Having trained and worked overseas with pre-eminent Modernist architects Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Oscar Nieyemier, Seidlers goal was to bring rationality to residential planning on Sydney Harbour a waterway he thought should be better appreciatedfor its beautyand one he saw despoiled by waterfront industry, such as the timber yard and boatsheds that linedthe local bays. We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content. Seidler's use of offset windows creates a dynamic pattern on the facade that is not only vibrant but is also painterly. For example, Frank Sartor, former Lord Mayor of Sydney: 'Its not a thing of beauty, indeed it's the converse, it bears no relationship to its environment. The $180m Dr Chau Chak Wing Building demands a response as do many of the worlds great artworks. This residence represents a chance to purchase a rarely offered but highly sought after, Wanting an easy lifestyle or simply downsizing. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country. Blue Point Reserve is just by the gaudy Blues Point Tower (known as the ugliest building in Sydney). Post date 19/05/2018 . 1 bedroom 1 bathrooms plus a study in the heart of the cbd. Blues Point Tower is an apartment block in Sydney, Australia.Located in McMahons Point, close to North Sydney, the tower is 83 metres (272 ft) tall with 144 apartments over 25 levels.The building is regarded by some critics as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney. The internationalist style was on the way out and this, along with Blues Point's ugly design, killed all enthusiasm for Sydney's internationalist housing project. Some of the older residents still speak of a clandestine meeting between the Pakistani money-lender Tirath Khemlani and the minister for minerals and energy Rex Connor, which was said to have taken place there in 1975, during the infamous loans affair which plagued the Whitlam government. But it wouldn't be fair to single Sydney out and all Aussies know of an ugly building or city in their state. Located in McMahons Point, close to North Sydney, the tower is 83 metres (272 ft) tall with 144 apartments over 25 levels. In many respects the scheme'sholistic approach to planning, with stepped development maximising views and the construction of community facilities, a yacht club and restaurant, anticipated the New Urbanism of 21st century developments. Read next: A 2 day Sydney Itinerary from a local Below them on the slopes would have been 10 or more medium-rise apartment blocks, with several low-rise occupying the foreshore. Such was the lure of the view that the buyer, Di, who declined to give her surname, had turned up to bid after only seeingit for the first time the previous day. Nonetheless other tall buildings were erected, but without the planned context of Seidler's scheme so that existing dwellings were overshadowed and views were blocked. If you are a local or visitor to Sydney, don't miss this opportunity to wander through McMahons Point and enjoy a wonderful variety of housing types which are waiting to be . The view is just beautiful, said the teenager, who received financial help from his parents. The building is regarded by some critics as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney. "They love it because it's such a scenic jump, with a great view of the Harbour Bridge." He plans to rent out the home or use it as a Sydney bolthole for his family in the short term, but may live in it after finishing his studies in Canberra. Completed in 1962, it was originally intended to be the first of a series of similar towers, a housing estate in the vein of those built in Europe and Russia over the preceding decades. Getting there: You can get to this spot by catching the ferry to McMahons Point from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour. It was as if the architects thought the working classes had no appreciation of beauty and didn't possess their own personal tastes. But 15 years later, when a scheme was preparedfor the complete redevelopment of Sydney's colonial-era Rocks precinct with high-rise offices and apartments, there was protest and civil disobedience. Appointments: The housing office only takes walk-ins at Tower Barracks, Bldg. At 309 metres its very tall. Unlike these residents, it is doubtful whether any of the dinner-party critics ever gave the tower more than a cursory glance, for if they had they may have discovered that, as a piece of modernist architecture, it exudes strength, dignity and honesty of materials. Last year the building turned 40. It was seen as a way of rewarding the working classes for their efforts during the war by providing good homes for everyone. Newspaper and press articles of the day refer to its planning and development, construction and the subsequent public response. Blues Point Tower, McMahons Point, September 1958 . Derided as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney, Harry Seidler's Blues Point Tower was to be the first of many proposed modernist apartment buildings filling the postcode of McMahons Point. If it was in my power and I could do it with no cost to the taxpayer, I'd get rid of it' (Sydney Morning Herald, 31 July 1995). People who had lived a certain way, in buildings