Overview of History of Sydney Architects

The capital of New South Wales, Sydney, is a city with a harmonious juxtaposition of traditional historic architecture and post-war modern styles. The best architects in Sydney can hit their chests as contributors to the city’s diverse landscape.

The city went from heritage ‘Sydney sandstone’ to tall gleaming skyscrapers after most of the older structures were demolished in the 1950’s as the height restrictions imposed due to World War 2 was lifted. Today Sydney, whether it be North Sydney, the Sutherland Shire or Surry Hills, it’s home to the largest skyline in Australia, comprising around 146 skyscrapers above 90 meters, designed at the top architecture companies in Sydney. Its present-day modernity in its expansive skyline is elated in value with sustainability coming up as a trend in the recent structures.

Who paved the way for the current crop?

Architects in Sydney, including others like Jean Nouvel, Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, and Frank Gehry have made significant contributions to the cityscape of Sydney. Described as daring, provocative, organic, un-daunting, practical, contemporary, innovative and sustainable, the upcoming architecture of Sydney and the design challenges are enough to beguile any architect towards the city.

How do Sydney architects fit into the landscape of Australian Architecture?

Australian architecture is rooted in contemporary western aesthetics combined with adaptations based on climatic concerns and unique cultural nature. Though strongly influenced by its British past, Australia architecture has come to embrace a multicultural identity when it comes to design.

The architecture of Australia ranges based on proximity to the coast, historically using local materials to create semi-permanent beach homes by indigenous people. This background finds itself in how modern architects design with consideration to light, landscape, and ancestry.

While Architects’ Registration Boards don’t collect detailed demographic information on those obtaining registration, according to the 2011 ABS Census, of the people who nominated their occupation as ‘architect’:

• 60 per cent were based in Sydney or Melbourne.

With projects pinnacle to the evolution of modern architecture including the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, smaller yet more current projects are also investing in the attribution of Sydney’s global architectural future, with The Atlassian Sydney Headquarters, 3XN's Sydney Fish Market, Fender Katsalidis $800 million Masterplan for Melbourne Southgate, Bates Smart’s Collins Street and Grimshaw’s Southern Cross Station. Sydney’s architects are arguably, creating the large majority for Australian architecture.

Does Sydney have a number of architects that specialise in a particular niche?

Sustainability- Cplus, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ House, Award winning practice, Winner of the 2019 National Sustainability Awards for both New House & Intelligent Building, Highly Commended at the 2019 World Architecture Festival Awards held in Amsterdam in December and Winner of the 2019 Master Builders Association Design & Construct Excellence in Housing Awards. Designed to celebrate the Sydney climate while pushing all limits of Sustainability in every aspect of the project. This home is a direct response to the ‘Climate Emergency’ facing our country and our planet.

Cinema architecture- Dean Lewis has spent decades working within this particularly niche space within architecture – first working as an “architect slash project manager” at Village Roadshow, where he was involved in the design of cinemas in 22 different countries; and now as director of his own practice, Design and Beyond, which he founded in 1998.

List of the top 10 architecture firms in Sydney

10. Chenchow Little Architects

Scope of services: Architectural design, Interior design office

Types of Built Projects: Residential, Retail, Commercial

Locations of Built Projects: Australia

Style of work: Designs that sensitively respond to the Australian climate and architectural and social traditions

Website: www.chenchowlittle.com

9. 3XN

Scope of services: Architecture, Interior design, Landscape Architecture

Types of Built Projects: Institutional, Cultural, Residential, Hospitality

Locations of Built Projects: Australia, US, UK, Asia

Style of work: Innovative solutions to contemporary challenges.

Website: www.3xn.com

8. Anderson Architecture

Scope of services: Architecture, Interior design, Renovation

Types of Built Projects: Residential

Locations of Built Projects: Sydney

Style of work: Integration of sustainable Architecture with Contemporary design.

Website: www.andersonarchitecture.com.au

7. Koichi Takada Architects

Scope of services: Architectural Design, Urban Design, Interior design

Types of Built Projects: Mixed-use, Residential, Retail, Hospitality, Cultural, Commercial

Locations of Built Projects: Australia, New York, London & Middle East

Style of work: Minimal, Humanizing and Invisible Architecture, exploring the boundaries of the perception of Architecture.

Website: www.koichitakada.com

6. Cox Architecture

Scope of services: Architectural design, Interior design, Urban design

Types of Built Projects: Residential, Retail, Commercial, Cultural, Institutional, Healthcare, Hospitality, Transportation

Locations of Built Projects: Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America

Style of work: Delivering design-focused Contemporary Architecture

Website: www.coxarchitecture.com.au

5. Gensler

Scope of services: Architecture, urban design, Research

Types of Built Projects: Residential, Institutional, Commercial, Cultural, Hospitality, Healthcare, Mixed-use, Planning

Locations of Built Projects: North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, China, Asia

Style of work: Contemporary, Pragmatic

Website: www.gensler.com

4. Hassell Studio

Scope of services: Architectural design, Interior design, Landscape Architecture, Urban design

Types of Built Projects: Residential, Commercial, Hospitality, Educational

Locations of Built Projects: Australia, US, UK, Asia

Style of work: Unique collaborative process that results in both beautiful design and measurable value.

Website: www.hassellstudio.com

3. Tzannes

Scope of services: Architecture, Interior design, Urban design, Product design, Furniture design

Types of Built Projects: Residential, Educational, Cultural, Commercial, Hospitality

Locations of Built Projects: Sydney

Style of work: Creative, Effective, Sustainable & Innovative

Website: www.tzannes.com.au

2. Woods Bagot

Scope of services: Architectural design, Interior design

Types of Built Projects: Residential, Retail, Commercial, Cultural, Institutional, Healthcare, Hospitality

Locations of Built Projects: Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America

Style of work: Engaging, User-centered design

Website: www.woodsbagot.com

1. Harry Seidler – Harry Seidler & Associates

A Modernist architect

Famous for introducing the Bauhaus design approach to Australian architecture, Harry Seidler was an architect/designer born in Austria, and educated in England, Canada and the USA before moving to Australia to become one of the biggest exponents of Modernist architecture. Beginning with his first commission – a house for his mother in Wahroonga, Sydney built in the Bauhaus philosophy, to a series of residential, commercial and public buildings, Seidler consistently raised the bar with his originality and creative design skills.

Seidler’s impressive body of work includes the Australia Square Tower, Sydney; the Australian Embassy, Paris; The MLC Centre, Sydney; Igloo House, Sydney; Grosvenor Place, Sydney; QV1, Perth; Meriton Tower, Sydney; and the Harry and Penelope Seidler House in Killara, among many more. Seidler is a 5-time Sir John Sulman Medal winner.

Seidler disliked being slotted as a Modernist architect, explaining that the three principles of this architectural approach – social use, technology and aesthetics – were constantly evolving, which reflected in his designs.

http://seidler.net.au/

Sarah Buckley

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