URBAN DESIGN URBAN IN DESIGN Reflections on its Uniqueness and Strategy Conservation and Waterfront Developments QUARTERLY UDQ Issue 39 JULY 1991 ISBN 0266-6480 £3.00 URBAN DESIGN GROUP NEWS

REFLECTIONS ON PERESLAVL number of ways and Tuesday saw groups spread through out the area, investigating the At 07.55 on the morning of 19 May eleven single track railway by lake Plescheyevo - urban designers waited for the late arrival of could the private operator really make a go of their leader Arnold Linden. Six hours later a passenger service? What potential was the same group was sheltering from a there for tourist traffic? Other groups were majestic thunder storm under the golden interviewing local industrialists, the town's domes, painted arches and towers of the housing manager and visiting schools, seminary of Zagorsk some 60 km north east photographing, even sketching in the streets. of . What a splendid introduction to Wednesday and the form of the final report Russian ecclesiastical architecture. It was began to emerge. But there were problems already clear that Russia was more than pot with plans and copying. Then at last Valerie holes, pine forests and heavyweight housing Popov the city architect released some systems. Here was a clear indication of the 1:200() plans of significant parts of the town multiplicity of cultural strands that make up and the Progamming Institute had a photo- the USSR today. copier that could reduce. But even with these It was as the result of an invitation from riches and the two lap-tops and a portable the Centre for Independent Analysis that the printer the team had brought with them the group were heading for Pereslajvl Zalessky, old skills of tracing and freehand drawing twelfth century capital of Yuri-Long-Arm, would have to be used in the final presenta- toasts, a suprise visit from a local folk group site of six Monasteries, practice ground for tion. Arnold received an urgent message, the and the celebration of a one hundredth Peter the Great's navy, site of a Lancastrian priest from a nearby village had called at the birthday. style linen mill and Russia's largest photo- hotel. He wondered if we could pursuade the Saturday and the journey to Moscow. A graphic works. Now the town was the focus local cooperative manager to return all and time for reflection, did we contribute of a National Park and the possible location not just half of his church. Later that evening anything to the people of Pereslavl? We of a 20,000 employee "Technopolis". A last a list of thirty questions appeared. What did seemed to have gained a lot as individuals, minute change from the aerospace city of we think of trolley buses? What was the perhaps as a group, but have we really Chykovsky meant that the group was not as optimum relationship between the villages understood what was expected of us? Had well briefed as the traditional UDAT. and the town? Too late to answer these we been a small part of a power game? Or Arrival in Pereslalvl revealed one of questions directly now, any answers would had we merely contributed to the "collective Russia's contradictions; the town's hotel had have to be woven into the main text of the irresponsibility" that we had been told been inspired by the "west coast" but its report. characterised Russia today? plumbing, wiring and construction were from By Thursday morning the structure of the Next quarter's journal may provide some rustic sources. The hotel was to be home for report and presentation was finalised and answers. the next week. It was after a brief tour of the drafting underway. Still information flowed town on Monday morning that the Team was in, an architect/sociologist brought in his Richard Cole. introduced to the Party Headquarters of the study of housing preferences. Then crisis the Communist Party Central Committee work Party was having a meeting in the main base for the week. Monday afternoon, and committee room on Friday. The presentation AUTUMN PROGRAMME the team was arranged like so many turkey would have to be elsewhere. Tensions rose. Details of the dates of activities will be heads along the dais to hear formal presenta- It was the committee room or no presentation circulated later, but the subject of events tions from rostrum and floor. More contra- and the formal layout would have to be beginning in September will include: dictions were revealed and the town's changed and black out provided. tensions began to emerge. But what was "OK, no problem." • Presidential Address by Francis Tibbalds. really expected of us? There had been plenty Work went on through Thursday night, of experts around. Why add us? foils for the overhead projectors were • Annual lecture which it is hoped will be Back at the hotel a brainstorming session prepared, slides made and a running order given by Christopher Alexander. was held and four issues emerged. Some- defined. Friday dawned, the nightingales body needed to try to unravel the tangled web stopped singing. Preparations for the • Proposals for Greenwich Waterfront. of organisation, who did operate in the town presentation went on. The housing group and how? The distinctive land form around tutored their translator. A portable photo- • A report on the Design Workshop the town and its links to the hinterland were copier (gift from Mr Bush) was rushed in Pereslavl-Zalesski. an important influence on the shape of the from one of the translator's homes. Two existing city and would influence the shape copies of the report could now be made and NEW BUILDINGS IN HISTORIC of future action. The "natural realm" needed the overhead projector foils copied. CONTEXTS examination. The monasteries, the soon to be A rehearsal was timed in room 9. It Architecture and Urban Design will be on the opened by-pass and the wish to provide basic worked! But Anatol the translator would agenda of the Canterbury Festival this year in services all presented an opportunity to have to see the speakers lips, the room was the form of an exhibition (from 14-25 exploit and enhance the special townscape reorganised. Three projectors were focused. October) and an afternoon of talks (on that was Pereslavl. The townscape needed People began to arrive, school children, the Saturday 19 October). The theme of the study. Why persist with the slab blocks of Museum Director, the Chairman of the events will be New Buildings in Historic Micro-disrict 6 when the timber houses of the Executive Committee, the Director of the Contexts within the overall festival theme of loder quarters seeme to offer such a flexible Dendrological Museum left her conifers to Time. and economic alternative? Housing was the Russian spring, Arnold's priest arrived Material for the exhibition is being sought clearly an issue. Then there was the and the founder of the Contact Club entered from Architects and Urban Designers who "Technopolis" what was this? Was it really the building for the first time in thirty years. have either produced projects or completed relevant? Did it offer benifits to the town as The presentation went according to plan, works on this theme. Those interested in a whole? Finally the analysis had to be questions were asked, answers promised. contributing material should contact Keith matched with consideration of means of Documents were signed and copied. Then Bothwell for further details on 0227 762060 implementation. the Party offices were cleared. The finale (day), 0227 459469 (eve) or write to 19 A team of twelve can be divided in a dinner at the hotel marked with endless Lichfield Avenue, Canterbury, CT1 3YA.

2 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 UDQ ISSUE 39 JULY 1991 URBAN DESIGN IN SYDNEY

CONTENTS EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL 1 During the course of editing this issue of UDQ I realised that I had an ulterior motive for selecting Sydney as its subject. It's SYDNEY! SYDNEY! 3 main purpose was to present a portrait of Sydney which would Francesca Morrison reveal its character and offer insights into its attitudes, through the work and views of a number of architects and urban SYDNEY - SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE CITY 4 designers who knew the city well, activities, aspirations and Sir Philip Dowson concerns,. But it was also to be the means by which I would resolve my ambivalent feelings about the city I had forsaken SYDNEY'S STRUGGLE TO URBAN MATURITY 6 three years ago for London. I hoped that, having the opportu- Krystyna Luczak and Francesca Morrison nity to examine it from a distance of 12,000 miles, I might be able to come to a conclusion about its position and potential as WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS 11 a city on the world stage. I might, I thought, be able to extract and and analyse its essence, so that finally I could understand Andrew Andersons Sydney in its most meaningful dimensions, and then, be able to put it away, wrapped up like a huge Christo parcel, to glisten SYDNEY - A UNIQUE PLACE 16 omnipotently in the dark recesses of my mind, until such time Reinforcing the City's Image and Identity as I wanted to open it up again. Darrel Conybeare But cities are not easily wrapped up; they are fluid and THOUGHTS ON A STRATEGY 21 dynamic, their essence is elusive and not easily surrendered. Philip Cox Sydney is no exception and a recent visit to the city, while making it all the more immediate and sensory, has made my CONSERVATION & FACADISM 24 hidden agenda even more difficult to achieve. Harry Seidler Nevertheless, "Urban Design in Sydney" attempts to address GREETINGS FROM OZ 25 both objectives. It shows some of the recently completed urban Ruth Schamroth design projects and discusses their political context, design, implementation and the impact they have had; it looks at new URBAN DESIGN AT THE 25 plans and proposes new ways of designing for the City. While Peter Webber expressing contradictory opinions about specific issues, it reveals the passion for the city and belief in its past, present SYDNEY 2000 26 and future that are held not only by the contributors but by Peter Myers most of its inhabitants. The following introductory article is an attempt to resolve the issues which concern me and to make a BOOK REVIEWS 28 contribution to the understanding of Sydney. Francesca Morrison

Francesca Morrison, Guest Editor, was Principal Urban COVER: "COOLING" by Peter Kingston shows the scene by Designer at the Sydney City Council 1981-87 and Manager of the harbourside North Sydney Olympic Pool,. It is flanked by Architecture and Planning at the Sydney Cove Redevelopment the "Just for Fun" face of the 1930's Luna Park on the right. Authority 1987-88. She currently works in London. The Opera House, the City, Millers Point and are in the background. Peter Kingston is a Sydney artist and architecture graduate.

General Enquiries to: Membership Enquiries and notiication of change of address to: Lawrence Revill (Chairman) Sally Hardy The Urban Design Group, c/o 17 Hatton Street, LONDON NW8 8PL 15 Micawber Street, LONDON N1 7TB Tel: 071-239 7777 Tel: 071-490 1128

EDITOR John Billingham GUEST EDITOR Francesca Morrison LAYOUT Kelvin Campbell, Philp Jackson, Francesca Morrison EDITORIAL GROUP John Billingham, Kelvin Campbell, Philip Jackson. Arnold Linden, Francesca Morrison, Bob Jarvis, Tim Catchpole. Martin Richardson, Alan Simpson, David Turner PRINTING Constable Printing DTP DEGW, Urban Initiatives COPYRIGHT Urban Design Group ISBN 0266-6480 Material for Publication or review should be addressed to; The Editor. 26 Park Road. Abingdon, Oxon OXI4 IDS. Tel: 0908 692 692(w) 0235 526094(h). £3.00 or free to Urban Design Group Members (Subscription £14.00). The Urban Design Group is not responsible for the views expressed or statements made by the individuals writing or reporting in this journal.

1 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 Aerial view of Sydney showing from left; Bay with , Mrs. Macquarie's Point, Farm Cove, Royal Botanic Gardens with the Domain and Hyde Park behind, Bennelong Point with the Opera House, Sydney Cove and Circular Quay, the Rocks area, Dawes Point and approach to Harbour Bridge and part of Pyrmont Peninsula. In the background is Botany Bay.

