39 Martin Place, Sydney

For Alexander Hespe, sustainable design consultant at Arup, the project was a lesson in managing complexity on multiple fronts. “39 Martin Place is possibly one of the most complex buildings that I have been involved in,” he says. “There were lots of constraints imposed upon the design being built over a working subway system. The structure of the building has to do all kinds of gymnastics to create the space that is being utilised.”

The corners of the building posed unique structural and facade challenges, requiring careful engineering to balance the dual-orientation facades.

Hespe explains, “Because of the geometry of the building, at the corners we have to deal with effectively double the amount of facade load, because you’ve got an east-facing facade and a north-facing facade attached to one piece of floor plate. The facade performance in these areas is really important to get right.”

Sustainability guided the design from the start, with the building fully powered by renewable energy and achieving a 6‑star Green Star rating.

Peter Skinner, director of Shade Factor, describes how the tower’s form responds to its historic context while creating a modern office environment. “The south tower consists of a podium and a more transparent office tower above, which is set back from the street. Providing a deck on level nine, the podium aligns with the scale of the heritage buildings in Martin Place to provide continuity and preserve the scale of the streetscape.”

This careful proportioning allows the building to feel integrated within Martin Place at street level while the upper floors enjoy light, openness and city views.

Selecting Sun Shading

Sun shading was a critical part of the design strategy, balancing occupant comfort, energy efficiency and daylight access. Skinner outlines the approach: “The blind system in the south tower is a roller blind system with a very highly reflective fabric in order to manage the solar loads on the facade.

The fabric is a light filtering fabric to introduce daylight into the spaces when the blinds are down. The blinds are powered by super quiet motors to provide a harmonious and quiet working space for the tenants.”

The system is fully automated, reacting intelligently to the sun’s movement and the shadows cast by surrounding buildings.

“The control system is a Warema KNX control system, which is the international standard for building automation,” says Skinner. “The control system geolocates the building and follows the path of the sun through the day, retracting the blinds when the facade is no longer sun exposed.

“It also includes a 3D model that retracts the blinds when they fall into the shadow of the adjoining buildings. It measures the sun intensity at any moment in time, lowering the blinds in increments to shade the work space from direct sun but still allowing daylight into the spaces.”

By integrating shading into the architecture, Shade Factor created a system that is both functional and subtle, providing comfortable, well-lit spaces while remaining almost invisible when retracted.

Reflecting on the project as a whole, Skinner concludes, “The whole Martin Place metro development is a very complex project and we are delighted to be part of the team that has delivered this iconic project.”

Through careful design, material selection and responsive automation, 39 Martin Place demonstrates how sun shading can enhance both occupant comfort and building performance, all while respecting a historic civic setting.