Our Sydney architecture team recently stepped out of the studio and on-site for the afternoon to visit two of our most celebrated projects: Moxy Sydney Airport Hotel and Rosebery Engine Yards.
These visits celebrate our collective achievements. Dan Michel says, “The day showcased our collaborative spirit — talented people across disciplines working seamlessly toward a shared vision. And this is what Group GSA is all about: shared purpose, creativity, and great teamwork leading to excellence. Our culture of shared authorship runs through everything we do. This multidisciplinary, collective mindset translates across every sector, shaping stronger outcomes for their diversity of thought and reinforcing our company’s values and culture. This energy makes you proud to be part of the team.”
Thank you to Moxy Sydney Airport for hosting the group and Luke Romandi and Brian Graham for their leadership across Moxy and Rosebery Engine Yards, respectively.
And naturally, a visit to Messina at Rosebery Engine Yards was essential!
The tour reaffirmed what drives GroupGSA: collaboration, curiosity, and continual learning. By exploring the lived experience of our designs, the team strengthens the connection between concept and reality, ensuring that each future project continues to challenge convention, engage the community and celebrate design excellence.
1. Moxy Sydney Airport: grit meets play
Defying expectations of the conventional airport hotel, Moxy Sydney Airport repositions the typology through bold design and urban connection. Commissioned by RF Corval Hotels in partnership with KS Hotels and Resorts, the project brings Marriott International’s youthful Moxy brand to Sydney with character and energy.
The design draws from Mascot’s industrial heritage, blending raw materials with contemporary art and playful storytelling. A robust four-storey podium anchors the 13-storey structure, its elongated façade engaging directly with Baxter Road. The open-plan ground floor and mezzanine activate the street with co-working zones, dining, and curated retail — transforming what was once a transient space into a lively community hub.
Sustainability underpins the project, from passive ventilation and natural lighting to locally sourced materials and green infrastructure. Moxy is both a hospitality destination and a neighbourhood landmark, celebrating Sydney’s creative edge.
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2. Rosebery Engine Yards: industrial heritage reawakened
Just four kilometres south of the CBD, Rosebery Engine Yards breathes new life into a historic manufacturing site for client Goodman. Once home to Buzacott & Co. and Westinghouse, the 1.9-hectare precinct has been re-imagined as a mixed-use environment for retail, workplace, and community engagement.
We retained the site’s defining industrial DNA — brick façades, sawtooth roofs, and steel trusses — and paired them with new steel glazing, raw partitions, and restrained finishes. This approach respects the original fabric while introducing flexibility and daylight.
The precinct’s sustainability targets were ambitious, achieving 5 Star Green Star and NABERS ratings — a rare feat for heritage adaptation. Reusing more than 20,000 salvaged bricks, solar energy systems, and passive cooling strategies ensures environmental and economic longevity. Tenants such as Zimmermann, Camilla & Marc, and Lune Croissanterie attest to the precinct’s enduring appeal.
A cultural smoking ceremony, delivered in partnership with the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, marked the project’s completion — symbolising the site’s new chapter grounded in respect for Country and community.
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Alister leads the Living Environments team as a Principal in Architecture and Urban Design. His passion for design and leadership throughout Australia and the UK underpin his unique design approach, demonstrated by his extensive architectural and urban planning portfolio of complex, successful, and innovative projects, many of which are award-winning.