On my trip to Sydney, I knew I had to check out one of the greenest buildings around, One Central Park. The design is a collaboration between star architect Jean Nouvel and famed landscape designer Patric Blanc, who swathed the exterior of two residential towers with greenery.
The building is ambitious in its urban greening efforts, with green areas covering 50% of the facade area and with more than 250 Australian native plant species. Though the planter areas appear to be quite small, the facade is still growing well and I suspect this is due to the natural resilience created by the multiple species used.
One of the most prominent features of the building is the glimmering heliostat, a mirrored cantilever which reflects into the green spaces between the towers. When I visited, the reflections were quite effective at filling the lobby with natural sunlight.
The building is part of a larger development which includes three nondescript towers designed by Foster & Partners.
Images by Jonathan Choe
