Sydney City

0153 GPO Sydney

The original section of the General Post Office (GPO) Sydney was erected at the George Street end of the existing Martin Place site. The building was designed by New South Wales colonial architect James Barnet. Opened in 1874, it replaced an earlier building on the same site that the postal service had occupied since 1830. With constant extensions and renovations the GPO building functioned as the centre of the New South Wales postal system until 1996. (National Archives) (Image taken January 2017) Image By: Hazel Hogarth

0174 GPO Sydney

FROM THE MOMENT the first sandstone blocks were laid in the mid-1800s, Sydney's GPO symbolised the importance of postal services in connecting Australia to the rest of the world. Built to meet the demands of the city's growing population, it served as the centre of NSW's telephone and mail communication from the 1 September 1874, right up until 1996. Its central location and architectural grandeur make it one of Sydney's enduring landmarks today. Image By: Hazel Hogarth

0445 John Fairfax and Sons Building

Set in the building of John Fairfax and Sons, which dates back to the 1850s, the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney boasts a historic location. Situated near Sydney Harbour, the hotel's building was once home to The Sydney Morning Herald and the Bank of New South Wales. Many of the unique architectural details designed during these periods are still present throughout the hotel. The original building dates back to 1856 when it was home to John Fairfax and Sons, publishers of Australia’s oldest surviving newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald. This stone clad building was designed in Italianate style by architects Goold and Hillings and consisted of three storeys and a basement. An extension was constructed between 1922 and 1929. Architects Manson and Pickering designed the building in the inter-war Renaissance Palazzo style using Bondi sandstone and Bowral trachyte to cover one of Sydney’s earliest concrete frame structures. Erected by Stuart Brothers builders and standing at nine levels with a basement, the building was restricted to 150 feet (50 metres) in height by the Height of Buildings Act, which limited the upward growth of Sydney between 1913 and 1956. The cupola typifies the efforts of architects to add an illusion of height to city building during that period. Fairfax Press shared the upper floors of the building with commercial tenancies, many of whom remained after the sale of the building in 1954 to the Bank of New South Wales, now known as Westpac. The last edition of The Sydney Morning Herald was written, sub-edited and typeset at this site on December 21st, 1955. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney 2000 – Present The Walter Construction Group carried out a number of adaptive works on the building between 1998 and 2000, culminating with the intimate, boutique-style, five-star Radisson Plaza Hotel Sydney, which opened in July 2000. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth

00446 Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel

The 920-tonne cupola was raised 3.9 metres to its current level to maintain the aesthetic balance of the building that by now incorporated three additional levels. While the interior was completely redeveloped, some important architectural features were retained. The original offices of Sir Warwick and Sir James Fairfax on the Mezzanine level were restored and now serve as beautiful meeting rooms. The 364 guest rooms and suites were designed to complement the stunning heritage sandstone façade. The original lavish public hall at Hunter Street is now home to The Fax Bar. In 2010, coinciding with the hotel’s 10th birthday year, the hotel underwent a multimillion-dollar redesign program, transforming the lobby to include the reception desk, the concierge, the lounge and The Fax Bar. FROM: Radisson Blu Website IMAGE: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN:

0447 Restaurant Lighting

Light in a Sydney cafe/bar. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth

0448 Restaurant Lighting

Lights in a Sydney Cafe/bar. Image By: Hazel Hogarth

0171 Town Hall Sydney

Sydney Town Hall Built on the site of Sydney’s first official European cemetery, Sydney Town Hall was constructed of honey-coloured ‘yellow block’ sandstone quarried from nearby Pyrmont between 1868 and 1889. Architecturally, it is a striking example of French Second Empire (Napoleon III) architecture, taking its inspiration from the Hotel de Ville in Paris and French chateaux and is distinguished by its mansard roofs and wrought iron cresting. The design was chosen from a winning entry submitted by architect J H Wilson in 1868. His original concept was interpreted and embellished by successive council architects and engineers as the building evolved. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth

0172 Town Hall Sydney

Town Hall Sydney A unique feature of Sydney Town Hall is the early use of Australian motifs for decorative detail throughout the building. From its colonial coats of arms to its profusion of native flora, the metalwork railings and light fittings, stained glass windows, mosaic floors, and carved cedar imbue the building with a truly Australian identity. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth

0173 Sydney Hospital

Robert Brough fountain and Nightingale Wing of the Sydney Hospital. By 1984, restoration of the old Rum Hospital building was complete. Together with its "twin" the former Mint, it remains the oldest building in Macquarie Street and the oldest public building in the City of Sydney. Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first received the name Sydney Hospital in 1881. IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth