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Protesters gathered in Sydney’s historic Rocks district on Saturday to rally against the New South Wales government’s plans to sell off the Sirius building – which contains 79 social housing tenants – to developers for more than $100m. The 1970s Brutalist building was nominated for heritage listing by the NSW National Trust in 2014 but the government has refused to grant it, saying the proceeds from the sale are needed to build more public housing elsewhere in Sydney — The Guardian
Quartz also reported that Australia’s largest construction union Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) and the Unions NSW have called their members to refuse any participation in demolition work of the structure. “The Sirius building is not only an important piece of... View full entry
Juxtaposed by modern architecture on the western side of the street, the circa 1842 working class terrace facades on the eastern side have been retained and restored in line with strict heritage conditions.
“Kensington Street’s integration with the Central Park precinct was of great consideration. We wanted to celebrate its difference in vernacular to the rest of the contemporary precinct but wanted to integrate it with quality landscaping and other infrastructure.
— Hospitality Magazine
Until several architectural firms were charged with restoring and revamping it, Kensington Street in Sydney's Chippendale area was a former bustling industrial zone fallen to ruin. Now the street (or at least, the design firms responsible for its transformation, including Turf Design... View full entry
With the working title Utzon, The Man Behind the Opera House, the film will tell the story of Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who was just 38 years old and relatively unknown when he won the international competition to design an opera house on Sydney’s Bennelong Point in 1957...
The Sydney Opera House was completed by Australian architect Peter Hall – a handover which ostracised Hall from the architectural community, and which his family believe led to his ruin.
— The Guardian
With a screenplay by Oscar-nominated Petter Skavlan, the film promises to get into some thorny emotional terrain. As producer Jan Marnell explains, “We have a world wonder. We have its creator – who wasn’t allowed to see his dream fulfilled. We have creativity versus bureaucracy and... View full entry
[Utzon] wrote to his idol, boldly sending his designs of the Opera House and asking Le Corbusier to contribute in the form of “decoration, carpets and paintings”. His idol wrote back, and by October 1960 the young Utzon was the proud owner of a striking tapestry [...]
The piece is now hanging behind glass in the far end of the Utzon-designed western foyer: a holding place while the Opera House continues the “decade of renewal” that will lead up to its 50th anniversary in 2023.
— theguardian.com
Another look at the tapestry, as it was hung in Jørn Utzon's home in Denmark:Related on Archinect:The Sydney Opera House by Jørn Utzon Celebrates Its 40th AnniversaryJørn Utzon dead at 90Rare film of Le Corbusier in his Paris home and studioLe Corbusier in Color View full entry
A striking circular building at Darling Harbour will house a new City of Sydney library for the area’s existing and incoming residents, following an agreement with Lendlease.
The six storey community and retail centre, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, will be built by developer Lendlease at Darling Square.
— the City of Sydney
The Office of the Mayor of Sydney announced that the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma will design a new multi-use building at Darling Square that will include a two-level library. The developer Lendlease will build the timber-swathed structure.“I am very pleased that the City has reached an... View full entry
[Duncan Gay, self-described as 'the biggest bike-lane skeptic', and the] NSW government [are] about to get rid of a much-loved and much-used AU$5M protected cycleway in Sydney’s city centre...Gay’s move seems to go against the flow, with cycling increasingly feted as a potential congestion and pollution game changer in major cities around the world...But he is not alone. — The Guardian
Previous bike-lane news on Archinect:Copenhagen Tops List of the 20 Most Bike-Friendly CitiesAs bicycle ownership in North Korea rises, Pyongyang introduces bike lanesLA Gets its First Parking-Protected Bike LanesBike Lanes Don’t Cause Traffic Jams If You’re Smart About Where You Build... View full entry
At what cost? The LAVA plan could be difficult to manage structurally, cost a significant amount of money and see Sirius occupants relocated anyway. But it could also be a more sustainable option than knocking down and rebuilding. — architectureanddesign.com.au
SIRIUS in 2014.Alas, the curse of the "brutalist eyesore" continues with the historic SIRIUS apartment building in Sydney, designed by architect Tao (Theodore) Gofers in 1978-79. Adding a third option to the demolish-preserve debate that typically ensues, local architecture firm LAVA proposed the... View full entry
The transformative effect of removing cars from a dedicated street or urban center and creating a pedestrian-friendly area isn't a new idea, but it's a popular one. Sydney, Australia has decided to repurpose its relatively trafficky George Street into an elegant shopping and walking area bisected... View full entry
The Dr Chau Chak Wing building, which will house a new business school in the inner-city campus, is being hailed as a masterpiece to rival the Sydney Opera House [...]
Traditional lecture halls have been replaced with undulating walls, circular classrooms and a grand chrome-silver staircase. [...]
“The 19th-century buildings in Sydney are the most accessible. They have a humanity while the modern buildings tend to be cold and off-putting,” Gehry said.
— theguardian.com
Architect Frank Gehry courts curves and controversy, and the deputy vice-chancellor of UTS admits to a degree of trepidation. A first look inside reveals whether those fears were justified [...]
The city’s first building by the controversial architect is part of a larger $1.1bn masterplan for the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), but is already attracting a lot of attention.
— theguardian.com
To say the least, it's been a great year for Ateliers Jean Nouvel + PTW Architects' One Central Park in Sydney, Australia...After the Best Tall Building regional winners presented their projects one last time to the jury (chaired by architect Jeanne Gang), One Central Park was announced as the overall winning Best Tall Building Worldwide 2014 during the Awards Ceremony and Dinner in Crown Hall. — bustler.net
IIT Dean of Architecture Wiel Arets (left) presents the team from One Central Park with the Best Tall Building Worldwide trophy.Learn more on Bustler. View full entry
AMP Capital has named 3XN as the architect for the 49-story, 102,000sm 50 Bridge Street tower and master plan for the Quay Quarter Sydney (QQS) precinct. 3XN was selected via a multi-stage international competition, the fourth it has won this year, which included two Prtizker Architecture... View full entry
It's rare for an Australian gallery to extend the call for an architect beyond local boundaries. But that's exactly what the Art Gallery of NSW has done in their national and international callout for the Gallery's transformation into 'an art museum for the 21st century'.
As part of the Sydney Modern Project, The Art Gallery of NSW has announced the jurists to decide the architectural practice that will be responsible for the Gallery’s transformation.
— Visual ArtsHub
"The jury members include Gallery Director, Michael Brand as well as Kathryn Gustafson, Michael Lynch, Toshiko Mori, Glenn Murcutt, Juhani Pallasmaa and Hetti Perkins." View full entry
"Trifolium" by AR-MA (Architectural Research – Material Applications) from Australia recently won the commission to design a new event pavilion for the Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation (SCAF) in Sydney, Australia. Hosted annually by SCAF, the Fugitive Structures invite-only competition promotes emerging architects from Australia, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. The 2014 edition had entrants explore the potential of digital pre-fabrication in their designs. — bustler.net
The pavilion dons a Corian shell and a vaulted reflective steel interior speckled with optic lights that glow at night. Trifolium will be exhibited at SCAF until December 13, 2014.Find out more on Bustler. View full entry
Designed by a renowned team of Parisian Ateliers Jean Nouvel in collaboration with Australian firm PTW Architects, One Central Park in downtown Sydney has received some high recognition in just the past few weeks alone. — bustler.net
The project was recently named the Best Tall Building for the Asia + Australia region in CTBUH's 2014 Best Tall Buildings, shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival Awards, and received a Commendation in the NSW Architecture Awards 2014.More info on Bustler. View full entry