The Lands by Capella will be part of The Sandstone Precinct, which includes the 192-room Capella Sydney that opened in 2023. The Lands by Capella is located across Loftus St from the hotel, while the precinct sits a block back from Circular Quay.
Like Capella Sydney, The Lands by Capella will be resident in a heritage listed building, with the new tenant adapting to fit the building, rather than the other way around.
The refurbishment of the former Department of Lands building to become The Lands by Capella conserves its original architecture and has seen the restoration of elements including arched windows, marble corridors, huge wooden doors and ornate wooden panelling.
“We’ve taken a long-underutilised site and reawakened its original grandeur – honouring the exceptional heritage fabric while sensitively layering in contemporary design that sets it up for another century of life,” said Liz Westgarth, managing director of Hassell, the architecture and design firm which led the adaptive reuse transformation.
The Lands by Capella will comprise 10,000m2 of what it terms “experiential space” – within that will be rooftop dining, retail and a new members club, as well as the dedicated event spaces.
The largest amongst the new event spaces is the Capella Ballroom, which can seat up to 250 for a gala banquet, while a smaller ballroom, the Liberty Ballroom, can seat up to 120. Three smaller Meeting Suites sitting between the two ballrooms can seat 50 to 80 delegates in the largest, while the two smaller rooms can seat 24 each on round tables.
“The Lands by Capella is an expansion of our commitment to crafting unforgettable experiences,” said Capella Sydney’s general manager, Marc von Arnim.
“We are proud to bring this extraordinary building back to life as a beacon for modern luxury, community connection and cultural storytelling in Sydney’s vibrant CBD. It is a brilliant evolution of our hotel and event offering at Capella Sydney.”
The culinary offering of the event spaces will be delivered by Capella Sydney.
The multi-faceted new offering is expected to open in February 2026.