2 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 nary sites, possess. The problem is perhaps With these projects can be seen the SYDNEY! SYDNEY! well illustrated by an anecdote I heard beginnings of the city's recognition of the recently: Ettore Sottsass was visiting Sydney; existing, but almost forgotten landscape at yet another cocktail party in an elegant framework, and a move towards a plan which Sydney, like all Australian cities, is an Eastern Suburbs apartment with magnificent can embrace both city centre and harbour by isolated urban entity. Behind it, beyond the harbour views he was asked yet again how he building on that framework and the city's coastal mountain range, stretches the liked the Harbour. Didn't he think it was landscape potential. country's vast empty interior; before it is the beautiful? This time, having grown accus- Darling Harbour can also be seen as the ocean which separates it from the rest of the tomed to local expressions, he was able to catalyst for a wider public concern for the world. It is a young city with an optimistic answer with true Sydney forthrightness, "I'm city centre. When the government proposed open-ended view of itself and an energy sick to death of your bloody beautiful an elevated monorail to run through the which is both dynamic and laconic. But is harbour, where is your city?" centre to Darling Harbour the people Sydney a city with meaning for the world, or The creation of symbiotically related urban expressed their objections in two protest is it one which exists purely for itself, artefacts has never been Sydney's forte. marches. The monorail was built, but influencing and influenced by little beyond Although it had a respectable traditional development in the city centre became a its shores? The question is one which physical coherence it never achieved a rich major issue, with every large proposal held constantly nags me. intensely urban centre formed by the up to public scrutiny. People were beginning If great cities are those that play host to relationship of buildings and spaces. The to realise that the delicate balance which important world events, those in which Opera House and the Harbour Bridge which existed between the built environment and historic dramas are acted out, then Sydney have come to symbolise the city, were the landscape system was threatened by the cannot be described as great - it has had little inspired by theharbour and relate to it; the ill-conceived insertion of gigantic new to do with the shaping of global opinion, City's Art Gallery sits in isolation amid the developments in the city's fabric. A new whether cultural, political or economic. Yet, parklands on its eastern edge; a formalised appreciation of the city's framework was at the moment, the image the world has of street of grand public buildings dating from developing as the need for a plan to prevent Sydney is changing. colonial times lies between the eastern parks wholesale disaster became imperative. These days a mention of the name, Sydney, and the city's edge; it's first museums were With the new Strategy Plan, Sydney is will frequently provoke an interested built at the edges relating to the city's park making its first comprehensive attempt to response. It is now seen as a glamorous system rather than the core; and the universi- clearly define and build on its landscape modern city surrounded by beaches, set on ties are beyond its southern boundary. framework, to exploit its topography and the edge of a vast, sparkling, blue expanse of In recent developments a new theatre relate its disparate elements by creating a water which converges at the horizon with an complex has been set up on a once derelict new series of physical and visual links which equally vast and blue sky. The Opera House harbour pier; new museums have opened at will also connect to and expand its centre. and the Harbour Bridge are juxtaposed Darling Harbour and another is to be located But, it has not yet made the gesture that dramatically in the foreground and the city at Circular Quay - all at the city's edges and would give the centre a real significance and centre rises vigorously behind. It is a in relationship with the harbour. a positive relationship with its framework - it sumptuous image, breathtaking and energis- Thus the buildings which could have does not propose a central open space, a heart ing, expressing a relationship with the natural produced a frisson of cultural activity in the for the city. Sydney still prefers to continue environment and ideas about space which do centre and become permanent physical the visual drama of its edges. not exist in European cities. But what lies monuments around which an urban core As the city's concentration on its edges behind that image? Is it all superficial; mere could evolve have been dispersed in Syd- reflects the country's pattern of intense surface gloss arrived at mostly through good ney's plan and continue to be. This is not to coastal development it is pertinent to look at fortune, symbolising a life which is dedicated say that they have been considered unimpor- the wider picture. itself, is mainly to ease and leisure? Or is there behind tant, rather they were considered to be of intrinsically a landscape country; vast areas it a serious attempt to fuse the physical such significance that they were given prime of its interior lie undeveloped in their natural attributes and the glossy image with a way of sites in the landscape, sites which command state. To the urban population Australia has life which might provide a new model for grand views and which can be viewed from an empty centre; to its aboriginal population, urbanism in the 21st century? various vantage points. The historical the empty heart of Australia is where the Sydney has indisputably been blessed with problem has been not only the loss of body of its meaning exists. With its new good fortune. From some vantage points its richness and intellectual life for the centre but emphasis on relationships and connectedness location on the harbour makes it seem more the isolation from each other of the cultural in the landscape, Sydney may be coming to a like a vast natural reserve than a city. It is the elements. closer understanding of its place in the harbour which is the generative force in Sydney's planning has always been landscape pattern of the continent and Sydney, in a sense its image and its essence. concerned with landscape and, from its eventually to an understanding of the Wherever you look - there it is - a glimpse, a earliest days, a cultural life was sacrificed for relationship between the land and the vista, a panorama. At the end of a narrow a landscape vision, an intellectual life for a aboriginal people. Australia's greatest good street of terraces where you least expect it, physical and visual relationship with the fortune is the rare opportunity it has to there suddenly is the Bridge, looming large landscape. This vision created great tracts of discover an identity based on a two-way flow and out of scale, a reminder of the harbour parkland associated with the harbour but of knowledge between its original inhabitants and its great watery expanses. Or crossing failed to create and link them to places where and its relatively recently arrived settlers. the Bridge, a dazzling sweep of the land form people would meet to discuss events and Although it still has a long way to go, Sydney and waterway pattern is all around you. The ideas. At the end of the day, it is the may well be on the way to creating the harbour has seeped into the bloodstream of landscape that Sydney people prefer to be in, foundation for that essential symbiotic Sydneysiders, it affects mannerisms, myths with backs to the city and faces to the view, relationship and a new Australian culture. If and mores; it has created the form of the city to take respite from the demands of urban it does its meaning in the world is assured. and the spread of the suburbs; it provides the life, which is itself acted out against the In the meantime, behind the image there is cyclorama against which Sydney life is acted background of the beckoning landscape. a city with a philosophy which is beginning out and at the same time it is the city's Although inspired by a passion for the to be expressed through its urban design. It is playground and main street. It is central to harbour, it is primarily in the city's landscape a city which is committed to creating an Sydney's idea of itself. But although the context that the Bicentennial Darling Harbour open, expansive and egalitarian environment, harbour is the city's raison d'etre, it is not its and Circular Quay projects took place. Their and Darling Harbour and Circular Quay are heart. While it provides a splendid array of main objectives were to open up the edges of the physical manifestations of those physical and visual benefits it does not the city to theharbour, to link elements and principles. replace that intense urban core which make connections along the foreshores which European cities, less blessed with extraordi- had either been lost or had never existed. Francesca Morrison

3 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 SYDNEY - SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE CITY • SIR PHILIP DOWSON •

I first came to Sydney as a 20 year old and rejoice - but he shook his head. I am speaks of common sense and produces a Naval Officer in February 1945. Standing to reminded that behind most great buildings background of good and unostentatious attention in the eyes of a Fleet Destroyer there lurks the shadow of Icarus. architecture. On the other hand, there is a negotiating the Heads in the early hours of Design is not safe, nor culture sterile. In love of gambling, and of taking risks, which the morning. I was astonished to see thou- England, we live at a time when paradoxi- has produced some of the most radical and sands of people waving large white sheets cally we seem to try and rob our cities of outstanding public buildings of this century. who had come out at that hour to greet the their twentieth century reality. We have a Sydney, like no other harbour city that I Pacific Fleet. Sydney provided both a great regressive instinct which seeks to insure have ever known, and unlike so many others harbour and a great welcome. against the fear of the unknown by taking that have been isolated from their shores by I remember a relaxed society, with a sense refuge in the false security of known roads, is not on the edge of the harbour at all, of distance, compounded by so many people historical patterns. We do this even where but embraces it. The water and its activities still referring to England as home. Whilst the these patterns are quite inappropriate or are in its very midst and are the visible and cultural focus may have seemed in some inadequate, and are, by definition, yester- very public domain that unites the whole. ways ambiguous, I felt there was neverthe- day's solutions to yesterday's problems. This The increasing pressure towards the shore less, underlying it all a strong commercial becomes a substitute for the real "an escape tends to expose the innate form which in bite and a hard edge to this vital maritime culture" which is exemplified by Prince some strange way has become more evident city, with its unique Australian identity. I Charles who, when opening the Wren and distinctive as this pressure has increased, remember too a "Georgian House" on Exhibition in Washington, said that he further emphasising the nature of the city Bellevue Hill, perhaps 1840, of extraordinary "understands all about expressing the spirit of itself and its pattern of growth. As I have elegance, standing in its own grounds the age, but is alarmed that the age has no remembered Sydney in the three times I have surrounded by a high stone wall, with lawns spirit". There is a futility in chasing mere visited in '45, '73 and '90, the relationship that sloped towards the Harbour, and with a memories, rather than pursuing ideas that can between harbour and city has become closer ballroom in which Melba sang. It was sensibly draw lessons from our great and stronger, with the Opera House now demolished in the 1950's, before the precedents. Certainly, with an ancient anchored at its very focus - a wonderful importance of conservation was more widely tradition steeped in discipline and logic, as it Trafalgar Square on water. recognised. I think it could not happen now. will be, there will always lie a seed for a Wandering one evening in Darling The walls still exist but within them are three reawakening to its principles and ideas, Harbour, I wondered where else in the blocks. which are enduring and beyond fashion. But one could see such a modern microcosm of a When I came back in 1973 for the opening that is about principles, not styles. city within a city. This extraordinary area, of the Opera House, Sydney was a cosmo- So with the architectural compass slowly bounded by the exhibition hall, is so vital a politan city. The design and completion of swinging on its binnacle in search of tawdry place with its commerce and shopping, the Opera House were both a triumph. It was variety, there emerges the mediocre, emulsi- museum and ferries, parks and fun fair, small not thus however for Ove Arup, for the fied by bureaucratic regulation, that sadly yachts at their moorings and large ocean- wounds ran deep and he came with a certain makes up so much of our urban development. going cargo ships - both the public and sadness, rather perhaps in the spirit of To a large extent central Sydney seems to private domain - which are all seen against benediction. Standing with him on the deck have avoided this problem. Within the the backdrop of downtown Sydney. one evening during an interval I tried to put Australian character there are perhaps two There is variety and activity, the vulgar the whole story into a longer and larger very different, yet apparently compatible, and the elegant, the juxtapositions that speak perspective, and argued that he should accept qualities which are also expressed in their less of places than of relationships. These, the achievement for what it was, and what it cities. There is the practical, down to earth one recognises, will be often accidental and meant to the city and the country as a whole attitude in their building, which visibly subject to change, but there is beauty in the

4 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 disordered as well as the ordered, in the lively, interesting and human background for never really grasped. Subsequent develop- contradictions and in the complexities. There the space it dominates with both its form and ments along the Thames have little of the is also the sense of it all being part of the silhouette. The impact of the regeneration of urban and metropolitan quality that should same theatre - with relationships that could a part, even a relatively small part, of a city invest the centre of a great capital city. There develop and grow. Here is an urban setting, a can be dramatic. When national pride acts in are areas, as in Docklands, of reconstructed new piece of city, that owes nothing at all to concert with an anniversary, the result devastation, and others which are simply the nostalgic view of History which plagues becomes a major gesture in urban develop- selfish or bland. Behind it all is the lack of us here (in fact owes nothing except to the ment, as Darling Harbour demonstrates. any political will. late 20th Century), which is being inhabited, Here the urban content can be seen to affect It is argued that there is less place nowa- possessed, and above all, quite evidently not only the physical environment, with all days for civic form and symbols in societies enjoyed. It made me feel as some other rare its social and cultural overtones, but also the in which the telephone, television and the places have done, that I had myself come morale of people. motor car are the means of communication home in the last decade of this century. Every generation, as every individual, has between people, and that the randomness and The "age has no spirit"? - what nonsense. a need for self-discovery, if it is to have a lack of urban quality is merely a reflection of Speaking with the experience of the recognisable identity and the self confidence this development. I cannot believe this to be English scene, I marvel at how the Opera to act in its own interest. It needs, in a sense, true. With advanced and multiple pressures House managed to break and blunder its way to put a mirror up to itself, to have its perceptual references become more important through all the webs of anti-patronage, symbols for self recognition and for self than ever. I believe it is one of Sydney's against all the odds, to exist at all and to respect, and to inspire effort and place its great achievements, and in rare measure, to become a building which now the whole own generation in its own time. have accomplished an image which is now world admires, and which has displaced the Both the Opera House and the Exhibition amongst the most immediately recognised kangaroo as the symbol of its country. The Hall are brave gestures of this kind, playing and evocative in the world. But it is also a Exhibition Hall in Darling Harbour, by Philip for high stakes. Gambles yes, but also city with so many of its Victorian roots Cox, is another example of inspired patron- expressions of confidence - that vital intact. In experiencing places we do so in age. It is radical and does not in any way ingredient that beggars analysis - which is so memory and the perception we have of them conform, yet it is most appropriate for a necessary as a base and stimulus from which is furnished by this memory. It is also dockside building, with its framed steel splendid things can happen. Sydney's great achievement that conserva- structures which are of a scale generally In 1951, the Festival of Britain burst on a tion has not been a mere reaction to change, associated with civil engineering. Glimpsed drab and degraded wartime London. We but an assessment of values. An attitude that from a side street, it is of a different scale walked suddenly into a new world, with a has made, I believe, its radical achievements completely, and most dramatic. At another new spirit, on the edge of the Thames. Not possible. level though, it is a signal within the city of a only was it a place of light and gaiety, and major civic space, and in these terms alone thriving activity, but it was primarily a justifies its existence as a powerful object statement of hope; it was a vision. It was a Left. The Exhibition Hall by Philip Cox. within the cityscape. Its "presence" and tryst with a future that was not beyond the Above. The central space at Darling sheer size stimulate expectations of an realm of dreams. It was a prototype of what Harbour, . important destination, and it does not could be done in the public realm and with disappoint. In detail, what I liked so much civic places where the political will existed. Sir Philip Dowson is one of the founder was that in spite of its size., it provides a Sadly, it was stillborn and its lessons were partners of Arup Associate.s

5 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 SYDNEY'S STRUGGLE TO URBAN MATURITY KRYSTYNA LUCZAK • FRANCESCA MORRISON

