Grosvenor Place is one of the most complex and celebrated works by architect Harry Seidler, who conceived it as a civic sculpture and a ‘camera to the view’. Its two crescent towers, split by an elliptical core, function as ‘convex lenses’ focused towards the Sydney Opera House to the east and Darling Harbour to the west.
Built in 1989, Grosvenor Place was heralded on completion for its column-free floor plates and innovative environmental design, including external sun louvres to maximise daylight and minimise air conditioning. Grosvenor Place won Seidler his fifth Sulman Award for Public Architecture from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
In 2021, Melbourne studio DesignOffice transformed the upper and lower lobbies into the Grosvenor Business Lounge. It has a grand sense of scale, is flooded with natural light and features modern design touches. The refurbishment preserves Grosvenor Place’s history while providing a contemporary, collaborative space.
