Australia Post in the USA, andrequired specific design integrationinto the building.

The office building uses innovativebut cost effective design solutions tocreate an attractive workingenvironment for the administrativeand operating staff. Maximum glazingto all facades of the office buildingwas preferred, but a curtain wallsystem was prohibitively expensive.Allen Jack + Cottier developed asolution utilising an 'off the shelf'shop window system, separated ateach level by a cantilevered floor slaband horizontal light shelves. Thesehorizontal projections, together withautomatically controlled externalblinds, provide sun protection but alsomaximise natural daylight to all partsof the office by reflecting light deep

into the building. This reduces the air-conditioning and artificial lightingloads.

Linking the office and the processarea is a twelve metre high atriumspace that provides circulation to allservice and work areas.

Allen Jack + Cottier

newsletter 02 january 2000

aj+c team: Peter Stronach, GeoffBonus, Stephen Black, KathlynLoseby, Rod Simpson, Nic Bailey,Paul Blair, Tom Dash, KieranMcInerny, Sue Melosu, MargieRahmann, Michael Rogers, HenrySmith, Tony Spragg, IsabelThompson, Henry Young

The Strathfield Letter Facility washanded over to Australia Post on 31stMay 1999 and was operating at fullcapacity well before the Christmaspeak.

Initially employed by Australia Post,Allen Jack + Cottier were laternovated to the successful tenderer,Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd.

This adaptive re-use of a warehousedoubled its size to accommodate a40,000 m2 “mail process area”, with800 undercover parking spacesbelow. In addition a new officebuilding provided administration andsupport facilities.

The “mail process area” containsstate of the art mail processingequipment, major components ofwhich were specially developed for

� � ��

architecture & interior designthe strathfield letter facility

winner - master builders award - industrial building >$15million

news02.qxd 4/19/01 4:45 PM Page 1

2 - the office floorsExecutive offices on floors have beenreduced to the minimum and aresituated around the building's centralcore, with the required internalmeeting rooms. This has opened upexternal space between offices andexternal windows for general staffworkstations, maximising the numberof staff with direct access to daylightand city views. The offices themselvesdo not miss out as they are glassfronted. The open planning reflects theASX flat management style and thebalance of daylight and views for allstaff is a direct expression of itsegalitarian approach.

The office levels have a very similarformat from floor to floor. A largebreak-out space is situated in thecorner of each floor, very similar to acafé, providing a place for staff torelax, away from their desk, with agreater level of amenity than anordinary tea room.

Six floors are interconnected by twointernal staircases allowing ease ofaccess for staff moving betweendifferent departments. All facilitiessuch as copiers and faxes are in thesame area within each level so thatstaff can move freely between floorsand know where and how to accessequipment quickly and efficiently.

Standardisation was a key designelement with management benefits.This included the decisions for twobasic colour schemes to alternatebetween floors and for standardisedworkplace design on all levels. Thissimplifies relocation of staff betweenfloors as it reduces the need to re-configure work areas.

The high level use of the latestsophisticated technology also requiredcareful consideration as some deskshave more than four monitors. Ease ofcabling was essential to accommodatethese needs and this was achievedwith access floors throughout.

In October 1996 the Australian StockExchange decided to de-mutualiseand list as a public performance-driven company, a move that wouldsee the end of 'live' market tradingand the Exchange become one of themost computerised in the world.

Soon after this decision, AJ+C wereengaged to review ASX'saccommodation needs and to assesswhether the Exchange's current BondStreet premises could meet thedemands of the future.

the "stay or go" decisionTypically, leases for commercial officespace run for around 10 years. Withrentals of $500 to $650 per m2, thisquickly translates into a $50m to$100m commitment, which is 10 to20 times the capital cost of the fitout.To help determine the optimal rentaland lease structures, ASX engagedproperty consultants who invitedinitial commercial offers to testmarket availability.

AJ+C's task was to concentrate onthe quality and quantity of spacerequired. Architectural and technicalneeds analyses, and fitout costingswere carried out in order to assessthe eleven properties included in theinitial commercial offers, whichincluded their current premises, otherexisting buildings and proposals fornew buildings.

benchmarkingThe nature of ASX's operationimposed exceptional demands. Thenew premises needed to be in theright location, present an appropriatecorporate image, accommodate

existing staff with flexibility forgrowth, provide a large public spacefor a giant electronic trading board, a300 seat auditorium as well asproviding building services with theexceptionally high reliability of99.9999%.