From its unpromising beginnings as a golden glow of Sydney gave the The scale and dynamism of the Harbour convict settlement in 1788, Sydney has city its colour. This state of urban Bridge notwithstanding, Sydney remained grown into a beguiling city. Its internation- tranquility, which lasted well into the 20th essentially a low scale European style city ally recognised icons of Harbour Bridge and century, had three main causes; the Height of until 1957 when the Height of Buildings Act Opera House suggest technological and Buildings Act of 1912 which limited building was abolished. cultural maturity, pragmatism tempered by height in the city to 150 feet; the economic The late 1950's and 60's marked a turning higher aspirations. However, this powerful limitations resulting from the onset of the two point in Australia's cultural outlook and imagery combined with its splendid harbour World Wars and the Great Depression; and identity and during this period ties with setting disguises the difficulty that Sydney the continued adherence to a conceptual city Britain were weakened. The Second World has experienced in achieving successful model of European origin. War had brought with it a realisation of urban design. Australia's geographic and economic Sydney's story is one of a city growing BEAUTIFICATION OF SYDNEY 1908 isolation from Europe and the country began up. From its birth as a British outpost and The city's regard for this model was to turn towards America for cultural inspira- its childhood as the recipient and respecter demonstrated by the designs produced for the tion. America symbolised modernity and of the principles of the mother country, to Royal Commission for the Beautification of progress, nowhere more potently than in its its energetic and somewhat unruly Sydney and its Suburbs (1908-09) - Sydney's corporate architecture. Sydney, more than

teenagehood, it has developed a dynamism first attempt to develop an urbanistic vision. any other Australian city, identified with and and identity which is all its own. As it enters The Commission generated a wealth of embraced the vitality exhibited by the early adulthood Sydney's energy and vitality designs which in many instances expressed American prototype. Thus the erosion of the are gradually being harnessed to develop the ideas of contemporary European and fabric of the city was begun by the superim- what Sydneysiders hope will become a city American urban design principles; the position of a new physical and spatial of world significance. Garden City Movement, Beaux Art Planning concept. Based on the idea of elements sitting As the country was not settled by Europe- and the City Beautiful Movement. Ambi- freely in space, it was in contrast to the ans until the late 18th Century, its cities tious plans were drawn up for various parts existing pattern in which buildings defined lacked a regional urbanistic tradition to draw of the city by leading architects (the majority and enclosed space - street walls of buildings on. Australia's identity and place in the of whom were trained in Britain) but they did began to give way to single towers set in world were defined by its British heritage and not derive from an overall vision for the city. plazas or on low podiums. Architects secured by having the world's highest Gross While most of the schemes were not acted on revelled in the possibilities of the new National Product per capita. By the at the time for economic reasons, they were building and construction technologies and late.nineteenth century, Sydney's growth had the genesis of significant works carried out in the end of post war limitations in materials outstripped the landscape visions of the early the next 30 years. and finance, while developers enjoyed the governors and it developed into a city of The most notable of these was the con- windfall returns gained from the economies European character and scale. It was struction in 1932 of the Harbour Bridge, a of scale that the new form of construction characterised by fine Colonial buildings and structure which, apart from its rusticated offered. landmark Victorian monuments which had stone pylons, had nothing in common with The enthusiasm of the architects and been financed by wealth generated from the formalised architectural or civic design engineers of the day is demonstrated by the goldfields. It was visually unified and styles. Until the Opera House was built in execution of two developments which spatially coherent; buildings, between six and the 1970's, it was the city's only potent man- heralded the city's new aspirations. The first ten storeys high, defined the streets and the made visual symbol. was the construction in 1959 of the Cahill

6 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 Expressway across Circular Quay. It was the city a critical reaction was emerging. In maximums set for each city precinct, varying constructed above an elevated railway built 1971 the government proposed to raze the between 10:1 and 12:1. A complex system of in 1956. The railway line and the station Rocks, the waterfront quarter at West incentives was introduced by which addi- building were the first elements to visually Circular Quay, which dated from the city's tional floor space could be awarded in separate the city from its waterfront gateway. first settlement and was still intact. The exchange for the provision of bonus ele- The expressway obliterated the remaining proposal, to develop the whole area as a high- ments, a system which in principle offered sense of connection. The second was the rise commercial precinct, so outraged the more for the city than the previous ordinance. construction in 1961, of the A.M P. building people of Sydney that the Builders' Labour- Based on the New York System, the Code, facing the on the edge of ers' Union joined with the residents in protest over time, experienced problems similar to Circular Quay. 26 storeys high, it was and banned its members from working on the those of New York and the intended benefits Australia's tallest building and was the first job. These 'green bans' were so influential for the city largely became benefits for the significant departure from the 150' height that the project was abandoned before any developer. limit. building had commenced. The Strategic Plan also specified Action The green bans heralded the beginnings of Plans for the implementation of civic design, THE MINISTER'S ORDINANCE a conservation movement in Sydney and the most successful being the pedestrianisa- The Height of Buildings Act was replaced formed the basis for collective public tion of , Sydney's grandest by an ordinance which was designed to opposition to future attempts by government street, and the creation of Sydney Square as a encourage the new tower building type. It to carry out wholesale redevelopment of civic space and setting for the 19th century allowed a basic floor space ratio of 10:1 and residential areas. Thus even while and St Andrew's Cathedral. The an additional 2:1 for the provision of open was developing a liking for tower buildings it two most significant projects identified by plazas, colonnades and pedestrian access was beginning to protect its low-scale the Plan were the development of Darling through or around the building. No height suburban heritage. The rejection of both the Harbour and the creation of a pedestrian limit was reintroduced and Sydney soon Rocks scheme and the redevelopment plan promenade from the Opera House to Circular

discovered that it had a taste for high-rise for Woolloomooloo in 1975, ( also the Quay, both of which the State Government towers. The challenge to construct the city's subject of green bans), marked the end of eventually developed in 1988. highest building began. interventionist physical planning for Sydney. Although the Strategic Plan recom- , the most successful mended that urban design guidelines and building erected under the ordinance was STRATEGIC PLAN controls be devised for all the city precincts completed in 1968. Designed by Harry In 1971 the adoption of the City of Sydney the recommendation was not carried out. Seidler, it is an elegant 50 storey circular Strategic Plan by the Sydney City Council, Thus, while its implementation resulted in tower flanked by a lower slab building. ushered in the practise of planning as a significant improvement in pedestrian Between the two buildings is a sheltered sun- flexible process, allowing adhoc change movement and amenity, the ad hoc nature of filled open space which was instantly popular which, in theory, was tempered by the its attitude to the height, bulk and siting of with the people of Sydney. However, the requirements of a new Development Code buildings led to much criticism. success of Australia Square was due to the and the checks and balances of community Despite, or perhaps because of, its high imagination of the architect rather than the participation. density of development Sydney did not suffer requirements of the ordinance and few other The Strategic Plan was the first compre- site sterilisation - one of the key problems buildings were as well-designed. hensive planning strategy for the city, It associated with over-zoning. Demand for Although in principle the new buildings tackled the most pressing issues of the day - office accommodation remained high and the mostly followed New York's Seagram movement, function and city-planning city remained the preferred location for Building and Lever House, the Sydney street administration - for which the Council set up international and national corporate head- pattern and block size did not accommodate a Strategic Planning Department. Amongst quarters, even though the government them as easily as 's grid. By the its recommendations was a new system of Left. Sydney in the mid 19th century early 70's the city's fabric had been signifi- development controls for the city. Under the Above. The Opera House and the City cantly altered. Development Control Code basic densities with the AMP Building and the Cahill Coinciding with the changes occurring in were decreased to 5:1, with different Expressway, 1988.

7 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 encouraged decentralisation. Building height tions in height in many cases (particularly and proximity to the waterfront became the when proposals were made for buildings as strongest economic imperatives for a high as 120 storeys which would cast huge property owner and the tall office tower came shadows over parks and other urban spaces), to be associated with Sydney's image and for relocating buildings on their sites to cultural values. achieve more cohesion in terms of streetscape Cities with long urbanistic traditions such and form, and for conservation. as and have understood the There was often disagreement between effect of the tall object tower being imposed architects and others involved in the urban on the traditional spatial pattern and have design process. (For example the recent quarantined it in areas of new development. Grosvenor Place issue in which the architect Sydney on the other hand, likes its new for the proposal fought unsuccessfully for the skyline of towers with their whiff of power removal of the Conservation Order on the and energy, and has recently been seeking a facades of the group of buildings on one way to have its towers, and its traditional corner of the site). Architects were openly street pattern and block form as well. critical of proposed buildings they considered By the late 80's public awareness of to be detrimental to the well-being of the city. environmental and urban issues had grown. The R.A.I.A's Design Committee took There was a new sense of identity emerging, members to task for designing insensitive and with it, a desire for a new city which in additions to the existing fabric of the city. its maturity, would understand its roots and The people of Sydney came out in force in the meaning of its patterns and structures, 1986, in two street demonstrations to oppose and build on these to evolve a unique form. the Darling Harbour monorail which was Thus the debate was no longer whether designed to run through the centre of the city Sydney should have tall towers but how tall past some of its best loved Victorian they would be, how they were to be designed, buildings. where they were to be placed, how they were The Labor State Government began to to connect with and improve the overall intercede in situations in which it thought the physical structure and how they were to interests of the economy were not being relate to historic buildings. served by the City Council. It took applica- Proposals for new buildings were hotly tions out of the hands of the city, and debated in the press, in articles, editorials and approved developments in contradiction to in letters. Demands were made for reduc- the planning legislation.

Right. Sydney skyscrapers with West Rocks and Walsh Bay in the foreground. Below. Grosvenor Place on left with historic buildings on the corner.

i'.Hiutmiuti

8 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 Big firms of developers began to by-pass the City Council altogether, going straight to the government for backing for their propos- als. Other developers complained of the lack of rules and inconsistencies in approvals. The City Council's architects and planners discussed an urban design plan which would examine and analyse the city's form and create tools to sensitively guide new develop- ment into the existing fabric, using its structure as the basis for making decisions about the role and siting of new buildings and the creation of new open spaces. Seminars were set up in which architects, planners, members of the public and developers discussed a vision for the future of Sydney and the means by which to achieve it.

CENTRAL SYDNEY PLAN 1988 The political solution seemed to lie in a plan which was acceptable to both the State and the City and a change of government in 1987 meant that the proposition of a joint plan was acceptable. Thus, after a lengthy process of involvement with all sections of the community had been undertaken, the Central Sydney Strategy Plan 1988 was prepared by the City Council and the NSW Department of Environment and Planning to set out a new vision for the City and a strategy for its achievement. The focus of the Strategy Plan was the "City Centre" which includes the traditional Central Business District, the parklands, the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Area (the Rocks) and Darling Harbour. It recognised that the City Centre was no longer confined to the Central Business District and identified opportunities for long-term growth on the eastern edge of the CBD and to the south of the Central Railway Area. The Ultimo Pyrmount Area to the west of Darling

Top Left. Darling Harbour monorail under construction in city centre. Left. Idea for southern CBD, MSJ Group. Below. Town Hall Precinct, Height LEGEND Control Plane No.l.

WALKUPS

n

9 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 Harbour was designated as a "Special traffic servicing and pedestrians. Under this Development Area" for more intensive framework new routes for ferries, buses and residential, tourist and commercial use. rail have been identified and new transport The Development Control Code was interchanges have been planned in locations simplified. The complex bonus system which will add further to cross-town (east- which was so often exploited by developers west) movement. to the detriment of the city was replaced by A key aspect of the strategy was the the basic floor space ratio of 10:1 with one concept that Central Sydney contains a bonus only of 2.5:1 for purchase of floor number of precincts of distinctive functional space from historic sites or for particular and physical character. Each precinct was public benefits (to be specified in the analysed in detail and planning objectives forthcoming associated statutory plan). The were identified to provide a broad guide for maximum floor space ratio remained at environmental management of the city. 12.5:1. Height parameters were introduced These objectives are being developed into to the development control system which detailed development guidelines, of both were set by certain requirements: the mandatory and advisory nature. maintenance of sunlight access to parks and The broad directions of the Strategy are squares; the conservation of heritage now being translated into a Statutory Local streetscapes; the maintenance of vistas to Environmental Plan and a prescriptive major landmarks and the harbour; the Development Control Plan which will be reinforcement of the character of squares, supported by technical guidelines and places and parks; the reduction of high winds programmes for civic works for each at street level and the encouragement of precinct. cooling breezes. Thus maximum floor space The 1988 Strategy is the first planning ratio will not be attainable on all sites. document in Sydney to contain an analysis of To provide the basis for the urban design the three-dimensional structure of the city requirements and for new civic works and initiatives to reinforce and restore it's programmes the Strategy identified those quality and character . It has made great elements and qualities which give the city its progress in developing an understanding of special character and analysed relationships the composition of the city in urban design between them - the harbour, the parklands, terms. Although it stops short of being a the street pattern, the shape and form of the physical master plan it is based on a vision CBD, the gateways, precincts, streetscapes for the city and proposes statutory mecha- views, landmarks and heritage items. nisms for its achievement. The Strategy also identified and illustrated This plan, if followed should provide the opportunities to achieve greater physical and means for the city to win back its order and visual cohesion throughout the centre by meaning and to start drawing on its site and linking the parks, city streets and the harbour climate for unique building type. with a series of tree-planted avenues and However the perennial chestnuts remain. small open spaces; by specifying new How is planning legislation framed to landmark sites; creating new focii of activity; achieve good architecture and not merely and further extending public access to prevent the worst excesses? How is medioc- harbour foreshores. rity and shabby architecture eliminated? And Requirements for new buildings to enhance will the Strategy, and the concept of urban streetscapes were set out to define and design, that long-term process which requires reinforce the city's street pattern and to commitment and adherence to a city vision, maintain an overall city form which steps up succeed in a city that is bedevilled by highly from the eastern, western and southern edges politicised local cultural conditions and has to a north-south ridge. As well as building yet to develop a non-partisan city govern- on the city's existing shape to emphasise its ment? strength and drama, this form allows the Sydney's major opportunity to explore penetration of sea breezes and pollutant regional typology and to implement this dispersing winds, minimises high winds at through a physical plan is the proposed ground level and is consistent with avoiding redevelopment of Pyromont Peninsula - a site overshadowing of the parks. In certain areas which echoes the topographic features of buildings are required to set back to an Sydney's CBD across Darling Harbour and existing parapet height to maintain continuity like London's Docklands was made available and to allow penetration of light, air and for development by obsolescent industry and sunlight to streets. port activity. The urban design principles also covered the location of parking and vehicular access points, the creation of pedestrian interest at ground floor levels, pedestrian protection, Top, Centre, Below. Central Sydney maintenance of vistas, impact on the skyline, Strategy Plan diagrams. and development around parks. A Heritage Inventory was established to clarify the status of old buildings and structures and urban design principles were Krystyna Luczak is an Executive Planner set out to assist the integration of old and new at the Sydney City Council and is a buildings in streetscapes. member of the RAIA Design Committee. A framework was established for the She was involved in the preparation of the integration of policies for public transport, 1988 Central Sydney Strategy Plan.

