A new landmark building in the Sydney CBD will house a major electrical substation with an integrated commercial tower development, after architects Fitzpatrick and Partners won a competition to design the building.

Ausgrid Managing Director George Maltabarow said the partnership between Ausgrid and Investa was an efficient and innovative way to deliver essential infrastructure, commercial space and outstanding architecture for the city. “We wanted this development to be energy efficient and cost efficient,” Maltabarow said. “We’ll achieve both by incorporating a 5-star-green-star rated commercial tower into the design.”

Ausgrid and Investa invited five architects to submit a proposal for the building’s design. Fitzpatrick and Partners won the competition after a selection panel agreed their proposal was an iconic building that would add quality to the streetscape while meeting the unique site requirements. The commercial tower above the substation will be in the form of three cubic volumes, separated horizontally with horizontal offset. The main entrance to the tower will be an open, sky lobby.

“The Sydney CBD has 45 per cent of Sydney’s office space and 38,000 residents. We need a long term approach to our city’s future power needs, including how that infrastructure adds to public amenity.

“The new City East zone substation is part of our CityGrid project which will provide power to the CBD via a ring of underground cable tunnels connected to four new or upgraded substations. “The new substation will replace our existing City East Substation at Woolloomooloo which was built in the early 1960s. The substation has performed well over the years but needs to be replaced by 2017.”

The architects will help prepare the project planning application with the project team. The team is also working with the City of Sydney Council to achieve design excellence.

Ausgrid has received concept approval for the development of the site from the New South Wales Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Project Approval for the demolition of the existing buildings on the site was received in July 2011. The project application for the basement excavation and construction works is expected to be on public exhibition during December and January.