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.
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(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 |