NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: John Andrews proposal for 2 Bond Street (1988)

This "never built" is one that deserved to become reality.

In 1986, a 31 level office tower for 1 Bridge Street was approved by Sydney City Council. As I mentioned in a blog entry in 2020, there were concerns over the tower blocking sunlight from filtering into Australia Square.

The McNamara Group assumed control of the site during 1988 from developer Warren Anderson.

By August 1988, a modified design was released.  Designed by architect John Andrews, The tower would be cantilevered fifteen levels above street level. This would preserve George Patterson House which occupied part of the site and remedy concerns of overshadowing at Australia Square. The number of floors increased to 37 levels and George Patterson House would be converted into a retail and residential complex. Construction costs were estimated at $600 million.

Source: Whittaker, M. 1988."Radical design to let sun in". The Weekend Australian, August 20, 3 (Property Section).

Modifications were made in the second half of 1988 with the southern half of the tower receiving the same glass facade as the northern half and a public area below the suspended section of the tower (see below)

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

In October 1989, Clayton Utz had managed to strike a deal to lease 12 000 sq/m or 37% of the available office space. However Clayton Utz refused to confirm the lease.

Source: Harley, R. 1989. "Bond St tower finds big tenant but seeks partner". The Australian Financial Review, October 13: page unknown.

The following month, the McNamara Group offered to sell 50% of the site.

Source: Walkley, P. 1989. "$1 bn-plus project for Sydney". The Australian Financial Review, November 3: 66.

The proposed tower was shelved in 1990. when no buyer could be found. Instead the McNamara Group decided to build a traditional office building.

Source: Dixon, A. & Chancellor, J. 1990. "Demolition threat to historic building".  The Sydney Morning Herald, December 4: 31.

It would not be until the second half of the decade that the site was developed. 2 Bond Street was developed into a mixed use hotel and apartment tower. The hotel is the Mantra George Street. 

Photo taken by the Author (2021).

Richard Braddish (model maker, Sydney City Council) let me take some photographs in 2013 of a scale model that he prepared for the City Model on display at Town Hall House. This gives an idea of how it may have looked in central Sydney.

Finally, I have included a video from Youtube (Uploaded by AusArchitects) of architect John Andrews explaining his design. He felt that the building did not proceed because of financing from the Japanese. They were worried that the building would topple. He feels that it was one of the "most exciting buildings" that he ever designed.