10 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS Darling Harbour and Circular Quay • ANDREW ANDERSONS •

Sydney is one of the few modern cities in the Ralph Freeman and architects Sir John Sculptural, tile-clad shells rise from a pink world to have a clearly discernible image. Burnet and Partners, gave Sydney the first of podium, magically reflecting the sun Unlike other cities which grew rapidly in the its man-made symbols. Its graceful steel arch and the moon. Stepping out on to the podium nineteenth century, Sydney's image is not and hangers, contained by massive rusti- at interval, into the balmy salt-tinged ocean based upon great architectural ensembles or cated-granite pylons still dominate the breeze makes attending performances in this monumental boulevards but results from the magnificent vista along the east-west axis of building a unique experience. juxtaposition of relatively recently man-made the harbour and can be seen from hundreds of The success of the elements upon its greatest asset - Sydney locations all around the harbour as well as emphasized the perception of the adjacent Harbour. from high points in the outer suburbs. Sydney Cove as Sydney's principal civic All of Australia's cities, with the excep- In the inter-war period, the harbour was the space. Increasingly the rituals of city, state tion of , hug the coastline of the focus of many of the city's activities. Tens and nation are played out on the water to be world's driest continent. All these cities of thousand of wharf-labourers man-handled viewed from boats, the water's edge and the enjoy the proximity of great rivers, harbours the cargo of hundreds of steamships at surrounding amphitheatre formed by or estuaries, but it is in Sydney that the very picturesque hardwood wharves around the thousands of buildings. This was particularly ethos of the city lies in its physical, historical city and quenched their thirst at waterside the case for Australia's celebrations for the as well as economic relationship with the pubs. Australia's isolation from the rest of bicentenary of European settlement in 1988 harbour. the world was dramatised by the departures in which a massive complement of cultural Only a few days after arriving at Botany of large ocean liners amid festoons of paper facilities and civic improvements was Bay in 1788, the first pathetic band of streamers thrown by well wishers from the unveiled, resulting largely from the vision of convicts, transported from Britain's over- wharves. Neville Wran, the N.S.W. Labor Premier crowded jails, were moved to the more Before the post World War II advent of from 1977-1987. hospitable shores of what is now Sydney universal car ownership, numerous ferries Wran presided over an extraordinary Harbour. Here, around Sydney Cove, plied the harbour giving access to many number of substantial additions to the adjacent to sheltered deep-water anchorage beaches and bushland reserves on weekends. cultural life of the city. In a decade of the humble settlement began. This period was also the heyday of the activity leading up to 1988 new football Growth was slow initially, but with the "eighteen-footer" sailing boat, Sydney's stadiums, botanic gardens, halls for pop- discovery of gold, the coming railway, the bizarre contribution to sailing in which a concerts and sophisticated drama theatres steamship and the telegraph in the third large complement of weighty sailors seeks to were built; major additions to the State quarter of the nineteenth century, the colonies balance a small boat with excessive sail area Library, the Art Gallery of N.S.W. and the of and Victoria boasted in a fresh Sydney "north-easter" blowing were carried out; and at what today would be termed the highest gross from the not always aptly-named Pacific Ultimo a new museum was created in the old national product per capital of population in Ocean. Power Station. The restoration of many the world. Sydney's second, and more memorable, historic buildings was also included in the Grand public buildings were built upon architectural symbol, the Sydney Opera programme. Unprecedented in the traditional Sydney's pragmatically distorted street grid House dominated both political life and roles of the State Government were the two and pretentious mansions dominated harbour gossip in the city for two decades from the major waterfront projects at Circular Quay headlands, symbolising the wealth of the mid 1950s to the 1970s. Upon its completion and Darling Harbour which have done so recently emerged middle class. The port was in 1973 it set in motion a renaissance of the much to enhance the quality of life for the City's life-blood, its connection with the performing arts in Australia, was acclaimed Sydney's residents and visitors alike. It was world in an export-orientated economy, but it as one of the world masterpieces of 20th a bitter twist of political irony that after was also a transportation burden, as in the century architecture and became Australia's Wran's retirement from politics, the Labor absence of a bridge, the harbour could only most visited tourist attraction. government was to lose the 1988 elections - be traversed by punts and ferries. Largely at the prompting of Sir Eugene partly because of a public perception of Since the beginning of the nineteenth Goossens, composer, Director of the N.S.W. "profligate government expenditure". century, in the days of Australia's first Conservatorium of Music and the then chief architect, the convict Francis Greenway, the conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orches- CIRCULAR QUAY IMPROVEMENT need for a harbour crossing had been under tra, the State Labor government in 1954 Both the Circular Quay and Darling discussion. A hundred years later tangible decided to hold an international competition Harbour schemes were made possible progress took place as a result of the ambi- for the design of a two hall multi-purpose because of changing transport technology. tious vision of N.S.W Government Director performing arts complex, inappropriately to The Quay had been dominated by thriving of Public Works, Dr. Bradfield who, in a be called the Opera House. A distinguished activity in passenger liners which abruptly series of reports promoted the transportation jury, including Eero Saarinen and Sir Leslie came to an end about 1970 when travel by jet infrastructure which was to support the Martin, judged a young Danish architect, aeroplane became the norm. Darling tripling of Sydney's population in the next Joern Utzon to be the winner in 1957. Harbour was the victim of containerisation of half century. Commenced in great haste for political maritime cargo and the replacement by road Contractually committed in the boom year purposes, the building was not completed by transport for less bulky items previously of 1924, the construction of the Sydney its architect who felt compelled to resign in carried by rail. While there are similarities Harbour Bridge continued during the 1966 because of a multitude of problems between the Circular Quay and Darling depression years to open in March 1932, which were not of his making. However it is Harbour projects, there are perhaps more when more than a million Sydney siders, unquestionably Utzon's creative genius that important differences between the two, in crossed the newly constructed engineering makes the Sydney Opera house the universal terms of scale, content, impact and imple- marvel. Builders Donnan Long, engineer success that it is today. mentation.

11 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 Although the Sydney Opera House and the participants such as Kenneth Frampton and historic "Rocks" precinct, on the western Jaqueline Robertson made well reported shore of Sydney Cove, attracted several public comments upon the lack of appropri- million visitors each year, and tens of ate design and facilities for an area of such thousands of commuters passed through the significance in the city as Circular Quay. The rail, ferry and bus daily, the R.A.I.A.'s Circular Quay Ideas Competition physical reality was a foreshore largely and publication "Quay Visions" presented alienated from public use, with barbed wire tangible evidence of what could be done, fences protecting dilapidated wharves and creating an appropriate climate for govern- surface car-parking occupying invaluable ment involvement. The N.S.W. Public waterside land. The approach to the Opera Works Department proposed an upgrading of House was disfigured by a "temporary" the Quay as a project to Premier Wran and a covered way and an ugly staff car-parking Steering Committee, which was managed by area. The unfortunate rail and road viaduct, the Department of Environment and Plan- which was built in the 1950s cutting the city ning, and consisted of representatives of all off from the water's edge, was devoid of the government bodies, prepared a series of charm and any activity at its base worthy of reports forming a development plan. its location. On the west side unnecessary The development reports were the result of port roads and an over - capacious shipping a remarkable exercise in co-operation terminal debased a potentially attractive between government bodies which previ- waterfront park. ously had taken decisions autonomously with The potential for the creation of a pedestri- little consideration for any adverse impact anised promenade from the Opera House to which might be caused to the whole urban the Harbour Bridge had been recognised by complex. the Sydney City Council in its 1971 Strategy The development plan achieved the desired Plan and subsequent reviews. However most promenade along the waterfront by a careful of the land and buildings affected were analysis of the potential of each section and owned by various State Government assessment of the role it would play in a final Authorities; the State Rail Authority, the scheme. Thus to alleviate the effect of the Urban Transit Authority, the Maritime barrier created by the overhead rail and Services Board, the Department of Main roadway which separated the city from the Roads, the Sydney Cove Redevelopment harbour, the railway building was to be Authority and the Sydney Opera House pierced to allow new openings creating visual Trust. The Council was unable to act on its and physical access to the waterfront, and proposals. replanned to provide new uses such as In 1983 an international conference outdoor cafes and shops. The road in front of organized by the Royal Australian Institute of the 1950's Maritime Service Board building Architects, entitled "The City in Conflict", was to be closed to form a park, the building paid considerable attention to the unrealized itself to become a museum when the Board potential of Circular Quay. Distinguished moved to new offices. The Overseas

This page, top and centre. East Circular Quay before and after improvement. Below left. Circular Quay Plan. Right. Remodelled Overseas Passenger Terminal, West Circular Quay, Lawrence Nield Partners. At right; top and centre left. East Circular Quay, before and after. Top and centre right. Opera House approach, before and after. Below left and right. Railway station forecourt, before and after.

12 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 El T66T Ainr xiuaiavnt) noisbq Nvaun Passenger Terminal was to be truncated and dimension to Sydney's new found urbanism. development was to include convention and remodelled to achieve a level of architectural Designed and built in three years at the cost exhibition facilities, a park and foreshore distinction worthy of the location, create a of $ 100m, the work was subjected to normal promenade, a National Maritime Museum, new public square and encourage pedestrian public exhibition and planning approval commercial development sites including a movement through and around it. On the east processes with existing consent authorities. "festival marketplace" and a Chinese garden side of Circular Quay the road was to be It attracted no controversy and was im- (the site is adjacent to Sydney's Chinatown). narrowed to allow a wide promenade and a mensely popular from the day it opened. Darling Harbour would be connected to the new covered access to the Opera House. city by means of a "people-mover" and the At the end of 1984 the Public Works DARLING HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT whole development was to be a "peoples' Department was appointed the construction Such harmony was not the case with the place". authority and a team of architects was set up Darling Harbour development, a 54 hectare The momentous development was to be to work together with the Department in the site to the west of Sydney's CBD. By the planned, designed and built in three and a design development and documentation of 1970s the site was largely derelict or under- half years! To ensure rapid progress, a special various precincts around the Quay. The team utilized because of changing transport act of parliament set up the Darling Harbour included architects Peter Hall, Lawrence technology and the relocation of the Sydney Authority, which was charged with carrying Nield, Peter Stronach and Darrel Conybeare Farm-Produce Markets. Much of the area out the works with comprehensive planning as well as myself, Brian Zulaikha and Oi was destined to be swallowed up by a tangle powers unaffected by any other state Choong from the Department. of perimeter expressways which had been legislation. The Council of the City of Policies were developed on street furniture, under consideration by the Department of Sydney was particularly concerned at the loss paving, landscaping, lighting, signage and Main Roads for many years. With the of such a large and important area from its colour schemes to effect greater unity. At the election of the Labor Government in 1976, planning control. In turn the government same time the detailed design of the Opera much of the expressway reservation was publicly expressed its concern at the un- House forecourt, and the remodelling of the abandoned and the government took the wieldy behaviour of the Council and railway station, ferry wharves and shipping initiatives of developing the Sydney Enter- ultimately disbanded the Council. A Devel- terminal paid particular regard to the innate tainment Centre, a 12,000 seat auditorium, opment Strategy was produced by the Public architectural qualities of each building. the and new buildings Works Department and was put on exhibition Special emphasis was given to the for the Institute of Technology in the area. in December 1984. A major input in this orchestration of cafes, restaurants and retail In 1977 the N.S.W. government had strategy came from the late Mort Hoppenfeld activities to animate the promenade around commissioned a study on Sydney's need for of the Enterprise Development Corporation the water's edge, and to ensure that the needs exhibition, convention and popular entertain- in Baltimore, who had been involved with of visitors were properly met, whether they ment facilities and Darling Harbour was several waterfront redevelopment schemes in be commuters during morning or evening recommended as an ideal location. Early the USA including the Baltimore Inner peaks, tourists, Opera House patrons or CBD efforts looked at ways of subsidising such Harbour Redevelopment. Perhaps the most workers. Notwithstanding lapses in the facilities with commercial developments or controversial and politically damaging aspect quality of maintenance, the Quay today is of achieving them as the residual of an of the scheme was to build the "people one of Sydney's most vibrant places, actively international exhibition, "Expo 88" or even mover" as an elevated monorail through the used from early morning to late at night. Its the Olympic Games. These and other centre of the city. This privately funded impact upon the quality of life for those initiatives came to nothing for a variety of venture was again made possible by its own visiting the city is considerable. It is reput- reasons, not the least of which was the lack unique act of parliament exempting it from edly now one of the world's best locations of desire on the part of the State Government normal planning control. The imposition of for street theatre and buskers and makes to share the limelight of high-profile events the monorail led to public protest marches Sydney's financial district seem more like a with a Federal Government of different and criticism by the public and professional holiday resort. Building upon this success, political persuasion. organization. new institutions around the foreshores such In May 1984 Premier Wran announced his In 1985 the architectural and planning firm as the Museum of Contemporary Art, a government's decision to develop Darling MSJ was appointed as the "project design Cinematheque, and various other exhibition Harbour as the centre piece of the state's directorate"to provide the essential skills in spaces promise to add a further cultural program for the 1988 bicentenary. The briefing, urban design, landscaping and