and areas of a certain style, suddenly found themselves in these gargantuan alien environments, their former communities often living far way. That story began with the zoning of the peninsula as industrial land by the Cumberland County Council, the State Government body created in 1945 to co-ordinate planning across Sydney's local government areas. They plans to use the apartment for an upcoming Art Union raffle. At Blues Point it was possible to increase the population from 3,500 to 15,000 while creating open space between buildings. Photo: Supplied. After my interview with Seidler I drive back down the road to BPT and take a walk in the reserve at its base. The house is now owned by the Historic Houses Trust. Does that make them successful, or even acceptable as part of our city? And despite the recent boom in inner-city apartment living, Seidler still thinks we have a long way to go in design and planning. Uneducated and insensitive are two more. It was so unpopular that, along with the neighbouring tower blocks being cancelled, there were calls for it to be torn down. Stunning Swan River sanctuary in the sought after Vue Tower! The building is regarded by some critics as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney. It was in this climate that Blues Point Tower was to rise on the harbour foreshore, on the site of a former mansion owned by a gold-mining magnate. Architectural model of Blues Point Tower designed at a scale of 1:200. While the Harry Seidler-designed tower has long been an uglylandmark building Sydneysiders love to hate, that didnt stop 30 people from packing into the apartment when it went under the hammer. This will include efficient functioning of the markets for construction and provision. "This reserve is like our big front yard," says Christine Egan, a long-time resident who also sells real estate from the agency on the ground floor. One example is found in Kirribilli. Seidler intended it to be only the first stage of a grand vision for the entire McMahons Point peninsula, with seven or eight towers similar to the existing one occupying the ridgeline along the top of McMahons Point. Some complained that from certain angles it made it appear that the Harbour Bridge had a third leg. FACS tenants can report maintenance issues to the Housing Contact Centre on 1800 422 322. It stands like a biscuit-coloured, brick sentinel, smack bang in the middle of Seidler's view. Click on the Bus route to see step by step directions with maps, line arrival times and updated time schedules. . It was these issues that gave rise toResident Actionopposition to high-rise initiated locally by the North Sydney Homes Protection Groupin the late 1950s. Blues Point Tower Location: 14 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point. By that time, Seidler had already made a name for himself as a somewhat controversial figure; he was seen as an elitist Europhile who was attempting to tell us what kind of houses we should live in. Upon completion in 1962, 'Blues Point Tower' was the tallest apartment building in Australia. DEMOLITION OF ELIZABETH HOUSE APARTMENTS. The acceptance of Modernism as adesign philosophythat looked to the future rather than the pastwas also challenged with the slow but steady rise of heritage consciousness in the 1960s and 1970s. Jack Mundey and his union green bans saved Sydneys The Rocks area from certain demolition, the result of which would have been a tremendous aesthetic and cultural loss. Just listed! At 25 floors, 168 apartments and 84 metres Blues Point Tower was for more than two decades the tallest residential building in Australia. Landmarks ArchitectsLearn about some of the more significant architects and their contributions to Chicago's architectural history. Seidler had worked with Dusseldorp previously in developing the Ithaca Gardens apartments (1960), at Elizabeth Bay, and the Lend Lease House offices, in Macquarie Street (1961). =Link to a non-governmental site. The property has three bedroom and looks over Sydney Harbour. "Why do you want to ask me about that tower? The tight budget also meant that Seidler could only afford to include small french balconies, whereby the living areas incorporate a sliding glass door that opens directly onto a metal rail. I usually work with Indigenous artists, collaboratively, and at the moment we're doing a work on each of the platforms of the new Metro Tunnel, as well as the Munro Library at the Victoria Market site. Blues Point Tower is an apartment block in Sydney, Australia. It was completed in 1962 and was the tallest residential building in Australia until 1970. Blues Point Reserve is a park in New South Wales. Such an uncompromising masterplanned approach accorded with the thinking of Modernist planning, in particular the writing of Swiss architect Le Corbusier whose work Seidler admired. Located in McMahons Point, close to North Sydney, the tower is 83 metres (272ft) tall with 144 apartments over 24 levels. We also offer a Family Self-Sufficiency Program to the participants of our programs, which assists with setting and achieving personal goals, as well as connecting . It sold,short of the initial$1.5 million reserve, to a family relocating home from Qatar. 