Architect & Design Magazine Article on Harbour Mill

The Harbour Mill design will have interlinked atriums to create a sense of 'theatre'. The facade will have large sliding panels to draw in the industrial heritage, displays of historic photographs and storyboards, and public art. Wow!

This report is taken from Architect and Design Magazine, April 2012

http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/industry-news/grimshaw-architects-concept-adapts-historic-flour

New life is expected to be breathed into a famous old Flour Mill at Pyrmont as the City of Sydney nears a decision on a Development Application to build upon the façade remains a new apartment building.

After the Edwin Davey Flour Mill at Pyrmont reached its 100 years of service in 1996 it ceased production and fell into disrepair. Today only a portion of the facade remains, in the once thriving industrial era. 


Developer Ceerose staged a design competition and said they invited some of the city’s top architects. According to the developer, international firm Grimshaw Architects won the competition with a unique solution that pays tribute to the mill’s heritage whilst being underpinned by principles of humane, enduring and sustainable design.


An integral feature of the design is restoring the remnant facade, and integrating it with the new structure. 

The overall design comprises two interconnected buildings – a four-storey structure which sits within the heritage facade, and a 10-storey structure which ‘steps up and over’ it. 

The buildings are configured around a series of interlinked and interlocked atriums and voids that provide light, air and an uplifting sense of ‘theatre’. A central atrium will focus natural light into the heart of the building – an important shift away from the usual artificially-lit corridors and lobbies. 


“We approached this design with a simple goal – to create a building that is conceived first and foremost for its residents and which provides a sense of address and community,” said Simon Fleet of Grimshaw Architects. 


“We have retained the mill’s industrial character and inserted a series of generous and contemporary apartments that will be defined by the quality of their space.” 


Balconies on some of the 136 apartments will sit behind the remaining walls, giving occupants a sense of history as they look out through the heritage windows to the north, east to the city and west across Wentworth Park. Subtle references to the mill’s history are interwoven into the new building would include the 19th Century styling of the new bracing struts to reinforce the existing façade.


The facade of the new structure will be built from large sliding panels which reference the vernacular warehouse and industrial heritage of the area, and which offer excellent environmental performance.


They will pay further tribute to the mill’s history by displaying photos and storyboards, and by integrating public art into our heritage interpretation strategy.

Ceerose is also proposing substantial public domain improvements that connect Jones Street to the Wentworth Park Light Rail Station adjacent to the site. 

This will reinstate access between Ultimo and Pyrmont that was severed with the construction of the Western Distributor. 


Preserving as much of the mill’s history as possible is a priority for the developer Ceerose, which recently acquired the 3,100sqm site. Company founder Edward Doueihi has a connection to the flour mill dating back to when he was a child. His father ran a bakery in Cowper Street, Granville, and he’d often take Edward to the mill to collect supplies.


“I’ve been emotionally attached to the mill since my childhood,” said Doueihi. “Unfortunately most of it has been torn down, but now that I own the site I plan to build something that reflects the mill’s proud history and my fond memories.”