14 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 development control. Unusually for a menced on two other major sites, which upon government funded project, a private firm of completion will ensure greater integration contractors was appointed to provide services with the City of Sydney to the east. Beyond in project management, financial and the perimeter of the Darling Harbour site construction programming, administration itself, there has been massive enhancement in and supervision. As a check on this fast- land values and numerous improvements are track process a Quality Review Committee, taking place in what was previously a run- comprising practitioners and academics in down peripheral area. architecture and design as well as distin- The political price of Darling Harbour was guished lay persons, was established to high and the tax-payers' debt burden consid- advise the Authority on the quality of the erable. It can never be totally substantiated development on a regular basis. that the "multiplier effects" of the massive Leading architects were selected for the expenditure created an adequate return upon main elements; Philip Cox for the Exhibition investment. This situation is further aggra- Building and Maritime Museum, John vated by the current downturn in Australia's Andrews for the Convention Centre and property market. However with the growth Architecture Oceania in association with of the city to the west of Darling Harbour, to RTKL for the privately funded Festival include Pyrmont, as currently envisaged in Markets. A number of other privately funded the City of Sydney Strategy Plan, the schemes, two hotels and an aquarium were development of Darling Harbour should also commenced and further private develop- prove to be as visionary as Dr. Bradfield's ments are now under construction. efforts at the beginning of the century. The expenditure of well in excess of As well as creating a new way of life for $500m of state funds was not without it's inhabitants, Sydney's new waterfront criticism. It was not surprising that there developments have done much to enhance its were cost-overruns given the timescale. The precedence as Australia's financial capital construction unions had a field day at public and gateway city. The qualities which make expense because of the unalterable comple- Sydney loved by its residents also appeal to tion date. However, the development was external investors, conventioneers and sufficiently finished to receive the superb tourists. The bicentennial projects have done gathering of tall ships from all over the world much to demonstrate that the financial well- in January 1988 to celebrate Australia's first being of a city is only possible when there are 200 years. Nevertheless, it was a newly commensurate investments in raising and elected Liberal Premier who escorted the maintaining the quality of the public realm. Queen when she formally opened the Darling Harbour Development later in May 1988. Below left. West Circular Quay, before and after. Although Darling Harbour still has its Top. New First Fleet Park at West critics, during its first three years of operation Circular Quay it has become a popular success. The Centre. Darling Harbour before redevel- Festival Marketplace is metropolitan opment. Sydney's fourth most popular shopping Below. Darling Harbour Site Plan centre. The Convention and Exhibition Centres are functioning well but still below capacity. The National Maritime Museum Andrew Andersons was Assistant Govern- and two of the hotels are due to open in late ment Architect and Head of Special 1991 and will give a further boost to visitor Projects Branch, which implemented the numbers. In addition work has just com- Circular Quay Project. He is now Design Director of Peddle Thorp Architects.

15 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 SYDNEY - A UNIQUE PLACE Reinforcing the City's Image & Identity • DARREL CONYBEARE •

The underlying identity of a place - in this consistent traditional urban fabric, leaving it There is one supreme opportunity that case Sydney - is not properly used as a basis seemingly less coherent and certainly a more emerges from the inclusion of an amalga- for urban planning and design controls, nor is chaotic place. Curiously though, the mated North Sydney and Sydney CBDs on it used by those involved in the redevelop- apparently unplanned, wayward nature of the urban design agenda and that is the ment process including architects and these developments sometimes renders them potential for the inner harbour and adjoining developers. Yet the rich legacy of the past is more visually compatible with the overall green spaces (from Garden Island to Berry a design resource that should inform the urban disorder. In this sense it is a very Island) to become one of the worlds great urban design practice. The following paper forgiving place for architects and urban urban water parklands. Such an asset cannot outlines the case for more active recognition designers and it is the combination of natural go unnoticed for much longer although the and promotion of the concept of urban image setting and man-made infrastructure that concept will require political will and and identity at every scale of design. makes it so. specialist urban and landscape design skills Sydney's urban image and identity is There is a pervasive view that Sydney's to bring to realisation. inextricably linked to the natural setting of urban identity, so dominated by a spectacular Urban design, as it is currently practised in this centre on the visually spectacular harbour setting and 200 years of largely Sydney, tends to draw from an international foreshores of Sydney Harbour. It was this unremarkable buildings, cannot be seriously language of controls and practices that have waterway that initially provided the convict marred or destroyed. Interest in architectural varying applicability in different urban settlement with safe anchorage and that later quality and urban and landscape design situations. As a profession that is somewhat became its economic raison d'etre - a port refinements suffers from a "she'll be right" uncertain of its true mission the urban design city. attitude in the approach to urban redevelop- language is not commonly understood and is Its urban image also derives from the ment. Whilst it is true that it is difficult to often crude in its administration controls. network of unplanned streets which are marr the overall urban image - 'bad design' For example in the 1971 Sydney Strategy interwoven with the later irregular grid that simply becomes part of its brashness - it is Plan, controls borrowed from New York and was thrown over the narrow harbour peninsu- clear that this will not always be the case. San Francisco were used to reinforce lar (barely half a kilometre in width) and a Such a large amount of redevelopment will development around the City underground legacy of attractive Colonial (Georgian), have to take place in the next 20 years that it stations. This measure failed to acknowledge Victorian and 20th Century structures, will become increasingly important to ensure the fact that the Sydney CBD is essentially a including the notable that it is carried out sympathetically and in pedestrian scaled environment and is and Opera House. Buildings and street are ways that reinforce the magical qualities of relatively well served by public transport huddled into the tight peninsula restricted by the place. throughout the spine. Sydney has therefore, harbour and the eastern chain of parklands Urban design, still in its infancy here, has tended to embrace imported controls comprising, the Domain, Botanic Gardens not yet fully addressed Sydney's essential unthinkingly, without tailoring them to its and Hyde Park. unique qualities. It is only relatively recently different needs and circumstances, and Sydney's entire CBD centre fits neatly into that there has been a demand to explore the without due regard to the central issues of its a space equivalent in size to Central Park, idea of the opening up the City to its unique urban identity and visual quality. The New York. Therefore, it is not surprising foreshore margins at Woolloomooloo, concept of incentives for encouraging site that its urban scale appears less than full size. Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Walsh amalgamations for better standards of Compared to its counterpart, , or Bay and to link these into a continuous redevelopment has proved disastrous and in other traditional grid cities in North America, foreshore parkway. The opportunities for the many instances has led to destruction of fine Sydney in terms of historic infrastructure is city to interact more dynamically with this groups of buildings and the creation of of 'toy town' scale, where it is rewarding to new-found waterfront have at last begun to useless windswept sunless plazas. be a pedestrian - except for the traffic! At be realised. There remains a preoccupation Sydney's character is made up of a great nearly every turning of its maze of streets and with the control of development within the number of diverse elements. These are not lanes there are visually rewarding vistas and CBD and not with the City edges where the limited to physical human-made elements, views which entice the observer to new City intersects and abuts parkland, dockland, but extend to activities, institutions and the discoveries. The scalar mismatch of historic ferry terminals, freeways (surface and natural environment. Sydney's special urban and modern high rise buildings superimposed elevated) and Darling Harbour. There is also character needs to be be identified, invento- on this somewhat haphazard street network little attempt to examine the urban design ried, examined in detail, (a process that the makes the place distinctive in ways not implications of development on both the 1988 Strategy Plan has encouragingly unlike Boston and San Francisco. Were it historic south and post war north side (North embarked upon) and recognised for what it not for the high rise it could be compared in Sydney) CBD precincts. In fact, the planning is: the principle reason for continued scale to the traditional cities of Europe - even and design of these centres is carried out in economic investment in the city, for tourist parts of Venice. splendid isolation with each planning department operating as though the other did The very intensity and compactness of the Top left. Inlets, bays, parklands, street not exist. centre contributes to the sense of diversity of pattern. activity; transportation hubs, commercial, With the construction of the Harbour Top right. Sydney Harbour and inlets tourist, leisure and residential uses, a strong Tunnel, which will provide a new connection from the south-west. retail core and an active fringe business area between the City and North Sydney, it will Centre. Harbour Bridge, North Sydney are layered and interposed. soon become imperative to address the issues in background. The post-war development of the city, of urban development within the vicinity of Below left. City view with Circular Quay characterised by a series of office booms, a the northern and southern Tunnel access and part of Walsh Bay. brief interest in urban apartments and a recent points, as well as the impact of the Tunnel Right. Street furniture, Circular Quay hotel boom, has tended to fracture the once on the transport role of the Harbour Bridge. Promenade.

16 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 attraction and for the psychological well original shoreline, a recycled Pyrmont CIVIC ACCESSORIES being and the cultural and artistic fulfilment Bridge, new attractions such as a maritime The lack of any well-designed street of its citizens. For this process to take place, museum, festival market, aquarium, and furniture for major civic projects such as it will be necessary for urban designers to natural history museum and a Tivoli/EPOCT Macquarie Street and Circular Quay, gave join with other disciplines such as urban style theme park. The urban structure rise to the establishment in 1987 of a design management, promotional and advertising involved extending both the CBD and and production house, Street Furniture experts, to expand the design opportunities. Pyrmont grids into the seam of open space in Australia. This company specialises in the Urban design initiatives of more recent the valley floor. Although this proposal was design and manufacture of a wide range of years have begun to recognise Sydney's never implemented it was instrumental in furniture including seats, litterbins, tables, unique identity. Precious waterfront areas demonstrating to the NSW Government that drinking fountains, bollards, street carts, have at last become opened up to public such a project at Darling Harbour was both kiosks, bus shelters and phone booths. access and there is even talk of removing economically and physically feasible. The designs are contemporary, light and barriers such as the Cahill Expressway. transparent; sunlight, shade and shadow Sydney's planners and urban designers need CIRCULAR QUAY / MACQUARIE patterns are important. Although they are to recognise those qualities that make this STREET IMPROVEMENTS sometimes inspired by traditional forms, (the place unique and to properly reward innova- seat echoes the slatted seats of Sydney's now tive design that strengthens the City's urban The firm was commissioned by the NSW defunct trams), the design intent is to create a character. It is unfortunate that the planning Public Works Department to prepare urban timeless civil elegance. Most importantly, and design controls which may prevent the design guidelines and detailed designs for the range is designed as an integrated family worst from happening are not geared to Macquarie Street and Circular Quay as the to assist in achieving a level of design directing that the best be given a chance to centrepiece of the 1988 Bicentennial coherence. happen. Whilst it is not possible through celebrations. The practice submitted a controls to legislate for good design, it should proposal for the upgrading of these precincts be our goal to better define the characteristics to the Premiers Department in 1984. This BUS that make this a special place. scheme proposed the integration of all the SHELTERS building forecourts and the parkland with the The City's unique qualities as a To complement the restoration of the boulevard treatment of Macquarie Street - waterbound city once properly recognised by Queen Victoria Building to a grand 19th wider footpaths, avenue planting and co- urban designers and decision makers will century shopping galleria, a series of bus ordinated street furniture etc. At Circular dramatically alter our perception of the place, shelters was designed based on an adaptation Quay, the concept was to open up public and provide a more enlightened framework of the Macquarie Street shelter with details access to the foreshore and to treat the whole for those determining the redevelopment referenced from the Queen Victoria Building area from the Opera House to the Harbour process as well as a richer canvas for urban itself. The design references are also drawn Bridge, as a unified pedestrian space, by designers. Such a framework will ensure that from the architecture of Sydney's trams with closing off unnecessary roads and parking it is a place that remains different from other their lightweight hovering roof forms and areas. The design concept was to open up the cities and hence intrinsically interesting. slatted timber seats. waterfront and parkland frontages, with The Conybeare Morrison & Partners office generous twelve metre wide public prom- has attempted to deal with the problem of enades grand enough in their scale to mediate HARBOUR BRIDGE ILLUMINATION Sydney's urban identity through a wide between the grain of the city, the spatial civic Prior to the Bicentennial, CMP recom- variety of design projects. A selection of room of Circular Quay and the rich exotic mended the illumination of the western side these is outlined below. parkland of the Botanic Gardens and of the Harbour Bridge to provide a new The practice is informed by the philosophy Domain. This was realised by rationalising night-time image to the populace of the that design is an essential part of the whole traffic movements and parking. Significant western areas of Sydney and a new dimen- environment composed of natural as well as additional space was added to the city's sion to the perception of the extent and human made elements. It is the integration of pedestrian / open space system. significance of the western waterways. The all these elements into a unified scheme that One of the team's essential concerns was proposal has since been carried out. creates unique places reinforcing the City's the establishment of design standards for the Currently, CMP is seeking sponsors for, identity. The sense of continuously evolving various elements of paving, planting lighting and promoting the recycling of the Southern links between the past and present are and street furniture. The paving palette was a Pylons of the Bridge as an architecture/ considered to be as important as the connec- well-tried local brick laid in herringbone and engineering museum with the incorporation tions between physical elements of the stretcher bond with stone trim in trachyte, of a gondola ride and walk over the arch. design. We believe that architects and urban sandstone and granite. The Bridge is Sydney's "Eiffel Tower". It's designers can play a more pro-active role in iconographic function can be further projecting new images and showing how the strengthened by the development of a new City can change. WALSH BAY role. This winning design concept embracing the northern waterfrontage of Millers Point PROJECT SUNRISE, The underlying aim of these projects was (part of Sydney's historic Rocks Precinct) DARLING HARBOUR to lift the sights of everyone involved in the proposed the preservation and adaptive re-use urban development process and to initiate a Initiated through a concern to preserve the of most of the existing infrastructure of new way of thinking about Sydney's urban 110 year old timber and cast/wrought iron timber wharfs, shoresheds and masonry design potential and the ways it could be (a concern that proved bondstores, and included sympathetically- realised. They have been remarkably successful in reversing the Government's designed infill of the few remaining develop- successful in this regard. However, post- decision to demolish the Bridge), this project ment sites. The planning concept suggested Bicentennial "blues", a change of Govern- sought to focus Government attention on a the establishment of a new village commu- ment and the present recession have set this large derelict segment of Sydney's foreshore nity to be integrated with Millers Point in a process back somewhat so that it may take only half a kilometre from the City Centre. mixed use precinct. Threading the precinct Previous plans prepared by the NSW together was the revamped crescent of Maritime Services Board were to extend Hickson Road robustly designed as a Top left. West Circular Quay promenade. container wharfs into the Bay. The CMP shorefront drive, with widened footpaths, Right. Macquarie Street improvements; proposal envisaged the creation of a new provision for a new tramway, avenue footpath widening, paving, planting, street mixed-use urban precinct incorporating planting and specially designed civic furniture, lighting. housing, retail and recreation activities along furniture evocative of this industrial water- Below. Walsh Bay Regeneration Project, canals that extended the harbour to its front precinct. model.