AJ+C prepared a benchmarkingdocument covering all of thearchitectural and technicalrequirements, together withappropriate measurement criteria.This document enabled us to evaluateand rank the buildings underconsideration on a consistent basis.This proved such a valuable tool that itwas later included as part of the'agreement to lease' documentationfor the construction of 20 BridgeStreet, to ensure the new buildingmet the required standards.

organisational changeAJ+C conducted extensive in depthinterviews with key personnel as wellas senior management to establishASX's future needs. The principlesdistilled from this process resulted ina very different planning strategy forASX. The major changes were:

1- the meeting floorThe rationalisation of public meetingroom facilities onto one level createda higher utilisation rate. Greaterorganisational flexibility was alsocreated through the centralisation ofthese rooms, allowing for the additionor subtraction of levels in future asrequired without these facilitieshaving to be moved.

High security has been achievedthrough this planning arrangement;

the public do not have entry into thegeneral office areas of the ASX,allowing back office functions to beconducted in privacy. All other floorshave minimal meeting rooms to caterfor internal departmentalrequirements.

As might be expected, the ASX isutilising state of the art technologicalequipment throughout. Theboardroom contains full audio-visualfacilities, and a dedicated videoconference room enables links toother States, and other State StockExchanges.

The meeting floor is also the eventhub of the ASX with two dedicateddining rooms, which may be usedtogether with the reception area formajor functions or separately forprivate dinners. Associated centralservices include a fully equippedkitchen.

completionASX relocated to their new premises28 months after the project wasinitiated, the trading boardcommencing operation in its newBridge Street home at the end ofSeptember. ASX now have facilitiesthat fully support their ongoingbusiness objectives.

The “Aperture” facilitiesmanagement program, introduced byAJ+C to allow the management of therelocation from Bond to Bridge Street,will assist in the management ofcurrent and future needs by providingASX with the ability to implementinternal charge backs, and to trackasset and space usage.

the australian stock exchange

aj+c team: Glynn Evans, BernardRowe, Richard Terry, Tim Waldock,Nic Bailey, Cameron Donald, PeterKeleman, Louisa Kolega, VaughnLane, Berit Lode, Chris Loton,Marco Luci, Warwick Mann, BobMcGrath, Dilip Patel, RobynPengelly, Isabel Thompson, KirstenWheeler

interior design & facility management

news02.qxd 4/19/01 4:45 PM Page 2

Alexandra Canal

Stanhope Gardens is a new suburb inSydney's North West and will containapproximately 2,000 dwellings on a189 Ha site. The site, owned byLandcom, is gently undulating, withgood views from the ridges, andcontains areas of regional open spacebased on the Caddies Creektributaries.

In 1995 Landcom decided that theoriginal subdivision approval for thesite did not conform with their ownevolving concern for better urbanoutcomes, and initiated a competitivedesign tender to revise the relevantLEP and DCP for the site. The tenderwas won by Allen Jack + Cottier inassociation with Peter Annand &Associates.

The principles highlighted in thewinning plan were:

• a strong response to the sitefeatures;

• integration with the context;• the creation of a loose grid system

connecting a series of specialplaces;

• the orientation of the blocks foroptimum solar access; and

• building/design guidelines.

In adopting these principles the plangoes beyond the “TraditionalNeighbourhood Design” beingpromoted in the USA by recognisinglocal climatic and market conditions.

The process of remaking themasterplan for Stanhope Gardensrequired resolving the intricate web ofvarying interests and took nearly twoyears. A “Stanhope Gardens ……. abetter suburb” document wasprepared in slide and written form, tocommunicate to professionals and laypeople the principles of the plan. Thisdocument was a key step in making

the project happen; its most effectivetool was contrasting images ofconventional suburban practice withexamples of better practice oldersuburbs, or, where possible, fromrecent developments.

The draft LEP and DCP were adoptedby Blacktown Council in September1999.

