Barangaroo House, a free-standing, three-storey restaurant, has become one of the first projects in Sydney to utilise Accoya wood cladding, the world-leading high performance, sustainable wood product, and the distinctive Japanese charring technique, Shou Sugi Ban. Situated in the heart of Barangaroo, a dynamic commercial and residential urban renewal project on the edge of Sydney Harbour, Barangaroo House opened in December 2017 and is the latest venture by one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs, Matt Moran.
The Barangaroo project has sustainability at its heart. With a commitment to becoming the first global precinct that is carbon neutral, the 22-hectare historically significant harbourside site is concerned with creating zero waste emissions, being ‘water wise’ and contributing to the overall well-being of the community. As a result, the internationally recognised mission celebrates design excellence, natural beauty, world-class eco-living and its aboriginal history to preserve the project for future generations.
Inspired by the potential of creating a building in the round, the unique split level restaurant was designed by architects, Collins and Turner, taking on a remarkable organic form clad in charred Accoya. Supplied by leading timber experts, Britton Timbers, 45mm of Dowelled Accoya and 45mm of Half Dowelled Accoya were laminated into a series of predetermined radii with a Shou Sugi Ban (medium char) finish applied to create a striking charcoal appearance.
To further enhance the project, a layer of “Anthractite” a WOCA coating from Denmark was applied to compliment the overall design aesthetic. Due to Accoya’s superior dimensional stability, this coating will last twice as long in comparison to typical timbers, and will need minimal maintenance. The Accoya wood cladding was then screw fixed to specially made aluminium anodised brackets to ensure the dowels were evenly spaced throughout the stable structure.
Located on a prominent water front site, Accoya was the ideal choice for this stunning project thanks to its exceptional durability, reliability and stability properties. With a guarantee of 50 years above ground, Accoya wood can withstand the harshest of external environments while resisting distortion and warping over its lifetime.