18 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 19 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 more than Sydney's Olympic bid for the year 2000 and the 2001 Federation of Australia celebrations to rekindle the spirit of the 80's. It is ironic that this article is being written to draw attention to the need for urban design to re-define the way it deals with issues of urban image as the New South Wales Government is proceeding with plans to tiHQ demolish the 500 metre long Woolloomooloo Bay finger wharf, the longest such structure in the southern hemisphere, and one of Sydney's great landmarks and potential harbourside attractions. It's demolition is not justified by the reason given - to open up the Bay visually; there are literally dozens of inlets in like Woolloomooloo Bay that do not have a great timber finger wharf gracing their shores. This decision ignores the wharf's historic, architectural and PROJECT SUNRISE engineering excellence, and its social (WMMWWM msxemaimm% significance as another unique Sydney icon. CONCEPT PLAN More importantly perhaps, the removal of this structure does not make economic sense; it annihilates an urban asset with real value and its demolition flies in the face of initiatives to promote tourism and the Year 2000 Olympic Games.

Top Left. Civic accessories, Street Furni- ture, Australia. Top right. Queen Victoria Building Bus Shelter. Centre. Project Sunrise. Plan for Darling Harbour. Below, Timber Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo Bay.

Darrel Conybeare is a Principal of the Sydney firm of Conybeare Morrison & Partners, architects, urban and landscape design consultants.

20 THOUGHTS ON A STRATEGY • PHILIP COX •

Sydney, Australia's oldest settlement is highly structured form of the other Australian corporate capitalism of Sydney and much of considered by many to be one of the cities that rely essentially on mechanistic grid the resulting architecture has failed in world's most beautiful cities. Much of this layouts and a consequent subdivisional creating either urban place or civic identity. has to do with its magical, geographical, pattern. Sydney remains essentially a pattern of harbour and estuary setting and its gentle Australian cities, either tend to thrive in streets without a civic focus. topography which extends across the buoyant economic circumstances, in periods There are few public buildings, built or western Cumberland Plains to the Blue of vitality, or they stagnate and die under conceived within the CBD of Sydney, which Mountains beyond. economic downturns, or excessive imposed afford a sense of intellect or urban ability. regulation. This boom or bust reaction is The city planners have consistently ignored The Sydney Central Business District (CBD) characteristic of the Australian economy and the opportunities of locating libraries, is restrained by natural features on three reflects something of its ethos. The general galleries or museums within the heart of the sides. To the north by the harbour (linked tendency of city growth, especially Sydney's, city, allowing easy pedestrian access and only by the Sydney Harbour Bridge), to the is cyclical and historical. Man is a creature of adding richness to the centre. These ameni- east by the Botanic Gardens and Farm Cove, memory however, and in Sydney the past, ties have been jettisoned to the fringes, parks and to the west by Darling Harbour. Expan- and historical sequence is confused by and peripheral areas; hence the Harbour is sion of the city is possible only to the south, problems of overlaid and non-sequential the real public space of the city. or by bridging over the waterways to the structures. Because of its splendid setting, Sydney various adjacent promontories. The present urban crisis as evident in should be and still has the opportunity of This phenomena has controlled space and Sydney and elsewhere (Melbourne, becoming one of the great cities of the world. kept Sydney compact and vertical. The CBD or Darwin are no exception) is decidedly However due to the bland, corporate is, therefore, relatively small in comparison pressuristic. Twentieth century Sydney architecture and the lack of a cohesive plan, it with its conurbation which stretches over follows the rest of the world in being is fast gaining one of the country's ugliest hundreds of kilometres. technology-driven without an understanding CBD's. Sydney has, however, ignored the natural of the basis of history and its continuity. In Sydney has been the product of many blessings of the water environment and many city planning and architecture, the scientific urban plans, from the initial plan of Governor of the obvious opportunities of relating outlook still has the romance of the untried Phillip culminating in the Gardenesque and buildings and public spaces to the harbour dream. Sybil Maholy-Nagy once stated "The Romantic Landscape visions of Governor have never been fully exploited. technocratic illusion that the man-made Macquarie and architect, Francis Greenway The majority of Australian cities have been environment can ever be the image of a (which to date have been the only valid long planned, surveyed, measured, documented permanent scientific order is blind to the term objectives and plans for Sydney) to the and regulated. They are not planning historical evidence that cities are governed by 1909 Royal Commission of Inquiry which accidents, they are the determination of tacit agreement or multiplicity, contradiction, did much to address the city but, not taking a planners, surveyors, architects, builders and tenacious tradition, reckless progress, and comprehensive view, ended merely in a politicians at any one time. They are both the limitless tolerance for individual values." precinctual analysis. The 1971 City of embodiments of the past and mirages of This is true of Sydney. Sydney Strategy Plan contained blatantly unfulfilled dreams, especially of three early Sydney's past has virtually disappeared. negative attitudes in its attempt to control the Colonial Governors who had splendid visions The result is that its predominant architec- centre. It gave no hope, inspiration, image or which were never realised. A particularly tural expression is that of the modern interesting characteristic of Sydney is its movement. The modern movement has Below. Darling Harbour Aquarium by 'unplanned' feel, which contrasts to the become inextricably identified with the Philip Cox.

23 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 determination to the city. It was hoped that ity and for Sydneysiders, Darling Harbour is the Central Sydney Strategy Plan of 1988 a most enjoyable place, catering to the needs would indicate a path to the 21st Century. of all socio-economic groups and all kinds of However, the document is not a plan; it may tourist. It has become the first real attempt in be a useful enunciation of policy, it may urban planning, of relating new development identify some objectives, it may provide an to the water and to the Harbour, and though analytical base from which a plan can be the critics of Darling Harbour feel it could developed, but it is not a plan in the creative have been more coherently planned it sense. It does not aspire to concepts of remains the best example of urban renewal in spatial awareness - form and space. It does Australia. not define or articulate space and form as the Many opportunities are arising from the city meets the sky, the ground, the water's Darling Harbour experiment. The adjacent edge. Nor does it define points in space in area of Pyrmont is an example and is the design sense, or identify other basic currently being replanned as a commercial/ requirements such as materials, colour, residential precinct which will integrate with shape, feature, either physically or in an the social infrastructure of Darling Harbour. architectural sense. Pyrmont offers unlimited opportunity to One constraint Sydney does not have in create a most exciting environment adjacent common with London, Paris or Rome, is an to the CBD. extensive historic core, and yet our planners Pyrmont peninsula has similar physical are reluctant to define the city on a characteristics to the Sydney CBD in that it precinctual basis, to identify significant too is surrounded on three sides by water and preservation areas and areas where mediocre has high sandstone bluffs which give it an or unworthy architecture can be removed to exciting topography. The peninsula is also make way for more imaginative and less fortunate in having only two owners - one the constrained development. Government and the other, the Colonial Sydney is bedevilled by negativism and an Sugar Refinery, one of Australia's oldest unwarranted conservatism, which demand the companies. The replanning of this area is, preservation of indifferent architecture and therefore, not hampered by myriads of the suppression of imaginative and spirited individual owners. solutions. Planners have a deep-seated fear Originally a residential area Pyrmont that architects are irresponsible and insensi- became industrial during the nineteenth tive to urban issues; therefore the status quo century with the establishment there of sugar situation is preferred. The result is medioc- refineries and shipping. With the decline of rity. The great urban structures laid down by Sydney as a port, so too has Pyrmont Wren, Nash or Haussman, are testimony to declined. Today the sugar refinery is no universal principles which are capable of longer viable as sugar processing is taking being sustained. Sydney desperately needs place at the plantations in Queensland. environments which have so far been ignored this type of structure. Pyrmont provides, therefore, a wonderful in Sydneys CBD. A plan for Sydney must develop a new and opportunity to create a development of The total development of Pyrmont is likely positive strategy; it should be imaginative, distinction. No other major city in the world to take up to 10-15 years. There will be concept-making and realizable in terms of has such a dormant area adjacent to it, many players and interpretations. The plan development objectives. It should exhort, separated only by water. The economic however, is a three dimensional realization rather than suppress, development; it should temptation is to allow commercial develop- rather than a statutory document and encourage the vision splendid. The 1988 plan ment to repeat the CBD, with more high rise therefore has visual coherence. If it goes fails in this purpose. office buildings and high rise apartments. ahead, Pyrmont will provide one of the few On the more positive side, Sydney has However this is being resisted by the examples in which commercial objectives recently executed to its credit a most government and CSR. CSR have appointed have been met in lower scale development. ambitious scheme of urban renewal; the the Lend Lease Group to manage and Both Darling Harbour and Pyrmont are, by Darling Harbour project which has turned a develop their parcel and this they are doing world standards, exciting projects - they can defunct industrial section of the western CBD with sensitivity and integrity. be compared to London's Docklands projects into a new and integral part of the City. The plan, by Cox Richardson Taylor, is for in terms of opportunity. But in their relation- The Darling Harbour development is low to medium rise buildings, preserving the ship to Sydney they have the ability of essentially for entertainment and tourism existing required densities and providing the turning the city around, giving it a new focus. with convention and exhibition centres and floor space essential for development These projects show that Sydney may be commercial office space. Philip Cox, feasibility and infrastructure replacement. waking up to its potential and may well live Richardson Taylor and Partners designed The plan is based upon accessibility and up to the expectation of becoming an three major buildings, the Exhibition Hall, car thresholds which have been determined to extraordinary and exciting city. the National Maritime Museum and the ensure that a residential population of 10,000 Aquarium. They are all painted steel and people can be accommodated, with a working glass; white, light, lyrical structures which population of 30,000. In Sydney in the past, Top left. Plan for , Royal reflect the maritime nature of the site. In there has been a tendency to separate Commission 1908. many ways these buildings represent the working and living environments. Planning Centre. Exhibition Centre, Darling 'new' Australia with its vigour and opportun- legislation has tended to reinforce the Harbour. ism. They express a vision of the future situation rather than encourage the interplay Right. Pyrmont Point plan, Cox rather than picking up on typologies or of the two. Pyrmont provides an opportunity Richardson Taylor Architects. influences from the past. to create an active and culturally interesting Below. Pyrmont Point from the north Darling Harbour is enjoyed by many. It is environment through a genuine mix of work 1990. and residential areas. humanly scaled, bright and exciting. It is not Above. Exhibition Centre. forced in the way that the London Docklands It also has the advantage of being able to appear. In terms of place and architecture, it put residential and commercial activity into a is relaxed and inviting. The real proof of direct relationship with the waterfront and Philip Cox is a principal of Cox such developments is surely in their popular- this, if properly handled, will result in unique Richardson Taylor Architects.

