Barangaroo House
Barangaroo House

Barangaroo House is a freestanding, three-storey hospitality venue anchoring the southwest corner of Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct. Conceived through a design excellence competition for Lendlease and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, the building occupies a pivotal urban location, acting as a gateway from King Street Wharf, Cockle Bay Wharf, and Darling Harbour. The commission was to design a building to accommodate renowned chef Matt Moran and the Solotel Hospitality Group. 

The architectural idea is singular: a circular plan creates a building ‘in the round,’ wrapped on all sides by tiered balconies and charred timber dowels. The facade is formed from steam-bent timber, treated using shou sugi ban, referencing both culinary practice and material longevity. Deep planters surround each floorplate, blurring the sense of an edge. The circularity prioritises movement and waterfront views with the balcony offering continuous circulation and the ground floor opening several connections to the promenade. Interior planning maximises daylight and visual transparency; the curved form encourages approach from all directions, making the venue a point of reference within the precinct. 

The soft organic forms of the building are clad in linear dowells of charred timber, creating a series of flowing textured surfaces that provide a rich contrast to the corporate steel and glass aesthetic of Barangaroo’s commercial high rise buildings.

The building’s technical development was rigorous with complex cantilevered slabs designed around an existing core and bespoke façade systems providing spatial clarity. Sustainability targets were met through detailed analysis of materiality, construction sequence, and operational efficiency.

The building opened in 2017 and has received multiple awards, including the AIA NSW Commercial Architecture Award and a National Commendation for Commercial Architecture. The project exemplifies Collins and Turner’s capacity to deliver high-complexity, contextually responsive architecture that combines sculptural presence, functional sophistication, and enduring urban impact.

At once an occupiable piece of art and a deft resolution of technical challenges, Barangaroo House confidently enriches the public realm of the precinct.

AIA Jury Citation 2018

Details

Client
Lend Lease
Country
Gadigal
Builder
Lend Lease and Onsite Group
Structure
Arcadis
Services
Aurecon
Facade
Aurecon
Urban Design
Aspect + Oculus
Landscape | Facade
Dangbar Barin Smith
Hydraulic
Warren Smith + Partners
Fire
Defire
Certifier
McKenzie Group
Interior
H+E Architects + Etic
Operator
Solotel/Matt Moran
Photographer
Rory Gardiner + Richard Glover + Felix Forest
Model
Make Models

Awards

2019

AHA Hotel of the year

2018

AIA National Commendation for Commercial Architecture
AIA NSW Award for Commercial Architecture
INDE Awards Asia Pacific – Best Social Space
Sydney Design Award – Silver for Commercial Architecture
Surface Travel Awards – Shortlisted
Australia by design – Finalist
Restaurant and Bar Design awards – Shortlisted
Time Out Awards – Best Bar
Australian Timber Awards – Best Facade
Eat Drink Awards – Best Bar Design
Eat Drink Awards – Best Restaurant Design
Dezeen Awards – Longlisted