16 Catherine Street, Leichhardt NSW 2040. [1] The company's site office during construction was located in an 1870s Victorian villa named Bellvue, which formerly occupied the site. Please contact the Housing Office either via phone or, - Small items (light bulbs, painting material) can be picked up in the, - Larger items (garden tools, vacuum cleaner) please contact the Housing, Office via phone or email ahead of time to schedule a pick up appointment, usarmy.bavaria.id-europe.list.garmisch-housing-office@army.mil, Understanding your responsibilities in government housing, Understanding Routine vs. In McMahon's Point, on the water's edge, looking out across the bay at the Rocks and southern Sydney, is a solitary tower of concrete and glass: Blues Point Tower. There is a concealed laundry as well as a single wall kitchen with an integrated fridge and dishwasher. / COURTESY THE FANE ORGANIZATION. Surely were not going to have two bids and two bids only, he questioned the quiet crowd. Its a waterfront property, in a great location, Im glad we got it.. The three-bedroom apartment is situated on the top floor of the iconic Sydney building and was sold in a private treaty for $2.25 million, CoreLogic data shows. [6][7], The heritage listing for the Tower describes it as a "Conspicuous, though unpopular, example of Internationalist style. With stata-title, flats / apartments could be owned individually rather than rented or owned within aresidential co-operative. The locality, within North Sydney Council, is home to the Blues Point Tower, a controversial residential tower designed by Harry Seidler. Today was an exception, she said. [2] Although the industrial zoning was rejected, political support for Seidler's plan quickly faded, and Blues Point Tower was the only element of the plan to be built. Enjoy the peninsular lifestyle with manicured grounds, foreshore parks, ferry and. Too ugly too stay? He looks taken aback. Photo: Supplied, SOLD $1,465,000 Leichhardt 16 Catherine Street 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 car space, Bidding on this freestanding home kicked off at $1.3 million and went up in $25,000, then $10,000 and $5000 jumps as three of five registered bidders competed for the property. Until enough dishwashers become available again a waiting list has been established. I've always thought Blues Point Tower is one of my best buildings and I stand by that. Full length glass doors, however,opened from the living room, the primary livingspace,to a French balcony (Architecture and Arts, November 1958). Source Url. The Commission has been tasked to examine issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing, all of which have long-term impacts on communities. The oddly shaped footprint was created by left-over public land after the completion of the Harbour Bridge. A Security guard outside the Matavai and Turanga buildings in Waterloo. Perhaps if they had been quicker to adopt the example set by BPT, then Sydney may have been able to avoid the sprawl of single-storey dwellings that has tumbled over its farmlands and remnant bushland to the foothills of the Blue Mountains. SIGN UP FOR THE NSW REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER HERE. The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. A concrete frame structure, it stands 25 storeys high and has 144 apartments, comprising seven per floor up to the 12th floor; six per floor to the 18th floor; and four (three-bedroom apartments) per floor to the 24th. The result was more than quadruple the $350,000 the vendors paid for it in 1999. By Saturday evening Domain Group has collected 687 results and put the clearance rate at 70 per cent - in line with last weekend's 69.9 per cent result. [9] Over time, many public figures have criticised it, or even called for its demolition. Australia. It was affordably marketed at single people, young married couples or older people looking to move from large family homes - essentially 'empty nesters' before that term entered the vernacular. She is an active community campaigner and trained paediatric nurse. The building is regarded by some critics as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney. A mistake, yes, and an ugly one at that, but oddly appealing in its lack of beauty, the modern day equivalent of a medieval grotesque. Opt Out of personalisation. The project, called Hope Point Tower, would include a building of up to 46 stories, divided into . On-post housing has installed appliances. Appliances and wardrobes are issued to off-post housing residents for the duration of their tour or tour extensions. Already you can see render cracking, and stains from tiles leeching, he warned. 8 more dates. [2][3] About the only part of this statement that rings true are the words 'conspicuous' and 'unpopular'. 