Transforming an office building for new uses

McKell Building Refurbishment

The McKell Building in the Sydney central business district was a government building—not something originally designed to accommodate acoustically-isolated rooms. When Public Works NSW set out to complete a commercial fit-out encompassing building service and acoustic engineering, they brought in our team to design.

The project involved multidisciplinary services including acoustics, electrical, fire protection, hydraulics, and mechanical. The internal fit out covered commercial office space on levels 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 23. Two of the key challenges of the project were acoustic isolation between rooms and modifications to mechanical ventilation systems that were not originally designed to support multiple meeting rooms or enclosed spaces around the floor plate area. The solution required bespoke mechanical solutions, acoustic modeling, and acoustic testing on site.

With these redesigns, the McKell Building and its owners have greater flexibility when offering space for tenants.