M Central
living multi°
M Central is an inner-city loft-style apartment complex located in Pyrmont, Sydney and features an expansive rooftop landscape, retrofitted to the heritage-listed former wool store. The project was commissioned by Hayson Group, with architecture by Marchese + Partners & Dale Jones Evans. Completed in 2005, M Central has become an international benchmark, including for the City of Sydney’s Green Roof Design Resource Manual.
Size: 3,000m2
Budget: $1,200,000
Scope: Concept Design, Development Application, Detail Documentation, Construction
M Central has been recognised with the following awards;
2007 AILA NSW Commendation
The rooftop visually connects with the verdant district landscape beyond
1. Floating decks, green screens and crushed concrete (above left)
2. A playful garden of recycled terracotta roof tiles and crushed concrete salvaged from the demolition works (below left)
3. Interplay of recycled concrete and timber decking (above right)
View from the neighbouring Goldsborough Mort apartments
An unexpected rooftop experience
The grasses are interspersed with intimate spaces for residents
You forget that you’re living in the city.
- Resident, Kyle Jenkins
1. Heritage elements are respected and celebrated by the landscape (above)
2. Timber bridges span residential light wells (above right)
3. The reflection pond provides passive cooling and water for bird life (below right)
Concept Plan
Initial Concept perspective
Scale model of roof garden
Sun lounges on deck offer quiet retreat for residents
A water wall passively cools the shaded arbour
A running rill connects the water wall to a reflection pond
1. Dragon tree on an elevated lawn (above left)
2. Timber paths float through native grasses (below left)
3. Daybed benches are located within intimate lawn gardens (right)
Aerial view
A resident sunbathing
It’s an island in the sky.
- Australian Geographic
NSW State Award Citation
M Central is a 3000m2 rooftop parkland created for the mixed use redevelopment of a heritage listed woolstore in Pyrmont, Sydney. Formerly a concrete car park, it is now a communal recreation space, a true island in the sky.
The design employs a floating deck path through expansive grasslands which provide access to a variety of recreation spaces. The success of the design is endorsed by the fact that images of the rooftop garden figure prominently in M Central’s ongoing advertising campaign.
The Jury were impressed with the strong composition, use of recycled mulches and the technical response to weight loading on an existing structure. This project has achieved a number of successes, most notably by showcasing the potential that rooftops, with good design, have in providing meaningful communal landscapes.
360º and the Hayson Group are to be commended for revealing the potential of this heritage building rooftop.
