Former prime minister Paul Keating and NSW premier Dominic Perrottet joined forces for a press conference in which both launched a “misguided and completely unwarranted attack” on the Australian Institute of Architects’ NSW chapter, labelling it “fruitcakes.”
The press conference was held on 20 October to announce height and floor space limits to development at Central Barangaroo, following the latest modification (9) that seeks to increase the gross floor area and approved building envelopes.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said, “Today, we provide certainty to Infrastructure NSW in relation to development here, ensuring that it is in keeping with this local area. Ultimately, by preserving the public amenity and public space, we ensure that Barangaroo is there for the people of NSW, not for vested interests.
“By restricting the floor space limit, we’ll ensure better public space, less shadowing, and ultimately […] better sightlines from Observatory Hill down to Central Barangaroo.”
Former prime minister Paul Keating said Barangaroo is a “world ranking outcome” and slammed the Australian Institute of Architects for its continued advocacy for due process and public benefit.
He also criticised Hill Thalis Architecture and Urban Projects’ competition-winning proposal for Barangaroo. “That dull proposal issued by Philip Thalis […] was basically keeping the concrete wharf and grass with a few buildings down one end and we’re supposed to say, ‘Oh, fantastic’. It was a piece of rubbish, that’s why it got ignored,” Keating said.
Keating was a member of the jury that unanimously awarded the competition to the Hill Thalis-led team.
The original competition winning proposal by Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects, Paul Berkemeier Architect and Jane Irwin Landscape Architects.
“If you need kitchen amendments, or another odd toilet off the corridor, Philip Thalis is your person.”
Keating praised the Wilkinson Eyre-designed Crown casino tower as “probably the most beautiful in Australia, easily. And at 75 storeys it’s one of the most important on its kind in the world.
“[But] we’re supposed to join with those fruitcakes at the NSW Institute of Architects to say, ‘Oh no, this is shocking, we can’t have that.’
“What really gives them horrors at the Institute of Architects is that the public love this place. The public are down here all the time. You know that public, just those ordinary people, what do they matter? They’re not members of the Institute.”
Perrottet also added, “I agree with the former prime minister. The Institute of Architects have no idea.”
Photo of the Crown Sydney Tower taken from Observatory Park by Xer0_onPC, licensed under CC-BY-SA-4.0
The Australian Institute of Architects hit back at the politicians for “twisting tales.”
In a statement the Institute said it “will continue to advocate for design-centred planning to benefit the entire community rather than a select few.”
“We represent our members and the community to ensure planning processes are robust, equitable and transparent,” said national president Shannon Battisson.
The Institute also told its member that it has written a letter to the premier demanding an apology for the “distasteful, derogatory and false remarks that have, of course, caused outrage among many of our members.”
“The facts of the matter are that at no time in recent months has the NSW Chapter made derogatory comments on the Wilkinson Eyre tower, or on the design elements of the Barangaroo site project itself,” wrote Battisson and NSW president Laura Cockburn. “The Institute does not negatively pass judgement on the work of members of our profession. It is our role, however, to point out government process discrepancies and failures which impact our profession and the general public, and this has been the case historically with the Barangaroo site.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
