Investa’s Barrack Place takes out NSW’s top property prize

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Stephen Mee

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Stephen Mee

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Investa’s Barrack Place, a future-proofed office designed to maximise occupant health and wellbeing, has taken home New South Wales’ top property award.

Investa and Oxford Properties were presented with the Rider Levett Bucknall NSW Development of the Year award today.

Located at 151 Clarence Street, and strategically placed between Martin Place and Sydney’s Western Corridor, Investa’s Barrack Place is an A-grade commercial office tower completed in 2018.

‘Investa has transformed an uninspiring 1960s concrete tower into an exceptional office building that embodies the future of work – innovative, collaborative and connected,’ says the Property Council’s acting NSW Executive Director, Belinda Ngo.

Designed by Architectus, the 23-storey building combines modern design with a heritage feel. Featuring a contemporary glass tower atop a masonry podium façade, its fine grain ground-floor network of laneways creates an active thoroughfare between Clarence and Kent streets.

With abundant natural light and spectacular views across the city, Investa’s Barrack Place boasts a 6 Star Green Star rating for completed construction. It also features Australia’s first WELL Core-and-Shell Gold pre-certification, recognising a building design that contributes to occupant health and wellbeing.

‘RLB was proud to provide commercial certainty on this innovative project. Investa’s Barrack Place incorporates forward-thinking wellness attributes that are increasingly demanded by global corporates to attract and retain top talent,’ says RLB’s Managing Director, Matthew Harris.

‘Among the impressive initiatives are Australia’s first operational smart building digital twin, Bluetooth smart-phone entry, exceptional end-of-trip facilities, advanced air filtration and multiple green spaces.’

The RLB NSW Development of the Year award is part of the 2020 Property Council of Australia / Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards program. RLB has partnered with the Property Council to present the awards program since its inception in 1982.

Eligible projects were judged on strict criteria, had to be complete in the previous five years, and operating for at least one year as at 31 December 2019.

Investa’s Barrack Place is now competing in two categories – for the Colliers International Award for best office development and best sustainable development for a new building – at the national awards, which will be held virtually on Thursday 22 October.

‘Visionary projects like Investa’s Barrack Place underscore the central role of workplaces in creating activity, vibrancy and productivity in our CBDs – which is why we need to get our city centre open and active,’ Ms Ngo concludes.