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Office Buildings and the Signature Architect: Piano and Foster in Sydney

Author

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  • Donald McNeill

    (Department of Geography, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, England)

Abstract

In this paper I examine the growing trend in commercial office development of the use of globally operative ‘signature’ architects, famed design leaders who are sought out and contracted to provide design products in cities far from their head office. The engagement of two leading international design firms—Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Foster and Partners—by Australian developers for new Sydney office towers (Aurora Place and 126 Phillip Street, respectively) is analyzed in detail. I identify three areas where the design of office buildings is seen to make a commercial difference: in lubricating the planning-approval process in sensitive urban contexts; in adding value to the building through reconciling urban context and architectural form with commercial development rationalities; and in selling the interior space of the building to prospective commercial tenants.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald McNeill, 2007. "Office Buildings and the Signature Architect: Piano and Foster in Sydney," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(2), pages 487-501, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:39:y:2007:i:2:p:487-501
    DOI: 10.1068/a3720
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew Wood, 2004. "The Scalar Transformation of the U.S. Commercial Property-Development Industry: A Cautionary Note on the Limits of Globalization," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 80(2), pages 119-140, April.
    2. Donald Mcneill, 2005. "In Search of the Global Architect: the Case of Norman Foster (and Partners)," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 501-515, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Hu, 2015. "Sustainable Development Strategy for the Global City: A Case Study of Sydney," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Richard Baxter, 2017. "The High-Rise Home: Verticality as Practice in London," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 334-352, March.
    3. Tom Baker & Kristian Ruming, 2015. "Making ‘Global Sydney’: Spatial Imaginaries, Worlding and Strategic Plans," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 62-78, January.
    4. Monika Grubbauer, 2014. "Architecture, Economic Imaginaries and Urban Politics: The Office Tower as Socially Classifying Device," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 336-359, January.
    5. James R. Faulconbridge, 2009. "The Regulation of Design in Global Architecture Firms: Embedding and Emplacing Buildings," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(12), pages 2537-2554, November.
    6. Gabriel Ahlfeldt & Wolfgang Maennig, 2010. "Stadium Architecture and Urban Development from the Perspective of Urban Economics," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 629-646, September.
    7. Julie Cidell, 2014. "Mapping the Green Building Industry: How Local are Architects and General Contractors?," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(1), pages 79-90, February.
    8. Franz Fuerst & Patrick McAllister & Claudia B Murray, 2011. "Designer Buildings: Estimating the Economic Value of ‘Signature’ Architecture," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(1), pages 166-184, January.
    9. Luca Ruggiero, 2011. "Neoliberal Urban Policies And Archistar System: Landscape Regeneration Or Production Of Alien Scenarios?," ERSA conference papers ersa10p1207, European Regional Science Association.

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