New architecture walk puts modern Sydney on show
City of Sydney 20 Sep 2016

Sydney’s impressive collection of 20th Century architecture from the 1950s, 60s and 70s will be given an airing as part of the City of Sydney’s first architecture themed Culture Walk.

Adding to a series of art and history walks on the City’s award winning Culture Walks app, ‘Modern: Martin Place to Circular Quay’ delves into the ‘Mad-Men’ era – a time when Sydney walked onto the world stage, and revolutionary technology influenced architectural design.

Along the self-guided tour, walkers will discover buildings and artworks by leading Australian and international architects, artists, engineers and planners of the 20th century – from internationally recognised brutalist designs to hidden gems with interesting stories, to works by celebrated Australian architect, Harry Seidler.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the city’s layers of architecture, from convict times through to the present, told an important story.

“People walk around our city looking down at their phones – well this is an invitation to look down, then look up to the skyline and deep into our city’s history,” the Lord Mayor said.

“It’s the incredible battles to save key buildings, whether the Queen Victoria Building in the 1960s or the current campaign to save brutalist icon, the Sirius building in the Rocks.

“It’s the Sydney Opera House being erected on arguably the city’s most prestigious real estate, or the first skyscrapers going up from the ‘50s onwards – a period of economic success and rapid growth. There’s so much packed into our architecture, it’s a fascinating journey.”

The Sydney Culture Walks app provides details of the buildings included in the walk, as well as fascinating information about their history and the architects behind the facades.

Featured buildings and landmarks include the MLC Centre, Berger House, University of Sydney Law School, Commonwealth State Law Courts, Centrepoint Tower and Sydney’s first skyscraper the AMP Building.

Sydney Architect and Brutalism expert, Glenn Harper, said the Culture Walks app was a great way for people to interact with the City’s architectural gems.

“The buildings revealed in this walk celebrate the cultural values of a confident and masterful 20th Century city. Contributing to Sydney’s identity, these buildings are compelling images of our time and establish the city’s international context - one rich in meaning,” said Mr Harper

“As a self-guided tour you will be able to get up close to the refinement of a ‘curtain wall’ while being able to dissect ‘late modern Brutalism’ intelligently."

Over 400 of Sydney’s historical and public art points of interest are included in 12 different self-guided walking tours curated by the City.

The Sydney Culture Walks app is free and available for download for Apple and Android users.

For more information, contact City of Sydney Senior Media Adviser Bridget Ahern, phone 02 9265 9753, mobile 0423 505 854 or email [email protected]

For interviews with the Lord Mayor, please contact Matt Levinson 0499 319 385 [email protected]