What problem was the St Marys IPO created to solve?
The brief challenged the conventions of temporary infrastructure. The goal was to provide a high-quality workplace for a major rail programme while avoiding the waste typically associated with short-term facilities. From the outset, the IPO was designed to be fully disassembled and reassembled, enabling reuse across five lifecycles within a projected 50-year lifespan.
Temporary infrastructure does not need to be disposable.
How did the structural concept enable circularity?
Circularity was embedded in the structural strategy. A hybrid system of bolted structural steel and cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels allows mechanical assembly and clean disassembly. Early coordination with the builder and subcontractors aligned building grids with standard steel stock lengths, saving approximately 10 tonnes of steel and reducing embodied carbon by 33.5 tCO₂-e.
What enabled the rapid construction programme?
Prefabrication and integration were decisive. The superstructure was erected in just 25 working days. A prefabricated lift core—installed in four hours—acted as a structural spine, improving safety, simplifying sequencing, and accelerating delivery without compromising quality.
How did the project perform from a sustainability perspective?
At cradle-to-gate, the IPO recorded a carbon footprint of 563 tCO₂-e. Its real impact emerges over time: reuse across five lifecycles is projected to save 2,534 tCO₂-e. Beyond carbon metrics, the building delivers superior daylight, ventilation, and thermal comfort compared with typical demountables, supporting occupant wellbeing and productivity.
What does the IPO demonstrate for future infrastructure projects?
The project shows that temporary assets can be conceived as long-term resources. With steel-led systems, prefabrication, and a clear reuse strategy, infrastructure teams can deliver adaptable, low-carbon solutions that remain valuable well beyond a single project.
What does the Excellence In Sustainability Award mean to the team?
The recognition validates a collaborative approach centred on shared outcomes between client, designer, and builder. It reinforces the role of circular, steel-based solutions in delivering efficient, future-ready infrastructure.
The award confirms that circular steel solutions are both practical and impactful.
Project snapshot
The St Marys IPO is a four-level, 200-workstation commercial office supporting the rail connection between St Marys Station and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The building has been engineered with disassembly as the main project requirements which has been achieved through hybrid steel-timber construction, prefabrication, and design for reuse, it sets a new standard for sustainable temporary infrastructure.
Project Metrics
- Construction Value: $16M AUD
- Year Completed: 2023
- Sectors: Commercial, Rail
- Architect(s): Place Studio
- RBG Services: Construction Engineering, Structural Engineering, Virtual Design & Construction