewhat.

I like this design and I agree that there should be some form of transparancy in the design competition process. What's the point of the 'design competition' if the 'best design' doesn't win?

However is it me or do only a few apartments get windows?

No, it's as Tony P wrote, it's very Sean Goodsell. Screens cover the outside with the windows behind. I assume the occasional 'open window' is indicating where the screen has been slid back.
Knockout design.

may29
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1237/527296458_0ff0fabb65_b.jpg

There's an angle of the city we don't see much on here - thanks, Cul. I don't care too much for Mosaic, but it's doing a nice job of blocking that awful peach wall!

thanks. that great wall of mckell looks awefull.

Caro's proposal is even better than this one. The units take full advantage of the views south over the park and down to Central .

A few from last week

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Sydney%20City/Construction/P5311712.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Sydney%20City/Construction/P5311714.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Sydney%20City/Construction/P5311713.jpg

found good spot in belmore park to take world square talls club. aspect and mosaic
20floors +3in core
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1191/532674606_24d741c5ec_b.jpg

Thanks for the pics Fabian & CULWULLA.

thanks. that great wall of mckell looks awefull.McKell needs a makeover real bad.

the current floor plates are now lev20 (26 above base). so 4 more floors until first of the setbacks.
see render>
http://www.archiform3d.com/portfolios-architectural-renderings-video-website/06-mosaic-3d-renderings/3d-renderings/01-mosaic-3d-rendering-640.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1191/532674606_24d741c5ec_b.jpg

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q237/AussieDude11/city020.jpg

fast!

Agreed. Havnt checked this one for a while. Instant skyscraper.

just add water.

looks like they did. I stopped looking becuase this one seemed to be slower than all hell, now its huge.
Love the picture below. I remember pre the year 2000 there was nothing of note there.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1191/532674606_24d741c5ec_b.jpg[/QUOTE]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/543358822_6687dd5848_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1334/563196321_52e1b133d0_b.jpg

Yesterday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P6231913.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P6231911.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P6231910.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P6231916.jpg

I never thought i say this, but it doesn't look that bad. In the pics it actually looks like good quality materials are used.

yeah its ok, if you compare to meritons blocks 10 years earlier which are either side of Mosaic, then there is an improvement.

it sad they went for washed out, what ever colour that is, rather then the brown. and even more of a pity culwulla's kidney did not get built.

its an ok building though

^yeah the opted for the cheaper straight angled l shape instead of some costy curves which would have made the development standout instead of blend in with other shit either side.
today
2 more core rises to go.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1240/618275840_aeb7e1f95e_b.jpg

Mmmm, it's so beige it's not funny. I wish they would add some splashes of colour to it, jazz it up a bit. But overall, I concur with the sentiment... not as bad as I thought.

I notice the panels facing south on Mosaic complement Sir Roden Cutler House across on the next block, when it rains that is and Sydney has had its fair share of a deluge of rain for a few weeks now.

This has to be a bonus ;)

....

BTW Since CULWULLA posted his last pic of Mosaic's construction on June 25, it has indeed grown another floorplate-wise (I passed the site only yesterday). A lot more glass windows have also been instored on the middle south-facing section.

the 24th floor has been reached, so now the 3 levels of setbacks and shes done.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1088/774638504_62cc6ee354_b.jpg

view from Goulburn street
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1255/774638470_5fa67dc180_b.jpg

core box being removed . 2nd highest floor being built.
should be all done in August.lol

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/947071440_5023415a28_b.jpg

So the bastardisation of Sydney continues - thanks of course to Meriton!

Have to admit though that its not as bad as what's behind it!

^i look at it like this,
at least its covering up the craptacular regis towers behind.

tis true.

Why couldn't it have a mosaic of colours on its concrete panels? THus the name Mosaic! Would've been nice and colourful. Is there a planning law against being unduly colourful?

Would've been nice and colourful. Is there a planning law against being unduly colourful?

The proposed development proposed for the car park across the road from Mosaic (Park Central?) had a number of bright colours involved, but the council's approval included the condition that the colours be toned down to be more in tune with the heritage surrounds.

