The $40 million internal restoration of Sydney’s iconic Town Hall by Tanner Architects, and builders Kell & Rigby has won a National Trust Heritage Award.
The project saw one of Sydney’s most loved buildings closed for 23 months while the lower level - built on the site of a former colonial Sydney burial ground - was carefully excavated by archaeologists.
Huge steel beams were used to support the floor of Centennial Hall above and a new mechanical plant and archival storage were created in the basement. Hundreds of solar panels were installed on the roof, along with climate-controlled air-conditioning, fire sprinklers and energy-efficient lighting.
The works were all conducted following extensive historical research.
“This was the biggest restoration project the City of Sydney has ever undertaken and the first comprehensive overhaul of services inside our most iconic building since the 1930s,” Mayor Clover Moore MP said.
“Cutting edge technology and sustainable materials of the highest quality were seamlessly integrated in the building allowing us to bring Sydney Town Hall into the modern era while retaining its historic charm.”
The National Trust Heritage Award for Conservation: Energy Management recognises internal improvements which helped bring the fragile historic building into the 21st century, including:
240 state-of-the-art solar panels incorporating the latest technology from the University of NSW installed on the roof of Sydney Town Hall which will help reduce the City's environmental footprint. The panels are the largest photovoltaic installation in the Sydney CBD and will produce 48 kilowatts of power at their peak
1700 new energy efficient lights installed along with an energy efficient lighting system which includes smart sensors to detect unused areas within the building and switch lights off
A more sustainable climate control system designed specifically for Sydney Town Hall which is more energy efficient and will use up to 30 per cent less power
New hydraulics and storm water infrastructure throughout the building will help reduce water use by between 15 to 20 per cent
Repair and replacement of damaged historic Welsh slate roof tiles from the original source in Wales and new roof insulation which will help retain heat in winter and cool the building during hot weather
“The Town Hall project was an extraordinary challenge - temporarily supporting the nineteenth century building while excavating a major basement below to house essential plant machinery and the City Council’s art and artefact collection,” said Howard Tanner from Tanner Architects.
“In parallel with the introduction of modern fire safety, air conditioning and electrical services and the discreet installation of photo-voltaic cells on the roof for power generation, a major achievement was the conversion of the Lower Town Hall into an attractive multi-purpose facility” said George Phillips, of Tanner Architects.
