Prominent Sydneysiders reveal their favourite buildings in the Harbour City
Sydney is blessed with natural beauty – but there are also the man-made structures that exude grace, style and refinement, or simply in-your-face presence.
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Sydney is blessed with natural beauty – its harbour and beaches and parks.
But there are also the man-made structures that exude grace, style and refinement, or simply in-your-face presence.
The Sunday Telegraph approached five high-profile Sydneysiders to give their take on the most beautiful buildings in a city considered one of the world’s most appealing.
CHRIS MINNS
Aurora Place
Renowned architect Renzo Piano was the genius behind Aurora Place, a mixed use site including a 41-storey commercial tower, a luxury residential building and a piazza with retail outlets.
Bounded by Phillip, Bent and Macquarie streets in the CBD, the commercial tower was designed to give the appearance of a sail unfurling and has won a raft of honours.
“It’s absolutely beautiful. It’s timeless and, despite being over 20 years old, it feels like it could have gone up yesterday,” the NSW Premier said.
JOHN HOWARD
St James’ Church
An Australian heritage-listed Anglican Church located at 173 King St, it was named in honour of St James the Great. Designed in the style of a Georgian town church it was consecrated in February 1824. The church remains historically, socially and architecturally significant and was added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 2004.
“I would like to nominate St James’ Church, King Street. It’s a classical colonial design, whose architect was the famous (transported convict) Francis Greenway. Other buildings impress me, but St James’ Church takes the cake’” Howard said.
RAY HADLEY
NSW Parliament House
This is where Australia’s first parliament met for political and governing purposes, and where the parliament of NSW now gathers.
It is the oldest surviving building in the CBD, according to the NSW Government. The network of historic buildings date back to the early 1800s and the first Governor of NSW, Lachlan Macquarie after whom the street where the building stands was named.
“It’s the foundation of democracy in this country and is a wonderful example of early 19th Century architecture – our first and foremost historic parliament. How they built it in the early 1800s is mind boggling,” Hadley said.
KERRI-ANNE KENNERLEY
Queen Victoria Building
QVB is heritage-listed and was built between 1893 and 1898. It was designed by architect George McRae as a marketplace but used for a variety of other purposes.
It underwent remodelling and a restoration that returned it to its original use in the late 20th Century. The dominant feature is a central dome with of a glass interior and a copper-sheathed exterior.
“I’ve always admired that Romanesque architecture, and the way they have refurled the interiors into a fabulous and glamorous shopping centre is just magnificent. It is a major shopping area on all levels. I love it,” Kennerley said.
NEIL PERRY
Museum of Contemporary Art
The MCA is located on a significant site in Australian history – marking the location of first contact between Indigenous and European peoples, and the beginning of the country’s colonial history.
In the 1930s, existing structures were demolished to make way for a new Maritime Services Board building. The MCA has occupied that Art Deco inspired building since 1991 with a newly-constructed wing opened in 2012.
Perry said: “It’s the kind of building on the foreshore of the harbour where the old and new work together so beautifully. I really like the new addition, creating that wonderful gallery space, and how they’ve made it work with the old Maritime Services Building. I opened the cafe there when it first opened as the MCA in 1991.”
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