The building was first conceived in 1961,[2] and its final design by Harry Seidler & Associates was in 1964 after collaboration with structural engineer Pier Luigi Nervi.

The finished tower is 50 storeys tall with most of these available for commercial tenants, a total of 40,900 square metres (440,000 sq ft).

[13] The Plaza Building was devised to be completed and generate rental income while the round tower was being constructed.

Alongside the Tower Building sits a large abstract steel sculpture by Alexander Calder.

The tower ground floor lobby had tapestries by Le Corbusier and Victor Vasarely on display; however, due to fading, those pieces were removed and replaced in 2003 with a mural by Sol LeWitt.

[20] The former Lendlease executive floor in the tower also had many artworks specified by Harry Seidler: the reception area displayed a sculpture by Norman Carlberg and tapestries by John Olsen and Le Corbusier, the executive floor suites also had a tapestry by Miro and artwork by Alexander Calder.

[4] There are numerous entrances to the retail precincts in the lower ground level of the Tower, which include a post office and food outlets.

The retail target is the office worker on a lunch break, and the open-plan design and ease of access have been styled accordingly.

In 1976, the south building of the AMP Centre was opened at 188 metres (617 ft), although having only 45 storeys and no public observation deck.