Following the submission of a proposal for an addition created by FJMT, the City of Sydney has approved a development application for a podium extension of an existing office tower in Sydney's CBD.

The vision for the existing modernist tower – fronting Elizabeth, Park and Castlereagh streets in the city centre and opposite Hyde Park – is to transform it into an updated mixed-use structure with more activated street engagement.

The new Sydney Metro Pitt Street Station, scheduled to open in 2024, is one of several nearby transportation hubs. In order to maximise access to natural light and the eastern views of the Harbour, the project will expand the building to the north.

“The proposal aims to extend the life of the existing tower with a new added podium that introduces a contemporary interpretation of the existing tower architecture, and that upgrades the tower lobby and courtyard to bring it up to date with the latest standards,” FJMT said in the development application.

An additional 8,600 square metres of office space, a landscaped roof terrace, and a revitalised ground floor with 900 additional square metres of new retail space will all be included in the extension.

According to developer Charter Hall, the supported development application will allow for the "reinvigoration" and "enahncement" of the 1978 structure, including the reinstatement of an 11-story podium and the adaptive re-use of the existing tower.

The new podium will feature new sustainability targets, with a facade incorporating solar photovoltaic panels for onsite power generation. The development will target a 5-star Green Star rating; 5-star NABERS Energy rating; a 4-star NABERS Water rating; and Gold WELL Certification.

The project will be among the first to commit to the City of Sydney's 2023 25 percent energy reduction targets, according to the developer.

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