Wollongong Central

Wollongong Central

Wollongong Central

Inspired by the desire to achieve more than just create a building, the GPT Group’s Wollongong Central is the tale of an urban transformation — the creation of a series of new spaces and activities that integrate the surrounding streets and the city center. The Illawarra region is characterized by a unique dichotomy — the perception of a tough and gritty town defined solely by its history as a steel town, and a rich, almost achingly beautiful landscape held tightly between the rainforest-clad coast and the Pacific Ocean. This friction defined the architecture of the building: a heroic, engineered and precise outer shell reflecting the man-made, which unfolds to an interior space that is warm, organic and sensual, reflecting the natural. 

Fundamentally, this development is about connection to place, to light and to the city. The building connects the northern and southern parts of the city via a soaring five story timber public street, knitting together existing and future parts of the city. The street’s undulating forms evokes an escarpment; the curve appears to open and close, permitting light and shadow to fall. This connection of the built-form outward (rather than the typical inward-looking model) was vital in establishing a cohesive response to the life of the street and the city. 

Wollongong Central
Client
The GPT Group
Location

Wollongong, NSW
Australia

Services

Awards

National Award for Architecture (2015)
Commercial Category
Australian Institute of Architects
Awards for Excellence, Winner (2015)
NSW Regions & ACT Development Category
Urban Development Institute of Australia
New South Wales Architecture Award (2015)
Commercial Architecture Category
Australian Institute of Architects, New South Wales Chapter
Excellence in Construction Awards, Winner (2015)
Best Use of Timber
Master Builders Association of New South Wales
Timber Vision Awards, Shortlisted (2015)
Commercial Exterior Category
Intergrain
New South Wales Architecture Award (2015)
International Association of Lighting Design Award
Australian Institute of Architects, New South Wales Chapter
World Architecture Awards, Shortlisted (2015)
Shopping - Completed Buildings
World Architecture Festival
New South Wales Architecture Award (2015)
Urban Design Category
Australian Institute of Architects, New South Wales Chapter
Excellence in Construction Awards, Winner (2015)
Best Use of Concrete
Master Builders Association of New South Wales
A+ Awards Winner (2015)
People's Choice Category
Architizer
Awards for Excellence, Commendation (2015)
Retail Development Category
Urban Design Institute of Australia
A+ Awards Winner (2015)
Jury Award, Shopping Center Category
Architizer
New South Wales Architecture Award, Commendation (2015)
Colorbond® Award for Steel Architecture
Australian Institute of Architects, New South Wales Chapter
Excellence in Construction Awards, Winner (2015)
Retail Buildings - New Buildings ($50,000,001 & Over)
Master Builders Association of New South Wales