Why no new supertalls/high rises for Sydney???

[Heavenly Creature]

What is happening? Sydney has not had like one skyscraper/high rise constructed for ages, for a city like Sydney you’d think they’d be going up everywhere. I herd there doing some new Sydney Docklands thing (not as big as Melbourne’s though) with a few high rises, but not too much above about 50 stories…the city really needs a new super tall, or dominating tower, the Sydney Tower just looks terribly dated now (especially with wires running down from it), Sydney needs something really tall (and please not a tower), a unique skyscraper, something like the ones on the Gold Coast. Anyone agree, or know of any new info on proposed super tall/high rise structures?

[Andrewwise]

It's because some twat thought Sydney Tower was the most important tower in Sydney and that nothing should be built taller than it. plus you've got shadowing and space issues.

World Tower is quite nice and was bult recently.

That said I wouldn't want stuff like Q1 in Sydney. I live on the Gold Coast and have to say that it may look good in pictures but in person it's nothing special. Circle on Cavill makes up for it though. Now that's a nice building.

[CULWULLA]

nothings wrong with sydney tower. i dont think it looks dated. The cross wires and gold turret are good unique features, better then the normal concrete shaft??
only the 12storey bldg it sits on which is being revamped next year is dated, anyhow with new adjacent 40storey Westfield Tower, should look excellent in 3 years.
yes sydney has a 235m height limit, but this hasnt stopped 235m/70st towers going ahead.You need the office and resi market to be strong to have need to build a height limit scraper.
atm sydney is idling and will start on next cycle next year.
Sydney actually has a 150m skyscraper uc (Aspect) while Melbourne hasnt any (128m Neo is current tallest uc).Verve has topped out and the city is now awaiting its next 150m+ scraper. Gold coast has only 1 skyscraper uc over 150m being 220m ConC.Brisbane has only 1 uc over 150m being 160m Skyline tower.
So forget supertalls, how about we just try to build something above 500ft/150m first??
Sydney has approvals for 2x 188m towers., (33 bligh st & john boyd tower). There is talk of a 200m to replace the Goodsell bldg, but as for 235m+ towers, theres the Thakral tower above Wynyard station which is still on drawing board and maybe a 200m tower for EDH.But we wont see another 150m+ all-resi tower for a while and 200m+ offcie bldg will need asome tennants first?.Com Bank are currently looking for 65,000sqm for there new HQ. i am at the front line here at council and its very quiet, not even a sniff of a any supertall for maybe 10 years.

[CULWULLA]

not sure what you class supertall? especially in Australia but i think anything over 200m.
anyway, looks like Sydney is getting a "supertall", sooner rather then Later. Mirvac is about to lodge an office tower stage 1 DA tommorow. the tower will rise to 211m. will be similar shape to DB Place across the road.

[MILIUX]

Sydney is starting to get boring.

The door is slowly closing for super tallies. I don't see big ones going up at all.

Just will be replaced with fat but short towers around 150m.

[Heavenly Creature]

I'm loosing interest in Sydney's skyline, although I still love the city, there is no new exciting projects going on in the city, while Melbourne is getting the full treatment (Melbourne Docklands, huge ferris wheel like the London Eye, marina, wharfs, and more skyscrapers)....Sydney really needs some new skycrapers, the skyline is looking unimpressive and too small for a city like Sydney...I hope those height restrections don't stick around.

[Aussie Bhoy]

Melbourne is getting a "London Eye" type giant wheel?

[shrewd.user]

Originally Posted by Aussie Bhoy

Melbourne is getting a "London Eye" type giant wheel?

yes, its called the southern star observation wheel last i heard (a while ago)

and also last time i checked some of the pods where built... but it was a while ago so i don't know whats happened since...

it will be a few meters shorter than the london eye and be situated in the melbourne docklands... (i'll go find a render or something...)



from the main website:

http://www.waterfrontcity.com.au/index.php?id=36

[Grantus]

Originally Posted by CULWULLA

not sure what you class supertall? especially in Australia but i think anything over 200m.
anyway, looks like Sydney is getting a "supertall", sooner rather then Later. Mirvac is about to lodge an office tower stage 1 DA tommorow. the tower will rise to 211m. will be similar shape to DB Place across the road.

211m is nice but the CBD has many of those already and it won't make an impact(unless it's put in exactly the right place). Look at world tower for eg. Good height and structure but it's just blended in with the rest.

I would class a supertall as 300m+. This is what sydney needs but won't get it with that 235m height cap imposed.

[uewepuep]

Originally Posted by Aussie Bhoy

Melbourne is getting a "London Eye" type giant wheel?

yes
Do you guys want it?

[CULWULLA]

Originally Posted by Heavenly Creature

I'm loosing interest in Sydney's skyline, although I still love the city, there is no new exciting projects going on in the city, while Melbourne is getting the full treatment (Melbourne Docklands, huge ferris wheel like the London Eye, marina, wharfs, and more skyscrapers)....Sydney really needs some new skycrapers, the skyline is looking unimpressive and too small for a city like Sydney...I hope those height restrections don't stick around.

fukin serious?
sydney has one of the great skylines.well defined and lots of interesting tops.goes on forever.from Green square -redfern-CBD-Nth syd-St leo-Chatswood.
sydney is getting new skyscrapers.!!! Its entering its next cycle just like melb, Bris and GC.
Sydney will soon start on the 22hec EDH site which will have approx 13 skyscrapers ranging from 15st-60st+. the CUB will also 12 skyscrapers with 2x 100m towers.
2007 will see some great bldgs start.
grantus- yes 300m is a supertall overseas but not in Australia.
anything 200m+ is supertall.they dont come around that often.

