Awards

Shell House is listed on the State Heritage Register (Sydney LEP 2012) and was originally built in 1938 for Shell Corporation. Shell House is one of Sydney’s finest examples of Interwar Commercial Palazzo style architecture representing a scale of CBD built form predating the modern skyscraper era. As a result of Brookfield Properties’ heritage works, Shell House at some 65 metres high now has one of the tallest retained heritage facades in the Southern Hemisphere.

The conservation of Shell House involved the temporary restraint of the façade and suspension of the 400 ton clocktower through construction whilst some 3100 glazed terracotta ‘faience’ blocks were meticulously removed, replicated and reinstated. Conservation works also included the removal, restoration, and reglazing of the original iron framed windows to the ground floor and fire escape stairs.

The conservation of Shell House was a huge and sustained team effort involving significant commitment from Brookfield Properties and Multiplex to achieve a high level of conservation of the building.  GML Heritage initiated the overall scope of works and provided high level conservation advice throughout the project.  Adriel (with TRC) undertook the enormous task of specifying and managing all the specialist conservation works including the faience tiles.  Significant engineering input was also provided by TTW to support the façade and clock tower during construction.

The full consortium of partners are:

Brookfield Properties (Developer)

Multiplex Constructions (Builder)

Make + Architectus (Architects)

Adriel Consultancy (Specialist Facade Consultant)

GML Heritage (Heritage Architects)

ARUP (Façade Engineers)

TTW (Structural Engineers)

Traditional Restoration Company (specialist restoration subcontractor to Multiplex)

Boston Valley Terra Cotta (faience block manufacturer)