Remember This? The $5 lunch at The Summit (1978)

The last of our current entries in Remember This? for this summer is from 1978. Five dollars bought you lunch at The Summit in Australia Square. It was a great and affordable way to enjoy the views of Sydney over lunch and included a glass of wine.

 

Source: The Summit. 1978. "The Summit 50 minute $5 lunch". The Sydney Morning Herald, August 8: 3.

1965: Construction of Australia Square Tower

Below is a photograph that was published in The Sydney Morning Herald on September 7 1965 (Page 17 for reference) showing the Australia Square Tower under construction in George Street. Construction was now above ground level.

   

It was anticipated that the 46 level tower would be completed in 1968, but was completed in 1967. Upon completion it was the tallest skyscraper in Australia at 170 metres tall. It was also the tallest lightweight concrete building built. 

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.

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1961: Plans for Australia Square are unveiled

Australia Square Tower. The photo was taken by the Author (2013).

Harry Seidler's Australia Square Tower (1967) is regarded as a Sydney landmark. Between 1967 and 1973, it was the tallest building in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

It is regarded as an innovative building for its time and is heritage listed.

Plans to develop the tower as part of the Australia Square complex date back to 1960, but formal plans did not eventuate until 1961. The plan was to demolish the buildings on a block bounded by George, Bond, Pitt and Little George Street's and build two towers around a public square. The taller tower would rise 58 levels above George Street with a 13 level tower rising over Pitt Street.

  

Source: Anon. 1961. "Skyscraper Project: 58-Storey City Block Planned". The Daily Telegraph, December 5:9.

In March 1962, plans were approved "in principle" by Sydney City Council but it was recommended that 10-15 floors be removed from the final design of the Australia Square Tower. It led to the tower that we see today.

Australia Square Tower (right) with the Plaza Building at left. The photo was taken by the Author (2013).

Construction began in December 1962, with the Pitt Street tower completed in 1964 and the 50 level tower in 1967.

The decision to ditch the setback at the top of the original design was a wise idea because the round shape of the tower is what makes it a great building and the fact it is a simple design.