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A Sydney architect wants public support to help preserve the heritage qualities of a late 1960s modernist-style building in the city's eastern suburb of Double Bay.
Rory Toomey has started an online petition in opposition to a development application submitted to the local council by the building's owner.
He said the effort to save what he believes is a rare example of 1960s Sydney architecture has gained widespread support among his peers and architectural enthusiasts.
"I'm feeling a real sense of urgency because I've seen so many great 20th-century buildings get destroyed," Mr Toomey said.
"We see this building as not one of a lot of examples; we see it as unique, we see it as a one-off."
Building leaves lasting impression
The three-storey mixed-use commercial building known as Gaden House was designed in 1968 by prominent Sydney architect Neville Gruzman.
Early in his career Mr Toomey was mentored by Gruzman, but said his personal connection was not the main motivator for his opposition to the proposal.
"It's mainly what I see is the inherent value in the building rather than the fact that Neville designed it," he said.
"I understand how much care he put into designing every project, but if this were designed by someone I had never met I would still be doing what I'm doing now."
Early work of sustainability
Mr Toomey said Gruzman was ahead of his time when it came to sustainability and his mentor would use Gaden House as an example for the principles of solar design.
"[Gruzman] was very responsive and very aware of Sydney's micro-climate, the sun, cross-ventilation, access to the north-easterly breezes in summer being down here almost at sea level," he said.
"Essentially the building is a very elegant diagram of how to deal with the sun in Sydney's climate. I've never forgotten those lessons."
Among the building's prominent features are its exterior terrazzo steps, vertical and horizontal sun shades and an interior helical staircase, all of which are proposed to be demolished along with alterations to the interior floor plan.
Mr Toomey drew parallels of his heritage preservation efforts with the public opposition to the redevelopment of the Sirius building in The Rocks district.
"To see that go, it's very similar to letting Gaden House go," he said.
"It's one of those things where I think in years to come people would really regret if we didn't fight to save it; I think we'd never forgive ourselves."
Alternatives to development
Mr Toomey said another aim of the petition was to inspire the owners to consider other options that would preserve the building's unique features.
"I simply hope that the discussion happening now is making the owners aware of the value of what they have and making them then question the commercial sense of erasing it and replacing it with something more generic," he said.
"It's not all about floor space. Good design attracts a premium in terms of rent and in terms of resale."
Woollahra Municipal Council has yet to assess the application but has stated the development proposal seeks to partially alter the existing building along with the addition of two storeys of commercial floor space.
The development application will be referred to an independent hearing and assessment panel in March.
Topics: urban-development-and-planning, architecture, local-government, human-interest, sydney-2000