How Architectus lead the design behind TWT Property's NewLife Darling Harbour project

NewLife Darling Harbour realises the potential of an extraordinary site in an urban setting.

Five of Australia’s leading architectural firms were invited to compete for the project with Architectus winning the competition for their innovative, sympathetic and eye-catching design.

As one of Australia’s largest architectural practices, Architectus brings a wealth of international experience to their multi-award-winning projects.

Renowned international artist Hang Xia was selected to activate a new laneway at the NewLife Darling Harbour development. With a new artwork titled Memory Tree, Xia transforms and becomes the heart of the laneway. Intricately designed and kinetically-lit, the eight metre-high ‘tree’ is inspired by Xia's childhood love of early animations like the Transformers series.

Poised over the Darling Harbour precinct and nestled amongst the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, UTS and the ABC studios, NewLife Darling Harbour sits on the ridge of a peninsular that extends from Broadway north to Pyrmont Point.

This elevated position offers views to the CBD, major bridges and the harbour while inventive architecture weaves distinctive living and leisure zones into the fabric of the building.

NewLife Darling Harbour’s central city location is also nearby to Sydney’s major educational, cultural and commercial hub, making it ideal for innovative live-work-play environments.

Architectus focused their design to involve a contemporary interpretation of the site’s semi-industrial history, along with a welcoming open-air courtyard and laneway links.

NewLife Darling Harbour’s principal architect, Brendan Randles, lead the team that drove the innovative and artful city development.

“The building’s eye-catching, multi-layered form creates an outstanding place to live, to experience, and to glimpse from its many surrounding environments,” he said.

Organised around a lush central landscaped courtyard, the design softens and humanises the building’s ground level edges with flexible retail spaces, high-quality landscapes, sympathetic terrace-style living and podium apartments above.

Apartments are complemented by landscaped roof terraces and communal facilities like barbecue spaces and a veggie garden, all designed to capitalise on the building’s extraordinary outlooks and location.

Located at 495 Harris Street, the multi-layered building steps down from nine-storeys along Harris Street to six levels facing Bulwara Lane, providing 200 apartments, with a range of single-storey one, two and three-bedroom apartments, two-level terrace apartments and penthouses.