Quay Quarter Tower as a Global Benchmark for Sustainable Redevelopment

Finalist project at The Earthshot Prize (2025) | Industry Insights

by Alexandra Faciu

Montréal, Canada

As organizations across sectors confront the realities of climate risk, resource constraints, and shifting stakeholder expectations, the built environment has emerged as a critical arena for meaningful decarbonization. In this context, Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Australia represents one of the most significant case studies in sustainable redevelopment globally. Its recognition in late 2025 as a finalist for The Earthshot Prize, in the “Build a Waste‑Free World” category, reinforces its status as a pioneering model for circular design and adaptive reuse at scale. The original entry is included for readers who are interested in the rationale behind the prize’s selection of this project Quay Quarter Tower, the world’s first fully upcycled skyscraper, shows how retrofitting high-rise towers can replace demolition, cut waste and carbon and offer a blueprint for sustainable urban growth.

Although the redevelopment was completed in 2022, the project remains the focus of international attention for its innovative approach to extending the life of an ageing high‑rise asset, as exemplified by its selection in this prestigious competition. Rather than pursuing the conventional path of demolition and new construction, AMP Capital and its design and engineering partners adopted a strategy centred on retaining and repurposing the existing structure. This decision was not only environmentally responsible, but also commercially strategic, enabling the creation of a premium‑grade commercial tower while significantly reducing embodied carbon.

The project retained 65% of the original floorplates and structure, along with 98% of the structural walls and core. This approach avoided approximately 12,000 tons of embodied carbon and positioned Quay Quarter Tower as a global example of circular economy principles applied to commercial real estate. The decision to reuse rather than rebuild also accelerated delivery timelines, reduced material waste, and mitigated the financial and environmental risks associated with large‑scale demolition.

Architecturally, the tower’s transformation was led by Danish firm 3XN in partnership with BVN, marking the most significant Danish‑designed project in Sydney since the Opera House. The design strategy involved cutting away the northern third of the original AMP Centre and expanding the floorplates to create five stacked, rotating volumes. This geometry optimizes views, reduces overshadowing, and enhances tenant experience while maintaining structural continuity between old and new.

From an engineering perspective, the project introduced several world‑first innovations, most notably the retrofit of double‑deck lifts into an existing commercial tower. This solution freed up nine lift shafts and unlocked 120 square metres of additional usable space per floor, enabling the tower to nearly double its net lettable area with only a modest increase in core size. The integration of hydronic mechanical systems, advanced fire engineering, and centralized plant services further improved operational efficiency and occupant comfort.

The façade design also contributes to the tower’s performance, with high‑performance glazing and precisely angled sunshades reducing heat gain by an estimated 30%. Internally, a digital technology platform supports energy‑efficient HVAC operations and provides tenants with seamless access, wayfinding, and workplace management tools.

Quay Quarter Tower has achieved a 6 Star Green Star rating, a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy rating, a 4 Star NABERS Water rating, and WELL Platinum certification. For business leaders, the project demonstrates that sustainable redevelopment is not only feasible but commercially advantageous, offering a blueprint for future‑ready assets that meet environmental targets while delivering premium tenant experiences. For more technical details, the case study from Arup, which was the façade and MEP engineer for the project, is also included: Quay Quarter Tower’s Sustainable Building Design Saves Embodied Carbon. Additionally, the article Upcycling the highrise: Quay Quarter Tower was also consulted.

The office building is currently more than 99% leased and the main tenants are AMP, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Deloitte, EQT, Johnson Winter Slattery.

Quay Quarter Tower demonstrates that sustainable redevelopment is not only achievable but can be commercially compelling. By proving that high‑rise upcycling can deliver premium performance, strong tenant demand, and major carbon savings, it sets a new benchmark for future‑ready real estate and offers a scalable model for low‑carbon urban transformation.

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