By Sarah Muller
To some, the Sirius building in The Rocks is a rare example of architectural brutalism, but to others it is simply an eyesore sitting in one of Sydney's most scenic suburbs.
But a NSW government decision not to heritage list the building has been labelled as "extraordinarily disappointing" by the president of the Institute of Architects, which says it's historical and social significance has been ignored.
The Sirius public housing building will not be heritage listed.Credit: Wolter Peeters
NSW Environment and Heritage Minister Mark Speakman announced on Sunday the building would not receive heritage listing, despite recommendations by the Heritage Council.
The council has been lobbying the government to list the building as heritage protected since February, due to its architectural and cultural significance.
The view from the Sirius public housing building. Credit: Wolter Peeters
Shaun Carter, president of the Institute of Architects and chairman of the Save Our Sirius Foundation, said the government's decision was disappointing.
"Sirius is fundamentally bound in that aspect of Sydney, and with the greens ban movement," Mr Carter said. "It's embedded in the whole society, culture and understanding of the Rocks.
"This government is showing it can't understand what society values. It's just about a zero-sum game. [The decision] confirms that they understand value, but not much about the society it is in."
He said the decision would have "a very real human toll" by forcing out long-time tenants of the public housing building.
"The government says the building is not fit for purpose. But it was designed for housing, operates as housing, is fit for tomorrow, and is perfectly fine for housing right now.
"We see this as a backwards step for the government, and we will continue to fight to save the building," he said.
Completed in 1980, the building has been highly controversial since it was built to provide public housing for up to 200 people relocated from the Rocks during the period of the green bans.
The apartments sit next to the southern approach to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and look out over Circular Quay and the Opera House.
According to Mr Speakman, listing the building would reduce the sale value of the site, by possibly up to $70 million, which could otherwise be used to fund building of about 240 new housing units.
"I am not [heritage] listing it because, whatever its heritage value, even at its highest, that value is greatly outweighed by what would be a huge loss of extra funds from the sale of the site, funds the government intends to use to build social housing for families in great need," Mr Speakman said.
"This doesn't mean a practice that money trumps heritage," he said.
"Here there is a dramatic contrast between whatever heritage value Sirius has and what would be the huge loss of funds for getting people who need a helping hand off the social housing waiting list."
The Office of Environment and Heritage had said any future development of the site would be subject to strict controls, and Mr Speakman said he would strongly argue for any future building's floor space to be restricted to its current position.