42 Honeysuckle Drive | Bates Smart

A nine-storey hotel overlooking Cottage Creek and an eight-level commercial office building fronting Honeysuckle Drive, forms a new landmark on Newcastle’s north-west waterfront activating the public domain and strengthening connections between the waterfront and the emerging commercial precinct. 

The commercial building utilises cross-laminated timber floors with glulam beams and columns, providing flexible floorplates, generous daylight, and expansive views toward the Newcastle CBD. At street level, the podium features large picture windows that create a human-scaled interface, while the tower above is defined by a full-height curtain wall with horizontal sunshades and vertical fins. The hotel façade expresses the rhythm of its guestroom modules, contributing to a cohesive yet varied architectural composition across the precinct. 

The façade design prioritises passive thermal performance. North-facing façades and horizontal overhangs admit winter sun and block summer heat; east and west elevations reduce solar gain and glare with vertical fins; and, double glazing in thermally broken aluminium frames minimise thermal bridging. Operable windows support cross-ventilation and passive cooling, complemented by thermal mass in polished concrete floors and masonry walls. Together, these strategies reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling and enhance occupant comfort.