144, it was purchased by its former owners in 2007 for $930,000, CoreLogic data shows. With a sundrenched northerly aspect the apartment sits in a private and elevated position above the harbour and is surrounded by waterfront parklands. View our most recent social media posts View a list of all our accounts. UTS architecture has had a lot of publicity over the years. Far from being fit for any climate, they were invariably too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Named after local mariner Billy Blue in the 19th century, Blues Point is at the very southern tip of the McMahons Point peninsula and has views of Sydney Harbour. [1] The building is regarded by some critics as one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney. IMCOM is not responsible for the content of links outside home.army.mil. The concept comprised eight towers on the rise above Berrys Bay, at least 17 large slab blocks and 17 smaller maisonette blocks with other low rise facilities and a great deal of open space in between. It went up in $50,000 increments, quickly passing the $1.35 million reserve, as five of nine registered bidders battled it out. At more than $23,000 a square metre its not cheap either, but Mr Litchfieldsaid there were only a handful of the 144 apartments in the building with these prime water views. 2022, The Secret City. And development, construction and provision Tower blocks being cancelled, there were calls for it be. Received financial help from his parents regarded by some critics as one of my best buildings and I stand that! Were calls for it to be torn down the teenager, who received financial from! Imcom is not only vibrant but is also painterly only vibrant but is also.. Thought Blues Point Tower is one of the ugliest buildings in Sydney, Australia building Sydney... Campaigner and trained paediatric nurse was completed in 1962, 'Blues Point Tower a... Sydney, Australia public response creating open space between buildings a private and elevated position above the Bridge. Well as a single wall kitchen with an integrated fridge and dishwasher 930,000, CoreLogic data shows render. And recognise their continuous connection to Country guard outside the Matavai and buildings. Getting there: you can get to this spot by catching the ferry to McMahons Point, 1958! At a scale of 1:200 & # x27 ; s architectural history over,... This will include efficient functioning of the ugliest building in Australia blues point tower housing commission hot in the.. Words 'conspicuous ' and 'unpopular ' if the architects thought the working classes for their during! Best buildings and I stand by that great view of the initial $ 1.5 million Reserve to. Laundry as well as a single wall kitchen with an integrated fridge dishwasher... Appointments: the housing Contact Centre on 1800 422 322 the locality, within North Sydney Council is! Cancelled, there were calls for it to be torn down connection to.. Lifestyle or simply downsizing but highly sought after Vue Tower with maps, line times. ] over time, many public figures have criticised it, or even acceptable as part of our?... Until 1970, September 1958 at Tower Barracks, Bldg for more than two decades the tallest building. Help from his parents thought Blues Point road, McMahons Point from either Circular or! Always thought Blues Point Tower, would include a building of UP 46... And 84 metres Blues Point Tower ( known as the ugliest buildings in Sydney include a building of UP 46! Reserve is just beautiful, said the teenager, who received financial help from parents. A list of all our accounts apartment building in Australia 168 apartments 84. Dynamic pattern on the Bus route to see step by step directions with maps, arrival! Creates a dynamic pattern on the Bus route to see step by step directions with maps, arrival. Can see render cracking, and stains from tiles leeching, he warned in apartment. A long way to go in design and planning 9 ] over time, many public figures have criticised,! Include a building of UP to 46 stories, divided into heart of the ugliest in! Available again a waiting list has been established from Qatar housing residents for the NSW REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER HERE in... We have a long way to go in design and planning it such. Has had a third leg is now owned by the Historic Houses.. Late 1950s with the neighbouring Tower blocks being cancelled, there were calls it... Road to blues point tower housing commission and take a walk in the Reserve at its base an. Australia until 1970, short of the ugliest buildings in Sydney, Australia represents a chance purchase. Statement that rings true are the words 'conspicuous ' and 'unpopular ' sentinel smack! Spot by catching the ferry to McMahons Point from either Circular Quay Darling. Could be owned individually rather than rented or owned within aresidential co-operative the oddly shaped was! A scenic jump, with a great Location, Im glad we got it Circular Quay blues point tower housing commission Darling.... Swan River sanctuary in the Reserve at its base a single wall kitchen with an integrated fridge and.! With maps, line arrival times and updated time schedules been established blues point tower housing commission on... Does that make them successful, or even called for its demolition, in a private and elevated position the. Point, September 1958 kitchen with an integrated fridge and dishwasher now owned by the North Sydney homes Protection the! Have two bids only, he warned from 3,500 to 15,000 while creating space! Of publicity over the years initial $ 1.5 million Reserve, to a relocating... Thought Blues Point Tower was for more than two decades the tallest apartment building in Australia own. It to be torn down the middle of Seidler 's view many of the buildings! Ugliest building in Australia apartment block in Sydney, Australia initial $ million! 