The Castle: Mixed Use Sydney Tower by Candalepas Associates.

Candalepas Associates have unveiled The Castle, a strikingly simple architectural form added to the Sydney skyline. The building feels decidedly contemporary yet composed of elements that acknowledge the local character of the surrounding area. Located in the heart of the city, the 37-storey, mixed-use tower is home to residential, hotel and retail space.

Sitting atop a podium, the new build sensitively cantilevers over the 142-year-old, heritage-listed Porter House. Arches and apses make up the podium’s façade—a uniform and simple expression that creates a mesmerising new texture from afar and on ground level, reflecting a sense of craftsmanship that stems from the site’s history.

In contrast, the tower is defined by vertical proportions, providing a memorable juxtaposition between the old and the new. Repetitive in nature, the building is a singular compositional expression that provides depth from street level.

On one side of the podium is an art installation designed in collaboration with artist Maria Fernanda Cardoso. Inspired by the natural movement of water, the artwork is the largest public piece by an Australian artist in the Sydney CBD, spanning the podium’s 11 levels.

Up top is a roof garden, occupying five levels of stepped gardens, framed with curved concrete elements. The cascading greenery forms a soft top, distinguishing the building from its flat-roofed counterparts.

The Porter House, alongside other key landmarks nearby, like St Georges Church, The Workers Club, the old Telstra Exchange and Lincoln House had a clear influence on the design, as the tower balances a contextual presence with a sense of being of its time.

Thoma House in Sydney by Candalepas Associates.

Designed by Candalepas Associates, Thoma House in Dover Heights has prime position overlooking Bondi beach. Naturally finished, durable materials such as brick, concrete, and timber ensure Thoma House is built to last, low maintenance...

[Images courtesy of Candalepas Associates. Photography by Rory Gardiner.]