1986: Overshadowing of city streets

With building height limits in central Sydney becoming increasingly relaxed to allow taller buildings, there will be the ongoing debate about overshadowing of city streets.

At present, the maximum building height is 310 metres (height of Sydney Tower).

Source: Glascott, J. 1986. "Tower blocks putting city in the shade". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 14: 3. 

It has been occurring for decades as this article from The Sydney Morning Herald in 1986 shows. There was concern that a proposed highrise development in Bridge Street (1 Bridge Street) would cause greater shadowing of Australia Square in addition to existing towers including the National Australia Bank building, QANTAS Centre and Grosvenor Place (under construction). While not specified, this would become a major office tower by decades end, shifting towards Bond Street. 

Above: The proposed Bond Street office tower (1988). Full citation below.

Source: Chancellor, J. 1988. "Bond St tower go-ahead expected". The Sydney Morning Herald, November 1: 32.

The tower itself did not eventuate with a smaller building (Mantra Hotel) built in the late 1990's rising to 18 levels or 60 metres above street level. 

In 1986, the Marriott Hotel and Gateway Tower (proposed and later built) raised concerns about overshadowing in Macquarie Place. I ask myself if the shadowing of the space is that bad? It feels like it gets a good amount of sunlight when I walk through during daylight hours. Fortunately low rise buildings dominate the eastern side Loftus Street, allowing for sunlight to filter through.

I went for a walk during the "lunch" hour recently to get an idea of sunlight filtering into the squares. All photos were taken by yours truely. 

Macquarie Place

Australia Square

I think the 2 Bond Street Tower would have blocked the sun filtering into the square.

The debate about shadowing of city streets and parks arose a year later with the proposed Skytower/Park Plaza tower in Park Street.

A decade later (1995), height limits were maximised at 235 metres to allow for sunlight to filter into city streets, public areas and parks while current heights were adopted in 2016.

Thank you to Richard Braddish of Sydney City Council for supplying additional information.

Enable GingerCannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection
or reload the browserDisable in this text fieldEditEdit in GingerEdit in Ginger×