Aurubis in Australia

A WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL FINALIST IN 2016, THIS APARTMENT BUILDING DESIGNED BY SJB, IN A PROMINENT SYDNEY LOCATION IS DEFINED BY ITS RESTRAINED PALETTE OF QUALITY MATERIALS, INCLUDING NORDIC COPPER FROM AURUBIS.

Commanding expansive views over Sydney Harbour, 10 Wylde Street is a 7-storey contemporary building of 22 apartments set in an urban fabric originating from early colonial grand residences and the first apartment buildings in Australia. The site’s rich heritage demanded an architectural response that was sympathetic while contemporary and innovative: a building sufficiently rigorous to form a permanent, positive addition to the dense and complex urban fabric with high quality materials to suit.

The constraints of the site and architectural intent demanded a high degree of innovation – a process that continued throughout the project. The building was extremely challenging with regard to structure and services. The building envelope was limited, reducing floor-to-floor heights. Bulkheads or lowered ceilings would have impacted on expansive views and the desired clarity of architectural expression.

Nordic Copper Details

The building envelope was defined by the previous building on the site and the resulting sight-lines from adjacent properties. The northern façade elevated above neighbouring buildings is characterised by its transparency and fineness of detailing, with thin metal window framing, slender columns and folded Nordic Standard copper edge details. This open elevation is contained by the elongated roman profile brick masonry forms of the other three facades.

Distinctive copper ‘wings’ to the rear façade enable small triangular balconies to project from the monolithic masonry, screening them from the south and directing views towards the city and harbour. A subtle pattern of perforations in the Nordic Standard copper screens provides solar shading and privacy from adjacent buildings. Nordic Standard copper was selected as a natural, sustainable material that will age gracefully.

Factory Oxidisation & Patination

Nordic Standard is produced by Aurubis, whose other architectural surfaces include Nordic Brown pre-oxidised copper with either light or dark brown oxidisation that otherwise takes time to develop in the environment. Various Nordic Green and Nordic Blue factory-applied patinas have also been developed with properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas all over the world.

All these surfaces form an integral part of the copper and are not coatings or paint.

As well as the solid blue, green or new Turquoise patina colours, ‘Living’ surfaces are available with other intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material. The material is easily bent and formed, and there are no limitations on the length of copper sheet or strip because whole coils are treated on the production line, not just limited size sheets.

Aurubis copper alloys include Nordic Brass – now also available pre-weathered – Nordic Bronze and the innovative Nordic Royal with a long-lasting golden colour. Aurubis is part of the world’s leading integrated copper group and largest copper recycler. For more information email: g.bell@aurubis.com or visit: www.aurubis.com/finland/architectural