Sydney’s One Central Park, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel and PTW Architects is certainly one of this year’s most visually arresting buildings, but it’s equally stunning in function. Recently, it was honored as Best Tall Building Worldwide of 2014 by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which recognizes “projects that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall buildings and the urban environment, and that achieve sustainability at the highest and broadest level.” We chose three words that define One Central Park’s groundbreaking design.
Reticulate \ri-ˈti-kyə-lət (adj)
Resembling a net or network; especially; having veins, fibers, or lines crossing. The immediately eye-catching swaths of green wall that intersect and sprawl across the building’s exterior, courtesy of botanist Patrick Blanc, form a series of reticulate gardens made up of 250 Australian plant species.
Heliostat \ˈhē-lē-ə-ˌstat\ (noun)
An instrument consisting of a mirror mounted on an axis moved by clockwork by which a sunbeam is steadily reflected in one direction. Yes, that’s a giant mirror cantilevering over the central gardens of One Central Park, feeding them direct sunlight with mechanical segments that reflect at different angles.
Musical \ˈmyü-zi-kəl\ (adj)
Having the pleasing harmonious qualities of music. The vertical stretches of green wall on One Central Park’s glass façade are arranged at seemingly random intervals. Zoom out, though, and they reveal a pleasant harmony and meter, not unlike the jumps of musical notation—a deliberate evocation by the designers.
Lounge areas high above Sydney offer relaxation amidst lush planting and climbing vines. The two towers comprise 240 individual homes and 383 apartments on top of a five-story shopping center.
