Sirius building architect Tao Gofers vows to keep fighting NSW Government over knockdown

THE architect behind the Sirius building in the Rocks has vowed to tie up the NSW Government in court until it is either voted out or gives in to the community’s demands to keep it standing.

Tao Gofers, the former Housing Commission architect who designed the building in 1978, said he would continue to fight the ruling to knock down the landmark Brutalist building until the cause was won. Picture: Daniel Aarons

THE architect behind the Sirius building in the Rocks has vowed to tie up the NSW Government in court until it is either voted out or gives in to the community’s demands that the controversial structure stay standing.

Tao Gofers, the former Housing Commission architect who designed the building in 1978, said he would continue to fight the ruling to knock down the landmark Brutalist building until the cause was won.

The red tape has begun to tighten with efforts to overturn Heritage Minister Mark Speakerman’s ruling not to heritage list the structure reaching the Land and Environment Court in April.

Sirius architect Tao Gofers at the front of his iconic building in The Rocks.

A decision is expected imminently and Mr Gofers is confident of an outcome in favour of the community, but should the court rule in favour of the Government there is plenty of documentation which can be filed to extend the issue at least another six months.

He said Green bans could be implemented on the site to prevent labourers taking up tools and planning regulations invoked by the pro-Sirius City of Sydney to prevent any shape other than the one already standing being built.

With two years until the next state election, the strategy is to “just delay, delay, delay” until the fight to return residents to the building is won or a Labor government is elected, Mr Gofers said.

“The problem is what we have here is a prejudice; the Liberal party don’t actually understand that people who don’t have a lot of money still have a vote,” he said.

Myra Demetriou is one of the last residents left in the Sirius building.

Opposition Leader Luke Foley has met residents to give his commitment that under a Labor government the building would be refurbished and residents would be allowed to return, he said.

Questions submitted by Central to the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s office were referred to the Family and Community Services department.

A spokesman reaffirmed the government’s intention to offload the once state-of-the-art public building.

“After the sale of the Sirius building, the new owner will determine their own plans for the site,” he said.