The University of Technology Sydney building, also knows as the UTS Tower, The Jenga Tower or, in some circles, as the Jutting Brutalist Nightmare Which Reminds You That Life Is Short, Fleeting And Bereft Of All Joy, is well known to Sydneysiders. Look at it there, a resplendent chunk of concrete bringing a little bit of Cold War paranoia to the Sydney skyline.
It’s often called Sydney’s ugliest building by both local and international critics, and now it’s getting a facelift. Redesigns have been proposed for absolutely yonks – including the delightfully batshit idea of covering the entire building in some kind of high-tech light up clingfilm.
Well, there’s a new design in town, and this one looks like it might actually happen. The actual building won’t be touched in this design, but Building 2 will be demolished and replaced by a shimmering glass wall and another tower. Like so:
So instead of a chunk of imposing concrete on Broadway, we’ll get a chunk of imposing concrete surrounded by what looks like an enormous iPhone charging dock. Go figure.
Pending approvals, UTS is keen to go ahead with this design, with construction starting this year and finishing in 2019. Apparently it’ll cost $278 million.
But look. I’m still holding out hope for that flashy light up clingfilm idea, to be quite honest.
Source: Daily Telegraph.
Photo: UTS.
