Tim 'Rosso' Ross performs his 'Man About the House' comedy show inside an iconic Sydney building. But it's a show that's not all about laughs.
Hundreds of supporters gather in fresh bid to save Sydney’s famous Sirius building
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As a Melburnian, looking in from the outside Sydney presents as a brilliant world-class city. The train from the airport is still something we are trying to implement.
Your most famous buildings and landmarks give Sydney a huge advantage in projecting a strong and unique identity to the world. But under that postcard surface, Sydney appears to be in constant battle with itself over the public good.
Sydney Opera House is an example of “architecture for everyone”, Michael Smith says. Photo: iStock
Recently architects from across the nation descended upon Sydney to attend the Australian Institute of Architects National Conference.
It was an opportunity for us to get a taste of what’s happening in Australia’s most famous city.
Naturally your Opera House was a deep fascination. The tour by Sydney Architecture Walks offered the back story of original architect Jorn Utzon in extraordinary detail.
“Poetry in concrete”: The brutalist Sirius Building in The Rocks was built for public housing. Photo: James Brickwood
Never envisaged as sails, the now unmistakable white forms were thought of by the architect as a modern interpretation of clouds above an ancient ruin.
Utzon had a great appreciation for the public good combined with a determination to do everything to world’s best standards. There was no hesitation in reclaiming space from the harbour to enable the concert and opera halls to sit side by side while still giving space between the water and the architecture for everyone to enjoy.
It didn’t matter if you bought a ticket or not, his architecture was for everyone.
This building now tells a remarkable story about Sydney’s past. It is remarkable that in Australia at that time such ambition and resources were given to an opera house. Yet the politics snatched defeat from a glorious victory.
Through poor communication with the public and the project becoming a partisan issue, Utzon did not complete the project.
As a consequence, the building proudly displays external staircases that lead nowhere and has struggled with well documented functional issues. Before he left Utzon had also confirmed an artist to paint a mural within the clouds. Unfortunately when Utzon left, this commission was cancelled and now Sydney is not the proud owner of the world’s largest ever Picasso.
Just across the water today’s political bunfight is in progress.
Standing proud over the harbour is the Sirius building, poetry in concrete that has housed a community of vulnerable people since the 1970s.
We were expecting a building that was falling apart and in bad need of some TLC.
What we found was a building with qualities that contemporary Melburnian apartment developers still seem incapable of delivering. The building boasts a variety of apartment sizes for couples, families and those with disabilities. Community areas and public artworks helped make this building a vertical village rather than just a building.
Just like the Sydney Opera House this building tells a story about the City of Sydney.
Just like the iconic clouds across the water, there was ambition and purpose to serve the public good.
While architects and community leaders behind the Save Our Sirius campaign continue to plead for a valuable piece of the city’s soul, New South Wales politics seem determined to once again snatch defeat from victory. To plead financial hardship whilst producing billion-dollar surpluses. And to demolish a unique part of the Sydney story in the process.
Michael Smith is a director of architectural practice Atelier Red+Black. He also writes the blog The Red+Black Architect.
