Belingbak and ICD Property Launch Design Excellence Competition Inviting Five Australian Architects to Present Their Vision for 372 Pitt Street

ICD Property and Belingbak are extremely excited to announce they have officially commenced the design excellence competition for their redevelopment of 372 – 382A Pitt Street (372 Pitt), inviting five teams consisting of Australia’s most renowned architects to submit their future vision for the site and their chance to be formally appointed as project architect.

Competing in the process is Woods Bagot, Neeson Murcutt & Neille partnered with Bates Smart, Kerry Hill Architects partnered with Crone, Fitzpatrick & Partners partnered with Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, and fjmt studio – who will each design and present their unique interpretation for the future CBD tower before a jury of independent judges in January 2023, who will decide the ultimate winner.

This next milestone closely follows the project’s Concept Development Approval issued in mid-September, when the Central Sydney Planning Committee approved plans for the existing low-rise commercial building located in Sydney’s CBD tech-precinct to be transformed into a 58-storey tower comprising a 297-room hotel, circa 30 luxury residences, and a scattering of retail, entertainment, food and public art offerings.

ICD Property and Belingbak hope the competitive design process will fuel inspiration and uncover the highest and best design outcome for the aspirational tower. “We’ve intentionally selected five distinctly remarkable architecture teams to participate in 372 Pitt’s design competition, endeavoring to arrive at five very unique possibilities for the site,” ICD Property’s CEO Matt Khoo commented.

Speaking to why no international architects were invited to compete, Khoo said “It was extremely important to us to utilise local talent for this process. With the tower set to become a future landmark in Sydney’s urban fabric, we wanted it to be a reflection of the city’s inimitable charm, history, and people. It’s a very rare opportunity to be part of a skyline-defining tower in one of the world’s most famous cities. The personal touch each local architect we selected could bring to this process felt necessary to do justice to our vision of a tower that will hopefully one day join the ranks of its neighbouring iconic landmarks,” Khoo continued.

One of the key components of the brief sent to each architecture team that ICD Property and Belingbak are keen to see, is a celebration of the current building typology, activated street frontage and diversity of offering.

“It is our civil duty as custodians to celebrate the historic items that the site provides for. The patina and character that these buildings offer is priceless. The celebration of these elements will in turn provide for a captivating, inviting street frontage with an array of uses. Our vision for a vertical integrated tower will come to life as the new tower form takes shape, “said Belingbak’s founding Director, Jack Montgomery.

372 Pitt Street’s design competition officially commenced in November 2022 with partners ICD Property and Belingbak aiming to announce a winner in January 2023.

For more please read:

Sydney Morning Herald

Urban.com

Australian Financial Review