In November 'Stanhope Gardens'won the 1999 Royal AustralianPlanning Institute Urban DesignAward for Excellence in Plan Making.

The project demonstrates Landcomscommitment to leading the way insuburban design.

aj+c team: Rod Simpson, TanyaVincent

Stanhope Gardens

aj+c team: Rod Simpson,Janet Chappell

Rod Simpson led the Allen Jack +Cottier team (and Hughes TruemanReinhold, Knox & Partners, PerrensConsultants, Ingham Planning andBrian Elton & Associates) who werethe winners in the Alexandra CanalUrban Design Ideas Competition, heldby the South Sydney DevelopmentCorporation, to generate innovativeideas that could be used as a basis forthe preparation of a Master Plan forthe Canal and its environs.

One of eight finalists, our team wasselected by the Judging Panel for thefollowing reasons:

• Landscape was integratedthroughout the scheme;

• The landuse planning wasappropriate and extended theexisting direction for the area;

• Large scale, high impact and 'do-able' the implementation didn'trequire large amounts of publicfunding;

• Focus on changing the perceptionsof the Canal and a strong peoplefocus;

• Short, medium and long-termapproaches to significant sites suchas the Shea's Creek Woolshedsand the relocation of the archivesbuilding were realistic andinnovative;

• The implementation of a number ofurban planning and designapproaches could be achieved viaimmediate and incrementalprojects, including thedemonstration projects.

Work on the Alexandra Canal MasterPlan is now underway.

Congratulations particularly to JanetChappell (AJ+C) and Paul Knox, whobraved the murky waters in a rowboat.

And No, we have not made a spellingmistake! Although it 'starts' inAlexandria, it is the Alexandra Canal,one of three major canals proposedlast century by the Chief Engineers ofthe Public Works Department to'extend' the Cooks River.Alexandra was intended to linkBotany Bay with the EveleighRail Yards. Other links wereplanned to Sydney Harbour - theHawthorne Canal was partlyconstructed at Dobroyd Point, butnever linked to the River, and athird canal was to link with theAbattoirs at Homebush Bay.Barges on these "inland waterroutes ….. would afford cheapconveyance of goods fromthe bay and river to theships side in SydneyHarbour and thewharves". Grandvisions - but progresscaught up with thisidea and in 1948 theCooks River itselfwas obliteratedand replaced by aman-made canal!

planning & urban design environmental & urban design

1999 RAPI Award for Excellence in Urban Design Competition Winner

news02.qxd 4/19/01 4:45 PM Page 3

� � ��������������� ���

Bill Clements

David Stefanovic Richard Terry

Russell Parker

newsinbrief

Barclay Mowlem have won the construction contract for Stage 1 of 'The Hudson'residential development in Waterloo on the edge of the Green Square precinct.Australia's largest urban renewal project and just 250 metres from Green Square Station- the first station south of Central on the new Airport Link Railway Line. This Allen Jack+ Cottier project created much discussion in '99 when it achieved record 'off the plan'sales, when first released, with 200 of its 273 apartments sold prior to tender.

The Hudson will be built in two construction phases over a 15 month period.

The Residential 2(b) rezoning of the Darling Point property, Babworth House.Babworth House, built as the home of Sir Samuel Hordern, is one of the

largest finest and most intact examples of an early twentieth century grandhouse in Australia. Together with its garden, much of which is also intact, it

is of national significance both historically and aesthetically. The propertyhas been owned since the late 1950's by the Trustees of St Vincent's

Hospital, and was previously zoned Special Uses 5 (Hospital).

AJ+C were the Architectural Consultants involved in the rezoning processwhich involved lengthy community consultation and the preparation of a

Development Control Plan for the site.

AJ+C designed two buildings for Lend Lease as part of the recently opened Fox StudioComplex. The first was the all new “Arthouse” Paris Cinema building with four cinemas,two floors of office space and ground floor retail. The second building was theredevelopment of the old Exhibition House to create a space for the Fox + Lion pub.In neither case were the interior fitouts by AJ+C.