I have no idea what heritage items they were referring to, but I should think that adding yet another bland building to the area would do nothing but take away from any supposed heritage value. I think the council sees heritage buildings in black and white pictures and then thinks there was no colour back then!

Of course there is one other reason there's no colour involved in Mosaic - it's being built by Meriton!

Colour is great in the immediate term but is the first thing to 'age' a design. Not to say a splash of colour is great but often bright funky colours age poorly.

I don't know how many of you have seen it in the flesh, but it's looking poor IMO. The colour of the panels is really dull and the glasswork is looking cheap, akin to aluminium-framed pivotal windows on a 60s or 70s red brick block of flats. I thought Council requested that it differ from the 3 others to break up the monotiny. Instead it just adds to it.

In fairness, it does look like a solid enough structure with a generous amount of concrete poured for the floorplates & walls.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1037/1057779026_455f9941fe_b.jpg

today
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1047/1376161217_15e0bde46a_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1189/1376154035_4482ed9b1f_b.jpg

So, um, anyone want to join me in demolishing every Meriton building on that block? Being Meriton buildings, I shouldn't think it will take much work to knock them down and, as a bonus, the resulting pile of rubble will look similar to what we see now, but with a far more interesting form.

Don't mind this one. The others around it are just horrid.

Oh my gawd it looks horrid! The design looks at least 20 years old.

Well atleast it adds more density.

atleast they could have gave it another colour (eg red,blue,yellow,pink) any of these would be suffice, but no, they have to chose a beigey colour again. should have been curtain wall glass like a deep green aka-allied bank plaza in houston. just something to make it different from adjacent flats instead blending in to create a clusterfuk.
http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/Images/US/TX/IAH/WellsFargoBankPlaza-001.jpg

Meriton takes the cheapest option every time. It's a real gift the way they can make everything they do look shoddy, even when the building looks OK from a distance, eg, Meriton Tower, World Tower, up close, jerry built rules. The 'merit' in the name is clearly a sadistic joke. It ought to be renamed Shonkiton.

Yeah, this tower is 'orrible. As i say ad nauseum, Council told Meriton to break up the monotiny there, and I'm sure as the approval process went along, Shonkiton kept downgrading it little by little so Coucnil just ended up saying every time, "meh OK, fine". The initial renders look far superior, now it's just a junk heap. Multiple-dwelling housing projects on mainland China are superior to this IMO.

after gorgeous Mosaic is completed, the dig M moves onto next project which is 200m up the road at 8-12 Campbell st. cant wait this baby. .not

how are they allowed to keep getting away with this. it's obvious to even the layman that they are ruining sydney with their cheap bland same shit. they made the render look like something totally new but it's the same yet again. there's got to be shoddy deals going on, how can this keep happening. they should be banned!!!

Yesterday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P9211609.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P9211610.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P9211607.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Fabian/Construction/P9211606.jpg

^^ Great pics Fabian, especially the last 2 which are rarely seen perspectives construction pics on Pitt St of Mosaic in this thread :okay:

Not the most attractive of buildings is it?

I want every building on that block demolished. :)

Me too. The CBD's worst skyscrapers are all found in that block.

that block has half a dozen residential towers that will be part of Sydney for ever. they are all strata titled. so you have to convince the hundreds of residents to move out.never going to happen.

Very odd, your local council puts so many conditions on height, form, blah blah, even for small, unnoticable buildings, so why are they letting the larger ones through in their current forms?
Look on the bright side though Sydney has so many buildings, you probably cant see them till you get up close. Which other Oz city can boast its crap buildings are not so easy to see?

i still reckon there's shady deals that go on between meriton and whoever approves their developments, there must be, we can't have that many dull people around can we?

deleted

that block has half a dozen residential towers that will be part of Sydney for ever. they are all strata titled. so you have to convince the hundreds of residents to move out.never going to happen.

Yeah, but they've all been built so shoddily that they'll start falling down in a few years.

deleted

Not that I know of.

everyone knows how they take shortcuts, that's enough to assume they will fall down.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2017/1721572720_90571ad6a3_b.jpg

The glass is so good. :)

deleted