Sydney Open Day 2019: Property Council House

Chris Tham

3 November 2019 at 3:00:17 pm AEDT

Built in 1848 by the renowned Sydney architect Henry Robertson, this sandstone building with its granite columns and marble balustrades was the site of the first Savings Bank of New South Wales, which later became the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Global design and engineering practice Arup opens its new offices to Sydney Open for the second year in a row, this time inviting the public in for a rare glimpse at the specialty spaces inspiring them to redefine what is possible in the built environment. The offices are located in the CBD heritage pocket of Barrack Place, in one of Sydney’s few commercial buildings to open this year.


Address	11 Barrack Street, Sydney
Built	1848
Architect	Henry Robertson

The three-storey colonnade facing Barrack Street is an exceptional example of Victorian Greek Revival design with the columns on each floor strictly following classical rules of proportion and decoration, and can be considered the best of its type in Australia.

Inside, the main stairwell has glorious stained-glass windows and original woodwork, and around the building some surfaces have been scraped back to reveal decorative finishes from many different periods.

Inside the original entrance on Barrack Street is a chronological display of archival photographs and descriptions that take you through the history of the building from 1850 to the present day.

On Sydney Open Day, I was be able to access the main entrance, stairway, boardroom and balconies.

#building #event #Sydney #Sydney Open Day