Cider with Rosie | Sunday, September 10, 2006 |
The old custom house at Circular Quay was remodelled last year and contains a public library and amongst other things an exhibition space whose content changes regularly.
Recently the space has been devoted to a retrospective of Australian architect Harry Seidler who died in March. Seidler created a number of Sydney's famous buildings; some commercial and some residential. One of the smaller buildings and his first commission was a house for his parents which we visited today.
I'm not sure exactly when it was designed, but building for the property now known as the Rose Seidler House took place between 1948 and 1950 and it won a prestigious award in '51.
Even now, the building would be a pleasent place to live.
Some aspects I would change if it were mine, but the principal is sound and most of my objections are purely cosmetic (the natural stone for example I would prefer as polished concrete and the kitchen could use an update, complete as it is with 50's appliances).
Nevertheless, Sydney is a city of frenetic construction activity yet much of the work feels pedestrian when compared to something nearly sixty years old.
Recently the space has been devoted to a retrospective of Australian architect Harry Seidler who died in March. Seidler created a number of Sydney's famous buildings; some commercial and some residential. One of the smaller buildings and his first commission was a house for his parents which we visited today.I'm not sure exactly when it was designed, but building for the property now known as the Rose Seidler House took place between 1948 and 1950 and it won a prestigious award in '51.
Even now, the building would be a pleasent place to live.
Some aspects I would change if it were mine, but the principal is sound and most of my objections are purely cosmetic (the natural stone for example I would prefer as polished concrete and the kitchen could use an update, complete as it is with 50's appliances).
Nevertheless, Sydney is a city of frenetic construction activity yet much of the work feels pedestrian when compared to something nearly sixty years old.
