Jewel in the Crown: Is this Sydney’s most beautiful apartment?

Crown Residences of One Barangaroo is a project that’s drawing comparison to London’s One Hyde Park and New York’s One57 luxury apartment blocks. Located on the harbour foreshore of Sydney’s Barangaroo, the 275-metre tall building will be part resort, part high-end residential block when construction is completed in 2021.

Having never strayed from the hotel scene before, One Barangaroo marks a new opportunity for Crown Resorts to bring the impeccable hospitality that its customers know and love to the branded residential space.

Todd Nisbet, Crown Resorts’ Executive Vice President, Strategy and Development, told The CEO Magazine there was definitely demand for this high-end housing option. "It’s an offering that hasn’t been in Sydney before," he commented.

"This is where people will want to be in the future. When you think about the whole conversation of downsizing, it’s to free that one commodity that really becomes more precious as you get older – and that’s time. So, if you can get more free time back into your life, that’s kind of a perishable asset.

"The ability to have things taken care of for you, to tap into all of the hospitality services and have them at your disposal, to be able to shut the door and go away for three or four months to visit your grandkids or children and know that all of your assets in the building are going to be looked after – that offers great piece of mind. People are resonating with that story."

A residential offering that suits the lifestyles of Sydney’s HNWIs

With a Knight Frank report revealing that Sydney’s number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals is set to increase by 70% over the next 10 years, it’s no surprise that interest in purchasing a slice of One Barangaroo is quickly gathering momentum. As of May 2018 – with a few years still left of the build – around 25% of the 82 residences had been spoken for.

Australian businessman James Packer was the very first buyer – snapping up a residential duplex soon after it became available for a reported A$60 million.

"He’s a big supporter of the project – it’s personal to him," Todd said, referring to the fact that Packer was a former director of Crown Resorts before stepping down earlier this year. "He’s incredibly proud of it. I think his purchase of the residence is a testament that he’s confident in the ability for us to deliver something that’s truly special."

Creating the perfect lifestyle for One Barangaroo residents

To ensure One Barangaroo was on par, and even surpassing, other luxury residential concepts around the world, Todd noted that ample research was required.

"We’ve tried to really do a ‘best in breed’ approach. Fortunately, I think a lot of the buyers have recognised that. They’re people who travel and can make purchases anywhere in the world. The fact they’ve chosen to buy a residence with us is a testament to all of the due diligence and hard work that we’ve put into hiring the right design team, making sure that we positioned these apartments in the right way (to make the most of the water views), and ensuring all of the hospitality touchpoints could be woven into the experience."

When asked how it compares to the likes of its famous counterparts One Hyde Park and One57, Todd said confidently: "If we do our job, I think we slide in right on the top.

"That’s our aspiration – we want to create one of the best hotels in the world. It’s been our mantra from day one and we’re getting up every day to try and deliver it."

The design details you need to know about

• The sleek, twisting form of One Barangaroo was designed by architecture firm WilkinsonEyre. "We felt the design they came up with was truly iconic and represented a sculptural form that we thought resonated quite well with the skyline – standing out but still kind of fitting in," Todd said.
• The bespoke interiors were designed by the fresh-thinking team at Meyer Davis. Features include natural stone floors and surfaces, parquet timber flooring, luxury wool carpet, textured bronze glass, leather touches, and top-of-the-range appliances.
• St Legere is responsible for the landscape architecture. "They have done some really incredible resorts," Todd noted. "One of them being Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali, which has been a great expression of how to create a really special landscape environment that incorporates the local foliage and fauna."