23 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 CONSERVATION & FACADISM • HARRY SEIDLER •

Disenchantment must be the appropriate streetscapes and other items in the CBD. It gives evidence that such images are able to word to describe what most people feel about includes approximately 120 buildings in be adjusted realistically and shows an the new Sydney city environment taking George Street alone, over 50 buildings in awareness of market forces and ensuing shape around them. Unfortunately much Kent Street and similar numbers in Pitt demands. Such images for the city would present day building is unskilled, its visual Street, some with the Darling Harbour give the people the confidence that it is impact undistinguished at best, and due to the monorail flying across their face. The list possible to have a truly harmonious, useable lack of effective planning, oppressive at seems to include just about every other and beautiful total environment in which the worst. The few examples of good architec- building in existence! ever increasing population of the city can ture are drowned out in a sea of mediocrity, The express purpose of this listing is to enjoy their everyday life. The image must and there is a general lack of confidence in pinpoint works of "cultural, historic, social, show that this can be achieved without undue the present and the future of the city. The aesthetic, architectural, creative, technologi- congestion, confusion and inhuman crowd- result is that any proposal for a new building cal, scientific and archaeological signifi- ing; where breathing space and open outlook is now immediately placed in a defensive cance". It categorises 84 architectural styles from buildings is ensured; where oppressive position. Invariably the call is for the with such absurd names as "Inter-War, canyon spaces between new buildings are abandonment of new projects and the Chicagoesque. Immigrants Nostalgia. Post- banished; where noise is prevented from retention of any old existing buildings war Stripped Medieval and Exotic". areas of housing; where traffic is no longer a whether they are good, bad or indifferent. Since many the buildings are low rise, and life endangering phenomenon. This fashionable interest in the past is have a useable floor space or an "index" of Buildings of true historic value should be symptomatic of our time - we have lost the between 1 to 3 times the site area, a serious preserved totally, without doubt, but the confidence in our ability to express our will conflict arises because present Sydney hollow pretence of listing and keeping to create an environment of our own making. regulations allow for a development factor of cosmetic facades will rob the old of any No-one would question the importance and up to 12.5 times the site area. character and will certainly prevent any validity of retaining and rehabilitating worthy If the buildings in the Heritage Inventory chance of the new being genuinely itself - let structures and beautiful total environments of are truly valuable and are to be totally alone great. the past. Sydney now has a distinguished preserved, any new structures of this record of preserving and giving a new lease allowable maximum potential size would Harry Seidler is the principal of Harry of useful life to important historic buildings become impossible. The only compensation Seidler & Associates. such as the Hyde Park Barracks, the Mint and available to owners of "heritage" buildings is State Parliament House, all Colonial build- the selling of air rights which can never Facadism in Loftus Street Sydney. ings; the Queen Victoria Building and the reimburse them for the value of the land and Strand Arcade, important monuments from a new building. For those who want to stay the Victorian Era; and Paddington and Glebe, put and build anew on the land they own, the the superb areas of 19th century terrace inevitable compromise is the official edict to houses. retain the facade only and build huge new These significant buildings and districts structures behind the old fronts. were not only sensitively restored and given The very idea of keeping only the front of valid new uses, but have become important a building is abhorrent to any genuine visual reminders of the best architecture of conservationist. "Facadism" represents a Sydney's past. shallow, provincial view of history and the Superb examples of revitalisation of great increasing examples in Sydney are monu- and important old buildings abound in other ments to the sham underlying these less than parts of the world; Paris has the new D'Orsay erudite official edicts. The discordance of Museum of 19th century art within what was the resulting change of scale and clash of a disused but fine old railway station of the materials is truly painful to the eye. 1870's. The new Picasso museum in that city The Heritage Inventory increases the likely is now housed in what was once a rotting continuance of such procedures in the future. grand palais. The Louvre has a new magnifi- It is a regressive document and its bonafides cent underground entrance hall. Vienna's must be questioned. There is no doubt that it 18th century Lichtenstein Palais has become will have the effect of preventing new its Museum of Contemporary Art and New buildings and at the least will severely York's historic Soho district has been compromise new building proposals and restored to become an area of art galleries detract from the contribution they could and loft apartments. make to the city. What all these exemplary efforts of The real sin of omission of this Inventory adaptive re-use have in common is the new is that it does not even hint at a total vision life within the unaltered totality. Their for the city. The Department of Planning and character was recognised as valuable and the the Sydney City Council must be challenged buildings, as a whole, were adapted to new to show us tangibly what they want the city uses. to be. Anyone can make listings of existing Symptomatic of the new fashion and buildings, but the planners, bureaucrats and interest in the past is the recent "Central politicians responsible for this report must Sydney Heritage Inventory", prepared for the show us, lead and guide us to the city Department of Planning and The Council of beautiful of tomorrow. the City of Sydney as part of the 1988 What the citizens of Sydney are entitled to Sydney Strategy Plan. This document lists see is a three dimensional image of staged thousands of buildings and hundreds of development into the next century, which

24 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 and French and loads of Italians. There effected by creative design and the dismal GREETINGS seems to be about five Italian language results of conventional city development newspapers - there are three Spanish ones processes. City and country local govern- that I've come across, plus assorted Yugo- ment councils and state governments are FROM OZ! slav, Greek, Hungarian, German, French, undertaking major reviews of urban design Thai... objectives and controls, and urban designers The electronic media are generally quite are in increasing demand. Planning courses, We came out from London 18 months ago, bad - we've decided not to get a telly - but like those almost everywhere in the western intending to be here for a year, but have now there is one multiethnic channel that shows a world, have retreated from involvement with decided to extend our stay. We have been lot of Channel Four stuff and a couple of the physical design process. having such a good time and the letters from really alternative ethnic radio stations which Sydney provides one of the world's most friends back home bemoaning the state of the spent most of their time denouncing the exiting laboratories for urban design research economy, politics and the lack of employ- police and the Anglo power structure. and the University of Sydney is located ment helped our decision to postpone our Glebe - our suburb (Australians call every strategically close to the heart of Australia's return. part of a city a suburb whether it's suburban oldest and largest city. With generous Mind you, the recession has hit this large or not, so we live in an inner city suburb), is a support from one of Australia's largest and island with a vengeance. Only last week the bit like the trendy bits of London must have most highly respected development organisa- Sydney Morning Herald carried a front page been before they became too expensive and tions - the Lend Lease Corporation - a new article stating that by June 50% of the precious for anyone to live there; there's Chair in Urban Design was established with a architects in New South Wales would be out even more coffee bars than in the other parts guarantee of funding for an initial five years. of work. of the city, there's a trendy bookshop that's In addition, funds were donated by one of It's a very serious state of affairs, all I can open 9-9 every day of the year except Australia's greatest artists - the late Lloyd say is that plenty of sunshine and beautiful Christmas day (when it's open until 6), and Rees - for a prize for the outstanding graduate beaches help. The city's eastern edge is an alternative cinema. each year. terminated by the Pacific Ocean, which I've been gainfully employed most of the An enthusiastic course advisory committee provides a goodly number of beaches within time, first with Philip Cox's office, and now consisting of practitioners, officials in ten minutes drive from the town centre. with Howard Tanner, one of the city's government agencies and academics sup- These were once indescribably polluted with eminent conservation architects. ported and guided the development of the raw sewage, but are now much improved. At Sydneysiders take their conservation very academic programme. There were two any rate there seems to be plenty of people seriously at least they do now, having torn critical decisions about the direction which surfing, swimming and lazing on them most down much of the older buildings in the city the course should take. days. during the 1970s and 1980s! The first was that it must be a genuinely The beaches, and the Harbour, are what Hope all is well with the UDG. postgraduate-level course in design. Only makes Sydney special. Sydney, like London, Best wishes, graduates with a first degree in architecture is divided into a Northern and a Southern Ruth Schamroth or landscape architecture and a satisfactory half by a body of water; but whereas in folio of work or, in the case of graduates London it's a dirty brown ribbon, here it's a from areas such as engineering or planning, sparkling blue sheet that bustles with sailing demonstrably equivalent levels of design boats, pleasure launches, working ferries and ability, are admitted. This is a significant real cargo ships from all over the world. And difference to many of the present courses in even though the part of town behind Circular the U.S.A. and U.K. which have a very Quay, the main ferry terminal, and the place difficult task in developing in some students where the city began is now dominated by with other backgrounds, a credible post- pseudo-Manhattan towers, much of the rest graduate level of urban design achievement. of the foreshore is still bush. When all else The second decision was that the pro- fails, you can generally lift your spirits with a gramme must have a broad range of inputs of two-dollar ferry ride, courtesy of the Urban the knowledge and skills which are essential Transit Authority. to develop an understanding of urban design, Most of the rest of the urban transport possibly the most complex and challenging system is on a par with London, which means of all art forms. Although the programme is that by world standards it's mediocre based in the Department of Architecture, it (Melbourne, which still has trams, does was important that the other departments in rather better). There are various efforts to the Faculty - Town Planning and Architec- reduce the car traffic in the city even under a tural Science - should contribute, as well as Conservative government; some roads are there being a policy of utilising expertise restricted to cars carrying more than three URBAN DESIGN AT from many external sources. Urban design passengers in peak hours but even so traffic students attend one of the core planning in the city centre slows to a crawl between THE UNIVERSITY courses, as well as a new course in urban five and seven o'clock. environmental science and services devel- One of the main things about Sydney is OF SYDNEY oped specially for the course by the Architec- eating. Every second location seems to be a tural Science Department. The core courses restaurant, and they're almost all good and PETER WEBBER in urban design studio, theory and method, cheap. The other main thing about it is that history of urban form and landscape are it's a Pacific city rather than a specifically The first post-graduate urban design pro- provided by the Department of Architecture Australian one - the dominant culture is not gramme in an Australian university was together with service courses covering the red-necked beerswilling potbellied men established at the University of Sydney in financial and legal environment. making jokes about Sheilas, as most of our 1989, and the first graduates are now in There are Diploma and Masters level English friends seemed to have assumed. active practice. programmes available on a full or part-time The city is probably more multiracial than Throughout Australia there has been a basis. The Diploma requires the equivalent London, with lots and lots of South East remarkable awakening to the importance of of one year of full-time study, and the Asians. And the European population isn't urban design skills. A better-informed and Masters an additional 3 to 6 months predominantly Anglo either - there's Greeks more articulate community has seen both research work. A research ethos is being and Turks and Spanish and East Europeans evidence of the transformations which can be fostered so that long overdue work can begin

