Sirius building

Sirius Building in 2014

The Sirius building is an apartment complex in The Rocks district of Sydney. The residential development was designed between 1978 and 1979 by architect Tao Gofers. The building is a prominent example of brutalist architecture in Australia, and its striking repetitive geometries a reaction to the Japanese metabolist architecture movement. The complex was built to rehouse public tenants who had been displaced after a controversial redevelopment of the historic Rocks suburb during the 1960s and 70s.[1]

It is notable for being the only high rise development in The Rocks. Sirius houses 79 apartments with generally one, two, three or four bedrooms with single story apartments to two and three storey walk ups. The original plan was to finish the building in a white colour to match the Sydney Opera House located close by. However, due to budget constraints, the building was finished in the standard Brutalist grey.

The Sirius building houses many of the original Rocks residents who fought for their right to remain in The Rocks in the famous Green bans. The purpose of the Green Bans was to retain the working class community in The Rocks, not retain heritage buildings. Ironically many of the buildings remain, but the majority of the residents were moved into the Sirius apartments in the so-called 'people's plan'. The terraces and town houses they used to call home are owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA), and are occupied by various tenants who pay rent to SHFA.

Unit 74 of the Sirius building has become somewhat of an unofficial Sydney landmark; a sign displaying ‘One Way! Jesus’ clearly visible to Harbour Bridge commuters. The sign has been in place for around 10 years as of May 2014, however the owner of the sign and his motivations to spread a Christian message remained generally unknown[2] until then.[3] Owen was 'relocated' by Housing NSW and his three-word ministry disappeared late last year. See http://millerspointcommunity.com.au/farewell-owen/ for more.[4] Briefly Owen's sign was replaced by lights flashing S.O.S. to the Harbour Bridge traffic, but this was soon 'confiscated' by Housing NSW. Another set of S.O.S. lights flash over The Rocks and Circular Quay from the top floor of Sirius since they were first installed to coincide with the exhibition S.O.S. Save our Sirius on 2.11.14.[5] A history of Sirius and the current fight to save it is available at http://millerspointcommunity.com.au/the-place/sirius/[6]

The SOS – Save Our Sirius Foundation has been formed by people and organisations campaigning to save Sirius and its residents and is supported by the National Trust, the Australian Institute of Architects, the Millers Point Residents Action Group, Friends of Millers Point, Millers Point Public Housing Tenants Group, Unions NSW, CFMEU, and Jack Mundey, legendary Green Ban campaigner who helped save The Rocks from redevelopment in the 1970s and was instrumental in the building of Sirius. The Foundation has middle-ground solutions for saving Sirius while achieving the government’s aims. Heading the Foundation is Shaun Carter, NSW President of the Australian Institute of Architects.[7]

Sirius is a fine and rare example of the Brutalist style of architecture in Australia. It demonstrates Brutalism’s objective of ethical design based on social concerns as well as its focus on the truthful expression of materials, function and structure.

  1. SOSBrutalism

Brutalism is not well known in Australia, but internationally it is highly regarded. The Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) in Frankfurt has launched #SOSBrutalism, a growing database that currently contains over 700 Brutalist buildings. But, more importantly, #SOSBrutalism is a platform for a large campaign ‘to save our beloved concrete monsters’. The buildings in the database marked red are in particular jeopardy. There are few Australian entries in the project, but amongst the fifty buildings on the endangered list is Sirius. This is an unprecedented initiative: #SOSBrutalism is open to everyone who wants to join the campaign to save Brutalist buildings! It is a powerful tool that allows fans of Brutalism to communicate with one another across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and so on. Sirius is at the top of the endangered list of the world's Brutalist building on this site.[8]

“…what characterises the New Brutalism… is precisely its brutality, its je-m’en-foutisme, its bloody-mindedness.” —Reyner Banham, 1955

  1. SOSBrutalism will also lead into an exhibition which will be jointly organized by the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) and the Wüstenrot Stiftung. It will be on display at the DAM, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, starting in April 2017.

Gallery

See also

References and notes

  1. ↑ Pickett, Charles (8 May 2013). "Sirius on The Rocks". Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Looking for the man behind the sign". 11 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "The man behind the most famous sign seen from the Sydney Harbour Bridge". The Guardian. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  4. ↑ http://millerspointcommunity.com.au/farewell-owen/
  5. ↑ http://millerspointcommunity.com.au/open-sirius-sunday-2-11-14-2-4pm/
  6. ↑ http://millerspointcommunity.com.au/the-place/sirius/
  7. ↑ http://millerspointcommunity.com.au/sosbrutalism/
  8. ↑ http://www.sosbrutalism.org/cms/15802395#gallery

Coordinates: 33°51′28″S 151°12′29″E / 33.857736°S 151.207945°E / -33.857736; 151.207945

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