CarriageWorks, Sydney

Recommended by an architect friend in Sydney, I had the privilege to visit this piece of beautifully conserved architecture tucked inconspicuously at the south west of Sydney city (well I got a lil lost finding the exact location of it). Located in close proximity to the intersection of central rail tracks, CarriageWorks was once a railway workshop complex built between 1880 and 1889. You can see traces of rail tracks as you cross the roads, as well as bays complete with huge steel beams hovering over high volume spaces, the walls stripped off to reveal their original brick-laid infill. This place is now a home for contemporary arts and culture with large theatre spaces and galleries, to me a perfect programme to suit the site. Each programme is nailed down on the location map by the track and bay number, a reminiscent of the previous use of the building -- how brilliant! What I loved about the interior space was this elegant balance of rustic material from railway workshop and the latter programmatic volume. I totally loved the cafeteria at one corner of the building -- a raised timber platform to demarcate the use against the backdrop of the new off-form concrete wall while large yellow steel beams hovered above the space, the traces of this huge mechanism a stark contrast to the finer scale of the coffee tables. Too bad I was in a rush to sit down and enjoy a sip of mocha.

More info and location of CarriageWorks here.

Cesar Pelli. 15 Penn Plaza

map: 7th Ave & 31st - 32nd streets. New York, New York, USA

Argentinian César Pelli's prompting controversial tower is soon to be built in Manhattan. The 1216 feet building (just 34 ft lower than the Empire State Building) startles Empire State owner as battles that the tower will compete with his building, ruin its views, and even throw off the feng shui. But city council and new yorkers approved the project.

: : : ::: THE FACT
it’s 42 percent larger than current zoning allows

: : : ::: THE QUOTE
"Height is not a problem — the skyline should remain as dynamic as the city, and the obvious direction for change is up."

Justin Davidson

: : : ::: THE CRITIC
"...efficiencies were added to conditions negotiated with an assortment of city agencies: extra-wide sidewalks to relieve congestion, a new pedestrian tunnel linking Sixth and Seventh Avenues, a set of freshly renovated subway exits, and plentiful retail on the lower floors — all in exchange for a huge zoning bonus in allowable floor space."

Justin Davidson. Read

: : : ::: THE LINKS

• NYMag
• architects newspaper blog
• NYpost.com