25 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 on some of the many aspects of urban design 4. ESCALATORS LINK THE QUAY TO requiring investigation. SYDNEY 2000 5. FORT STREET STATION ON The broad educational objectives were OBSERVATORY HILL using the same stated as follows: technology as the recently completed external 1. To develop ability to define and analyse • PETER MYERS• escalator system connecting Barcelona's Pare urban design problems and opportunities. Guell to the city below. Preliminary enquiries 2. To develop abilities in the development of This plan for Sydney - potentially one of indicate that this technology is both available urban design concepts, principles, criteria the world's great maritime cities - is based and adaptable to the gradients and conditions and programmes. on simple objectives that can be easily of a Circular Quay to Observatory Hill 3. To develop abilities to evaluate the realised before the next millenium. In the alignment. A new station at Observatory Hill performance of urban design projects and following summary the main issues of the is a long overdue addition to the city rail policies and the processes by which they proposal are set out using the same key network and would also further encourage can be achieved. text as the illustrated plan. public use of a habourside venue still unspoilt 4. To develop abilities to develop strategies and fabulously beautiful. Concurrently the and manage the implementation of urban 1.HARBOUR TUNNEL ALLOWS removal of the expressway also makes design projects. TRAFFIC TRIANGULATION & thus possible 5. To develop skills to work successfully liberates the city centre from the cross town 6. A NEW CITY RAIL STATION with the public and with the planning, commuter traffic presently choking the Cahill APPROPRIATELY THE FIRST AND development and design professions that Expressway whose elevated trajectory across LAST to be located at the present cutting in shape the physical environment. Circular Quay is one of the grimmest legacies Macquarie Street and serving straight into the 6. Additionally, the Master's Degree has the of the perception of the city as a traffic existing commuter rail network. These new objective of developing research skills and engineer's tabula rasa. stations would in turn be linked by extending knowledge in the field of urban 2. REMOVAL OF THE CAHILL EX- 7. A LIGHT RAIL NETWORK WHICH design through the research project. PRESSWAY & THE CONSTRUCTION OF IS EASILY ACCOMMODATED ALONG The University of Sydney Faculty of CIRCULAR QUAY AS AN URBAN EXISTING STREETS & will provide a very Architecture is well placed to mount the new PROMENADE WITH FERRY STATIONS accessible supplement to existing public programme. It was able to build on a long ALONGSIDE & WONDERFUL VISTAS transport infrastructure. Cheap, low impact tradition of involvement in urban issues in TO & FROM THE CITY CENTRE recalls and variable light rail is the obvious answer undergraduate courses, and on the established the neo-classical vision of Sydney promoted to both connect east and west Circular Quay interests of a considerable number of staff. It during the early colonial era (of which only and to provide a low maintenance public has good physical facilities including wind the elegaic Mrs Macquarie's Chair now transport system within the existing city tunnel, artificial sky, urbanscope, workshops remains) and extends the radical monumen- fabric. Study by local specialists indicates and excellent library. tally of Jorn Utzon's sadly mutilated Sydney that the establishment costs are modest and The Chair for the first year was held by Opera House. Utzon, acutely aware of the the increase in amenity exponential. Professor Fritz Stuber from Zurich, with attenuated siting of his building prepared a 8. A CROSS TOWN TUNNEL AT PARK academic visitors including Professors John beautiful design for the eastern Quay precinct STREET REUNITES HYDE PARK & de Monchaux (M.I.T.), Anne Spirn (Univer- that was rejected out of hand by city hall. It MAKES POSSIBLE AT sity of Pennsylvania) and Peter Rowe has since been overtaken by a 'Bicentennial' 9. A MID CITY SQUARE AND BUSY (Harvard). covered way which will now be made INTERCHANGE. By the simple device of Professor Harry Bechervaise - the second redundant by the amalgamation of all the chamfering off two existing development occupant of the Chair - is an Australian with adjacent sites between the Opera House and sites a really urban place is achieved with a extensive experience in local government and the Cahill Expressway for redevelopment. welcome density of people, public and private practice in a number of the large As a promenade the proposed profile private transport - the sort of place Town Hall Australian cities. Most students so far have allows for both new ferry stations as exten- should have become years ago. The tempo- been drawn from the Sydney area, but there sions of the original settlement and for the rary nuisance of the tunnel construction is is growing interest from the South-East Asian construction of a cathartic sweep of wall and more than offset by the reuniting of Hyde region for which Australian universities are water - with a clean hydraulic contour - that Park and the hubbub of a busy Town Hall increasingly providing post graduate will return the city to its harbourside. minus the anxiety of cross town commuter opportunities. Maclean's masterpiece, the Corniche at vehicles. There are many similarities between the Alexandria, 1921, is both a wonderful 10. COMPLETES THE DOMAIN curricula of the Sydney course and those of prototype and proof that it is never too late TUNNEL. This cutting should never have the U.K. universities and polytechnics. The to propose a new harbour edge. been allowed to alienate the city's sward. An programmes at Oxford Polytechnic and Sydney has now reached a situation in easy exercise in cutting and an extension Herriot Watt University for example, contain which the former maritime diversity has been of the existing tunnel profile could see this mostly the same core subjects and are of the almost supplanted by the monocultural achieved in two years. same length for diploma and masters conformity of late capitalism. At the har- 11. A TURPENTINE DECK TO students. Contacts have been established bour's edge change and popular complexity UTZON'S PROFILE. The existing locally between staff responsible for most of the are still possible once the hideous express- designed approaches to the Opera House U.K. programmes, and there are obvious way is demolished. could well be enhanced by some attempt to opportunities for students in the U.K. to 3. A TOWER OF 40 + FLOORS AT 40 m. construct an edge profile to Utzon's 1964 undertake certain work at Sydney which dia. & 1260 sq.m. area WITH A CIRCULAR design (that somehow always gets pushed could be credited to their U.K. programmes - PLAN to be built at no cost on the former aside). If this deck was to be made in and of course vice-versa. Although there are site. Public housing is proposed - not more Australian hardwood - specifically Turpen- distinctively different issues and challenges anonymous office space to an already tine - a new vivacity would be added to the in each region, the underlying principles are oversupplied rental market-but public Circular Quay precinct. timeless. The Faculty of Architecture at the housing on leases commensurate with the University of Sydney welcomes close and location. The need for publicly owned sites continuing contact and debate with col- to regenerate the city both culturally and as leagues in the U.K. on urban design teaching secure assetts has never been greater. The and research. financial returns on this project would easily Peter Myers is in private practice and a Professor G P Webber is head of the fund the proposed expressway demolition lecturer in Architecture at the University Department of Architecture, University of and harbourside regeneration. of Sydney. Sydney.

26 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 1.MAM0UI1UNHCI ALLOWS TOAfFC WHN6ULWBM t MOttWL Of THt CAKU. IXNBSMY ( IX COSmjCTDN WC*liiTouor AS AN UtMJ PIOKNUI WITH KMT SWIONS AUMisatwoMxamvcM VIMOM TK CITY CVm. IA Ml 9 M* K0W6 a UatrfMAaMl WITH A CMaVLU PLAN I IXMQSMir un J i.cscALAins MTMutrn ifom J7WT STATION ON OBSIftMOTr NU. »> *W CITY «Al STATION A^WtUTtY THt N«ST t LAST, A IGHT ftAHICTWO M 5 IASU Aaomxwno alom> uistnc iwts t I.ACROSS TOWN TUNXl AT MM SWT UUNITB HYOt HJX t HAMS NBBLJ AT »,A HID CITY SOJAMtftSY MTIKMNX. IMDHPlfTBlHC COHAINTUNNU, ( n.ATVJRPCNTM OKK TO l/TOW WOW, MrHMn AriNnct - IB* tw*1 1 St 5727 1 |S4 J0»\ \

innnr

27 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 BOOK REVIEWS

American urban growth. The section on the calming measures and more frequent doors Italian Tendenza, like many others, is and entrances at ground level. Francis revealing and well worth reading. Tibbalds is quoted (well, naturally, who The problem with the book is that it else?). suggests that there is something to be This section on Urban Design is very revealed, that there is a climax, a point to be obvious to us, but it is then followed by a made, and that the book is structured around subsection on 'Designing with Nature' which this. Broadbent reveals a dichotomy between contains ideas which are less obvious. For the empirical and rationalist schools in urban example, the introduction of natural areas in design, but fails to analyse how this can be our streets and carparks can absorb the resolved. He adopts a liberal historical rainwater run-off in place of the drains and approach to the book, starting with ancient culverts that perform this function at present. urban design, before jumping to more How many urban designers have given this contemporary approaches - and like many matter thought? British planning texts falls down by not The reason I found this book useful and asking 'why does this happen?' Why has can recommend it to members is that Urban urban spatial design become separated from Design is placed in a very wide context. The technological and transportation issues, what rest of the chapter on the Built Environment problems is this causing and how can they be covers such issues as the choice of building resolved? By asking these questions, and materials (e.g. tropical timbers to be answering some of them, Broadbent would avoided), building design (including the sick have established a sound methodology and building syndrome), the development process provided the answer the reader was looking and policy framework. for in his title. There then follows six chapters dealing EMERGING CONCEPTS IN URBAN However, what is in a title anyway? As it with transport, energy, the natural environ- SPACE DESIGN stands, the book is well presented, there are ment, food production, waste and pollution Geoffrey Broadbent very interesting sections on which Broadbent and finally society and the economy. These Van Nostrand Reinhold (London) 1990. is undoubtedly expert and it will be useful to chapters make essential reading. Our £39.50 the student as an introduction to Urban approach to urban design can not be divorced Design theories and as a reference document. from any of these wider considerations. First impressions of this book are that it is The eighth chapter provides a synthesis. very attractive and comprehensive, with Philip Jackson Sustainable urban development, with its plenty of well known urban design images, emphasis on resource conservation and an extensive bibliography and a well environmental protection, is seen as a referenced text. Nothing appears to be preferred alternative to economic growth missing. However, the title raises suspicions; REVIVING THE CITY with its widespread abuse of resources and it is similar to Gosling and Maitland's by Dr Tim Elkin and Duncan McLaren with environmental degradation. Sustainable 'Concepts of Urban Design' which consid- Mayer Hillman. development is also seen as more equitable, ered urban design as clearly defined architec- Published by Friends of the Earth. £12.95. providing for an improved quality of life and tural concepts. But the expectant reader a healthier environment for all, including the hopes that Broadbent will avoid this trap and 'Reviving the City' sounds like yet another least advantaged. the inclusion of the word 'Emerging' book on urban renewal or inner city regenera- The final chapter concludes with a suggests the prospect of a deeper intellectual tion. It is more than that. The subtitle discussion of the roles to be played by analysis of urban design. Indeed the 'Towards sustainable urban development' different sectors of society, including Contents and the first chapters promise that suggests a more global dimension. The book planners, developers, politicians and the there is a clear rationale to the final objective is in fact the first blueprint about urban public, in translating the rhetoric of sustain- that will give meaning to the title. planning to appear in the UK since the global able development into action. This is However, as one progresses through the warning scare (at least I think so). followed by a series of policy recommenda- book, the initiaKsense of unease and disap- A more catchy, more sellable title might tions. pointment is confirmed. Despite some very have been 'The Sustainable City' (subtitle: a The book is well organised and neatly laid well written and knowledgeable sections, it is new approach to city revival). 'Sustainable' out. It contains many useful tables and more a collection of self-contained essays is clearly the key buzz word. Sustainable references. My only slight concern is with than a book with an objective to reveal the development is defined on the first page of the production quality. In good FoE tradition 'emergent'. the book as 'development which meets the book has been printed on recycled paper; As essays, it is more a review of current - present needs without compromising the some of the pages in my copy have blemishes or 1980s - urban design thinking within a ability of future generations to achieve their and one page looks as though it has been historical context than a revelation of needs and aspirations'. In other words it is eaten away by insects. But don't let that put emergent trends. Partly this is due to about environmental protection and the you off. It's the content that counts. Broadbent's view of urban design as prima- conservation of resources. rily spatial ideas rather than a combination of The book begins with a chapter on the Tim Catchpole the socio-economic, cultural and technologi- Built Environment which includes a section cal factors that influence urban planning, on Urban Design. The authors stress the within which urban design fits and from need for high density and diversity of land which new concepts will emerge. Broadbent use in our cities in order to provide a Tim Catchpole is the Book Review Editor. may try to counter this criticism by stating compactness that encourages social interac- All approaches to publishers on behalf of that these issues are addressed, but this tion and reduces motorised transport. the UDG will be initiated by him. Anyone happens only in isolated parts of the book; Development on greenfield sites must stop. interested in reviewing books should where he explains the theoretical background They urge that streets become safer and more contact him at 56 Gilpin Ave, London of the Italian Tendenza or where he describes friendly with the introduction of traffic SW14 8QY.

28 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 THE LOCUS OF DESIRE BOB JARVIS

|bE^EENj^EW_CgDSS AND e^RMONDSeVJOMOlOKf

one can actually read off what amounts to a self- portrait in the buildings. The photographs of I.e Corbusier often show a daemonic, glacial stare behind a wall of black-framed, thick glasses. The face is always intense, uncompromising and at times deeply tragic. So are his • •§• —WIIIHIIIIIIIMIIIMPHBITERRASSE SUPfRIEURE I t]k _ 2EI L Is uu \ L•ll a u <

.BETWEEN ROL-frND BARTHES AND CONSTRUCTION

• CeNE A HU>0l£, HEkE COM£<; TWe .... Nice weather down there/I see the school/ and the houses where the kids are/places to park, by the factories and buildings! restaurants and bars for late in the evening!.... I've learned how all these things work together!I see the pathway thai passes them alii and I've learnt how to work at these things ...... I guess it's healthy/1 guess the air is clean/1 guess these people have fun */ah their neigh- bours and friends! look at thai kitchen! and all of ^/j^rjrnipi that food!look at them eating!I guess it tastes real good ... They grow it in those farm yards, „.. ,,„ . i. )| II I; ; „i •! ...H.l, ! bring it into the store/they put it into their car ilSlittiUilOliiliildilik^tliiksi^iii ! hI Ssi * iiilsll * illlfctis !itiii!i."!'i trunks/then they bring it home, and I say!.... I'm tired of travelling! I want to be somewhere!

^gpTiiN IftLKIM&HE^nS ^ ftND VV)0gE_SOfjGrS ABOUT 6QlLpiA^S^DFgoq[ bThe sequence of the development of the gardens at Versailles is intimately related to the emerging power of the King, his concept of the monarchy, and his love affairs. All three influences were^^irnes entangled in the expansion and use of the gardens to further the ^(p^^pcelebrate an amorous conquest.

K \ mm

n iSEEat

5£TWE.El\]"TV1E AU-E.ES OF VERSAILLES FH\|D THEStVlftDDoTS Pi RES AND WASTED L#ND

i.&ft'lHl 0. « ^b.Adoo-J TVtFr^C^ ^reU,w

31 URBAN DESIGN QUARTERLY JULY 1991 URBAN DESIGN CONFERENCE, LIVERPOOL URBAN FUTURES SEPTEMBER 27th to 29th, 1991

A conference on the subject of Urban Futures is to be held in Liverpool in September. A group of Urban Designers, Economists and Planners will present papers describing programmes in urban design and regeneration from Britain, Europe and the United States.

The conference will be presented through a series of papers and workshops. The papers will describe successful urban design programmes and projects drawn from Britain, Europe and the United States, offered as 'case studies'. The workshops will be led by presenters of case studies based upon the Urban Design Action Team (UDAT) approach to team working in urban design policy and plan making, and with reference to specific themes and locations within the City of Liverpool.

The event intends to develop themes in urban design relating to the 'public realm' in urban conservation; urban movement and transportation, urban continuity and integration, and to develop techniques in multi-disciplinary team working and public and private agency collaboration.

Speakers will include Francis Tibbalds, David Lewis, John Thompson, David Liggins and Roger Zogolovitch. The event is promoted by the University of Liverpool, Department of Civic Design; Liverpool Polytechnic, School of the Built Environment; RIB A CPD Groups (North and North West) and the Urban Design Group.