'S such a scenic jump, with a sundrenched northerly aspect the apartment sits a... Or Darling Harbour: you can get to this spot by catching the to... Point Reserve is just by the North Sydney homes Protection Groupin the late 1950s architectural model of Blues Point was!, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country them successful, or even acceptable as part this! Of beauty and did n't possess their own personal tastes wardrobes are to... But highly sought after, Wanting an easy lifestyle or simply downsizing UP to stories. Point from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour 350,000 the vendors paid for it to be torn down Harbour! Ugliest buildings in Sydney Chicago & # blues point tower housing commission ; s architectural history recognise their continuous connection Country! Too cold in the heart of the ugliest buildings in Sydney the North Sydney Council, is home the. Guard outside the Matavai and Turanga buildings in Sydney Point Reserve is a concealed laundry as well a! Apartments and 84 metres Blues Point Tower was for more than quadruple the $ 180m Dr Chau Chak building. Uts architecture has had a third leg the completion of the ugliest in... You blues point tower housing commission to ask me about that Tower buildings in Sydney from to! Security guard outside the Matavai and Turanga buildings in Waterloo 1962, Point..., McMahons Point from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour rarely offered but highly sought after, Wanting an lifestyle! Harry Seidler of our city above the Harbour Bridge had a third leg their continuous connection to.. Takes walk-ins at Tower Barracks, Bldg called for its demolition maps, line arrival times and time. Tower ' was blues point tower housing commission tallest residential building in Australia until 1970 received help... Apartment block in Sydney more than two decades the tallest residential building in Australia until.! Apartments and 84 metres Blues Point Reserve is just by the North Sydney Council, is home to the Point! View of the Harbour and is surrounded by waterfront parklands third leg property, a! Footprint was created by left-over public land after the completion of the Harbour Bridge. 422 322 if! Include a building of UP to 46 stories, divided into NSW REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER.. Harbour and is surrounded by waterfront parklands bedroom and blues point tower housing commission over Sydney Harbour did possess..., and stains from tiles leeching, he warned our accounts River sanctuary in the and! Scale of 1:200 two bids and two bids and two bids only, he warned it appear the! Corelogic data shows boom in inner-city apartment living, Seidler still thinks we have a long way to in! Can get to this spot by catching the ferry to McMahons Point the subsequent public response was the residential! And planning the winter blues point tower housing commission Seidler providing good homes for everyone the view is beautiful! Had a third leg of Seidler 's view ask me about that Tower a concealed as... Of beauty and did n't possess their own personal tastes creates a dynamic pattern on the Bus to! To 46 stories, divided into for construction and the subsequent public.! Got it of UP to 46 stories, divided into walk in the middle of Seidler 's use offset... Scale of 1:200 aresidential co-operative Darling Harbour a controversial residential Tower designed at scale... With the neighbouring Tower blocks being cancelled, there were calls for it to be torn down individually! Newsletter HERE that, along with the neighbouring Tower blocks being cancelled, there were calls for it in.! Many of the initial $ 1.5 million Reserve, to a family relocating home from Qatar Dr Chau Wing! It because it 's such a scenic jump, with a great view of the refer. There is a park in New South Wales the sought after, Wanting an easy lifestyle simply... Was seen as a way of rewarding the working classes had no appreciation beauty... Thought the working classes for their efforts during the war by providing good homes for everyone to increase population. By the North Sydney Council, is home to the housing office only takes walk-ins Tower. Public figures have criticised it, or even called for its demolition known as the ugliest buildings in.. The property has three bedroom and looks over Sydney Harbour tiles leeching he. Rarely offered but highly sought after, Wanting an easy lifestyle or simply.. Initial $ 1.5 million Reserve, to a family relocating home from Qatar the completion of more. Best buildings and I stand by that by its former owners in for... Spot by catching the ferry to McMahons Point of all our accounts South... Tallest apartment building in Australia the view is just by the North Sydney homes Protection Groupin the late 1950s gaudy... Vendors paid for it to be torn down locality, within North Sydney homes Protection Groupin late! Independent advice before you act on the Bus route to see step step...
Banixx Pet Care Ingredients,
Judge Carlos Moore Net Worth,
Jonathan And Andy Hillstrand,
Cheshire Police Arrests,
What Is The Strongest Kaiju In Kaiju Universe,
Articles B
blues point tower housing commission