Circular Quay

This is an article from the Architecture Australia archives and may use outdated formatting

 

 


The plot thickens in Australia’s most intense urban controversy as more developments appear on drawing boards for all sectors of Sydney’s . Here’s an update.

Sydney authorities are still deciding how to enhance Circular Quay in time for the Olympics tourist surge. With various semi-autonomous cooks, there is no clarifying scheme—and the politics of some projects seem confused in comparison with others. Here’s what we believe is happening:

Sydney Opera House
Progressive general manager Tim Jacobs proposes a major modernisation of foyers, entrances, offices, restaurants, and the forecourt and boardwalks. The idea is to brighten “cave-like” spaces, improve access, upgrade sponsor amenities and maximise drink-dine opportunities. This signals some new windows and doors. The National Trust is investigating heritage implications.

East Circular Quay
Public disgust with the height, width and clumsy design of government/council-approved towers along East Circular Quay has not subsided. Jack Mundey, former unionist and chair of the Historic Houses Trust and Save East Circular Quay Committee, has talked of seventies-revival green bans on further development. Lord Mayor Frank Sartor has consulted Hassell’s Ken Maher and Denton Corker Marshall’s Richard Johnson for ideas to tweak the purple-glazed facades of the internationally criticised apartment block illustrated at right. Even its architects don’t seem happy with the way that this design-and-construct project has turned out. It is now said to have been “planned and documented” by Dino Burattini & Associates before going to Peddle Thorp & Walker, who designed “the outside 500mm” and negotiated the consent with close design input from the City of Sydney council. Burattini was novated to builders Multiplex, who won the D&C contract, but he is no longer employed on the project.

(Nor is former project manager Robert Holman.) Despite Burattini’s earlier role (not mentioned in the press), he now advocates pulling down the building and replacing it with gardens, as part of a strategy which would replace the Overseas Passenger Terminal on the west shore with a low-rise five-star hotel, and have a block of units on the east side stepping down to the opera house. This proposal has been supported by the Save East Circular Quay committee, but its patron, Neville Gruzman, says its main position is to demolish the apartment building and transfer the floor space to heighten another tower on one of the other three sites north of the Cahill Expressway. Meanwhile, more apartments are planned for two of those sites—one owned by Mirvac, which is already building, and the other by Colonial Mutual. Following the collapse of Colonial’s Peninsula hotel deal due to continued public opposition, it has returned to already DA-approved drawings for apartments earlier prepared by Burattini. Following his departure, Peddle Thorp might be asked to revise this scheme. As a counterpoint to the general mood, Daily Telegraphcolumnist Miranda Devine—who seems as informed by the Labor government as The Sydney Morning Heraldlooks motivated by Liberal interests—has accused protesters of hypocrisy and listed many reasons why the development is fine, despite being “not exactly beautiful.”

Customs House
Tonkin Zulaikha and Jackson Teece Chesterman Willis are finishing a City of Sydney refurbishment of the 19th century Customs House behind the railway station. The sandstone monument now has a four-storey atrium and a rootop restaurant of steel and glass. Inside will be restaurants, galleries, offices and a city attractions kiosk.

Ferry Wharves and Promenade
A spec scheme by Ken Maher, Winston Barnett and Tony Caro—suggesting four ferry wharves instead of the existing five to make way for a central waterfront square— has not been taken up by the government on the grounds of cost and pre-election inconvenience to ferry passengers. Other proposals have been prepared by the Government Architect’s Branch after a workshop with French architect Philippe Robert, but details were to be released after we went to press. It is rumoured that Cabinet scissored funding for the scheme.

Overseas Passenger Terminal
After initial studies by the Government Architect’s Branch, Tonkin Zulaikha were engaged to prepare plans for the Sydney Ports Authority to substantially increase public use of this Lawrence Nield & Partners landmark—usually closed apart from restaurants on the corners. A key worry is the ground floor staff carpark. Although this has a breathtaking view of the bay and opera house, it is an eyesore on the walk between the Museum of Contemporary Art and attractions at Campbell’s Cove. It also blocks harbour access for tourists walking down several historic lanes from The Rocks. However, the ports authority recently rejected the Tonkin Zulaikha consortium’s propositions and may now split the project into packages for development on either design and construct or BOOT (build, own, operate and transfer) principles: a strategy which seems destined to murder the architecture— Davina Jackson

Source

Archive

Published online: 1 Jan 1998

Issue

Architecture Australia, January 1998

More archive

See all
The November 2020 issue of Landscape Architecture Australia. November issue of LAA out now

A preview of the November 2020 issue of Landscape Architecture Australia.

The May 2021 issue of Landscape Architecture Australia. May issue of LAA out now

A preview of the May 2021 issue of Landscape Architecture Australia.

Most read

Latest on site

LATEST PRODUCTS