More like a tomb than luxury apartments: The plans dividing Sydney’s elite

It’s the design war that has divided bankers, lawyers, celebrities, politicians, some senior members of the Hari Krishna – and many architects.

The 19-storey luxury Altair Apartments at Rushcutters Bay won architects Engelen Moore – now Ian Moore Architects – a grand slam of prestigious awards including the World Architecture Festival’s best building in Australasia in 2002.

Altair Apartments in Rushcutters Bay is the subject of a development dispute. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

Since then, Ian Moore became the building’s go-to architect, working on a range of projects to ensure the integrity of a building that Altair’s website calls an “architectural icon”.

That was until late last year when Moore says he was removed without notice by the developer NTG Investment Group from a proposal to build new apartments on the site of two retail lots on the southern forecourt.

In a letter circulated to all residents this week, Moore said the new plans carrying the name Archer Design for a building clad in glass blocks appears, in his view, to be “more like a tomb or amenities block than a luxury apartment”.

On Thursday night at an extraordinary general meeting of owners to consider the developer’s request to seek development approval for the new plan, Moore received a stay of execution – in architectural terms anyway.

Moore told the meeting he had developed 12 designs for NTG. He learnt accidentally that he was off the project when he was contacted by another consultant and discovered an alternative design had been drawn up.

Many owners told the Herald they had been shocked to discover Moore had been removed from the project.

Cameron Gray, a resident of Altair for a decade, said the concepts presented to the meeting by the developer’s representative, Michael Esber, looked like a “Pinterest board”. “I work in advertising,” he said. “You wouldn’t get that through a client.”

Gray said what Esber showed resembled “government buildings of decades ago” built in glass boxes.

Another owner said the meeting was asked to vote on a concept design that did not include exterior finishes, which the developer could change during the development application approval.

Esber told the meeting that the glass bricks would provide “the highest quality natural light and security for owners”.

“We haven’t locked in the design for the brick yet, but it’s the one product that meets the brief for the site. I know that glass bricks can look a bit outdated but, done properly, they won’t ...

“We wanted to work with the natural light that’s available, and this design also provides the security for the residents, and visual and acoustic privacy.”

Esber said Moore was “a good architect and a great designer, but I don’t want to say more”. “This is a concept design, and we’ll be listening to owners for their input into the final design.”

When Esber was asked why Moore had been removed, he said the costs of the project had continued to rise, making it unfeasible.

The Altair Apartments are made up of 130 units.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

An owner with extensive experience in planning received a loud round of applause after he spoke of his love for the building, saying he’d never seen a concept design that was better upon completion.

At that point, strata committee member David Saul suggested the motion not proceed. He was supported by the chair, Ralf Harding.

With a hotel-style concierge at the front desk, Altair’s 130 units are home to many of Sydney’s wealthy and elite.

Located on the eastern forecourt over the Cross City Tunnel’s traffic, the site for the new apartments has housed a series of businesses, including an MG dealership and a cafe that failed to thrive.

Esber declined to provide any comment to the Herald after the meeting.

Archer Design would not comment on whether it was the new architects, though its name is on the new designs.

Altair was paid an upfront non-refundable fee by the developer of $600,000 to buy the air rights over the new apartment.