Moore Park Gardens was selected by the Property Council as one of the eighttop projects in its 'Design Dividend' research report - an Australia wide study

that set out to investigate the link between good urban design and goodfinancial returns. At MPG it found an "extraordinary sense of neighbourhood

that has been orchestrated by a confident hand in urban design", with prices thaton average "have risen at an annual ten percent since completion, outstripping

the rest of the market".

At the 1999 RAIA Awards, Allen Jack + Cottier and the MPG developer DealrubyPty Ltd received the President's Award, in recognition of the importance of the

relationship between developer and architect in the successful realisation oflarge scale projects. On presenting the award, the President, David Brown, said

"Moore Park Gardens appears to have obtained the ultimate developer'saccolade - it has made a profit, and the ultimate architect's accolade - other

architects live there!"

congratulationsTo four new Allen Jack + CottierAssociates, Bill Clements, RussellParker, David Stefanovic and RichardTerry.

Bill worked with AJ+C from 1984 to1986, rejoining the office in 1993 withextensive experience of working onaged and health care projects. He hasdeveloped this expertise at AJ+C, inparticular with aged/dementia care,together with residential and interiorsprojects.

Russell specialized in architecturalcomputer applications in Perth beforespending eight years working inEurope, Asia and North America on avariety of different projects. Sincejoining AJ+C in 1993 he has workedon many major residential projectsincluding Moore Park Gardens andThe Hudson.

jeff hokinJeff Hokin workedwith John Allenand Russell Jackin 1963 when hewas one of twoemployees. After

many years in Europe he returned toAllen Jack + Cottier in 1978 and formany years ran the Allen Jack +Cottier Canberra office. Jeff left AllenJack + Cottier at the end of '99 tocommence private practice. Jeff hasformed close associations with manypeople in the industry and we knowthey and all at Allen Jack + Cottierwish him well.

geoff baileyWhilst Jeff Hokin left after a longsojourn, Geoff Bailey left after arecord short period, having joinedAllen Jack + Cottier in December1998. Geoff was 'head hunted' tobecome the Executive Director of theSydney Harbour Federation Trust,which is responsible for majorCommonwealth sites around theHarbour such as Cockatoo Island,Woolwich Dock, Middle Head andGeorges Heights.

This important position represents agreat opportunity for Geoff and whilstwe did not like to see him go, wehave to admit Sydney has an excellentman in a key position and theCommonwealth Public Service maynever be the same again!

Jeff Hokin

stop pressAllen Jack + Cottier have won alimited competition for the GoldenDoor Resort Retreat, a $14 millionhealth retreat adjacent to the CoxRichardson designed Cypress LakesDevelopment at Pokolbin in theHunter Valley.

For those partial to a little pampering,we'll give you a sneak preview in thenext newsletter.

newsletterAfter a 'once only' effort last yearthere will be three newsletters in2000 - we promise!

Future issues, Olympic Dining, OurLady of Fatima Church Caringbah,White City and the Golden DoorResort Retreat.

newsinbriefnewsinbrief

under construction

mpg again

approved

open for business

59 Buckingham Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia acn 003 782 250tel 02 9311 8222 fax 02 9311 8200 email ajcarch@ajcarch.com.au website http://www.ajcarch.com.auAArrcchhiitteeccttuurree UUrrbbaann DDeessiiggnn IInntteerriioorrss HHeerriittaaggee FFaacciilliittyy MMaannaaggeemmeennttdirectors Keith E Cottier Glynn N Evans Reginald J Smith Peter N Stronachassociate directors Stephen Black Michael Heenan Peter Ireland Bernard J Rowe John Suprun Roderick Simpsonsenior associates Colin Janes Andrew Parkerassociates William Clements Sean Dean Kathlyn Loseby Mark Louw Russell Parker David Stefanovic Richard Terry Tim Waldock

David worked for six years in Europeand then in Sydney on varied projectsincluding universities, community andsports facilities. He joined AJ+C in1996, spending a year in our KualaLumpur office working on tworesidential towers. Back in Sydney hehas specialized in residential projects,in particular The Hudson.

Richard joined AJ+C in 1996 with over15 years experience in urban design,residential, commercial, interiors andhotel design. Recent work includesspace and facilities planning incombination with interior fitouts forthe likes of the ASX.

news02.qxd 4/19/01 4:45 PM Page 4