[Jimmy James]

I don't know about this Melbourne Wheel - sounds kinda lame.

[Avatar]

I am sorry but even with all the positive-thinking known, I have to conceed that to me 200m is anything but 'supertall', more like 'supersmall'. I just don't validate that Australia should have a different rule for percieved tower heights based on a lack of tall buildings. Sydney is indeed getting rather boring. Bring on Chatswood and Parramatta - maybe we are in for some taller treats outside the city with any luck.

I have been bored with sydney for a long time and it's always great to get good designs and density but I would give up all of these 100-200m towers for a single 300+ tower and or something revoultionary and tall. Sydney is complacent as usual. Planning has rendered it this way IMO. The lack of excitement and lack of vision will hopefully be broken by something in the not too distant future that breaks with all the tradition and planning laws and delivers us another icon and monument for the future. I'd give it up too for a rejuvenation plan with some vision, instead of some ordinary plan for EDH. We could have had a worldclass development - what annoys me is a lack of vision and forward thinking, nothing is done to impress or showcase, rather its a a case of 'that will be good enough'. I'd like to to see them rip up half of redfern and broadway and go gangbusters with it, create a new city focus and remove all height limits. Essentially create a new city with promise and future thought rather than another annex to a tired and limited Sydney CBD. There is no point pandering to nimbys and stopping the city reach it full potential due to some out-dated planning schedule. Currently sydney is capped by it's own self-imposed stupidty. What I wouldn't give to go in and burn all our planning laws and legislation and start a fresh. Even if Sydney in't ready for some massive towers it will be one day and we shouldn't put the brakes on now.

On another note, I am glad we are not getting a wheel, this is too cliche 'london-eye'. I know I have said this before but I am obviously not the only one that agrees. Melbourne does not need it to win fans, it has a great thing happening already and IMO this will just cheapen what they have worked so hard with already.

[Heavenly Creature]

Culwalla, I'm glad I herd that, I guess there is something to look forward to! I just hope people won't start loosing interest in the cities skyline, but I doubt they will with all of those buildings you mentioned, can I have some pictures of the design and so on. Also, do you know of any other major Sydney projects?

[Boeing747]

Originally Posted by CULWULLA

not sure what you class supertall? especially in Australia but i think anything over 200m.
anyway, looks like Sydney is getting a "supertall", sooner rather then Later. Mirvac is about to lodge an office tower stage 1 DA tommorow. the tower will rise to 211m. will be similar shape to DB Place across the road.

We either set world's standards, follow world's standards or admit we're not up to world's stadards. Luckily Australia has two supertalls according to most popular definition for supertall, which is 300m+.

And Sydney tower should be just pulled down. I'd do it tomorrow if I could. That's just stupid. A mediocre 70's sculpture having such impact on city's skyline...

[Andrewwise]

Originally Posted by Avatar

I am sorry but even with all the positive-thinking known, I have to conceed that to me 200m is anything but 'supertall', more like 'supersmall'. I just don't validate that Australia should have a different rule for percieved tower heights based on a lack of tall buildings. Sydney is indeed getting rather boring. Bring on Chatswood and Parramatta - maybe we are in for some taller treats outside the city with any luck.

On another note, I am glad we are not getting a wheel, this is too cliche 'london-eye'. I know I have said this before but I am obviously not the only one that agrees. Melbourne does not need it to win fans, it has a great thing happening already and IMO this will just cheapen what they have worked so hard with already.

yeah I gotta agree with you. I don't consider anything under the 200 metre mark a skyscraper. it's just a tall building. A skyscraper is something that stands out above the rest.

I also agree with you on the London eye. They should have thought of something original rather than just ripping off the London Eye.

[zach24]

who cares if a city does not get any tall buildings
I prefer quality over quantity any day!
I think Sydney's height limit has done more good than harm - keep it!

[Avatar]

I know what you are saying Zach but IMO it will eventually loose some credibility. Especially in the face of other more minor Australian cities with taller skylines. Sydney is known worldwide as having a skyline and a good one at that but we are going to look rather stupid when Melbourne and Brisbane and Perth overtake it. Why cant we have one or two quality supertalls rather than a glut of good and bad smaller towers. You can't easily market a city on a few 200m towers, i'd rather have something that stands out in my postcards and photos. Enough of generic city already.

I'd like to see a masterplan with balls
Instead of this 'join the dots' type of city development.

[CULWULLA]

i think sydney might have a few suprises up its sleeve in next few years.i think we will get a height limit scraper-235m+ in next 5-10years. sydney is running out of space.most new bldgs now have to have tall bldgs torn down in order to be built. ive heard goss recently that sydeys fsr regulations-12;1 is stunting its growth and the Property Council of Australia might have to raise the fsr so sydney can achieve taller bldgs for each plot.
i think thin tall bldgs are way of future not stumpy large floor plated bldgs, hich are flavour of month atm.

[Avatar]

i hope so Cul, it just like I feel there must be more ... if you get my drift. It's like something big must happen eventually! I'd love some tall thin buildings like you mention, this would be a blessing. I'd love to see some planning changes to effect this. Slender buildings always look great and they accentuate the height. Moving down a very slow hong kong path maybe :P