Sydney Square

Unique IDPC-000009Alternative titleSt Andrew's SquareSydney Town Hall SquareCreator/ArchitectAncher, Mortlock & WoolleyNoel Bell-Ridley SmithTypePlaceDescriptionSydney Square is a public square occupying the area between St Andrew's Cathedral and Sydney Town Hall. From the square there is also entry to St Andrew's Cathedral School and Town Hall House.

It was officially opened on the 23rd of September, 1976, by Lord Mayor, Alderman Leo Port MBE and received two Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) Architectural awards as well as Civic Design Merit awards.

The square is on the site of part of the Old Burial Ground, Sydney's first permanent cemetery, the first graveyard of old Sydney Town. The Sydney Square project was a complex project as it involved the whole city block and its development was jointly undertaken by the Sydney City Council and by the Glebe Administration of the Anglican Church.

"There were 3 different architectural practices involved in the major civic renewal project and development of the site during the 1960s and 1970s:

- Hely Bell & Horne were commissioned in 1962 to design a new four storey building at 464-480 Kent Street to accommodate the Cathedral Choir School. This building was constructed on the corner of Kent and Bathurst Streets, after the demolition of the St Andrew’s Cathedral Chapter House and precentor’s house. However, the new building itself only had a short 5 year life, before it was demolished in the next decade to provide the site for the St Andrew’s House development.
- Noel Bell Ridley Smith were commissioned in 1972 by the Anglican Sydney Diocese, to design St Andrew’s House, a new school and office building on the land behind St Andrew’s Cathedral.
- Ancher Mortlock Murray Woolley were commissioned in 1970 by the City Council, to investigate the potential to build new office space at the rear of the Town Hall. This resulted in the design of new development undertaken by AMMW during 1971-1974, that included the Town Hall House building and conservation works to the Town Hall and St Andrew’s Cathedral.
- The integrated development of Sydney Square, that included Town Hall House, St Andrew’s House, the Town Hall and St Andrew’s Cathedral, with a complex of multi-levels of civic spaces, retail shops, pedestrian connections and links to the underground Town Hall Railway Station, was the result of a collaborative design between the two architectural practices of Ancher Mortlock Murray Woolley and Noel Bell Ridley Smith. Sydney Square received RAIA Awards in 1978 and 1983 for both architects in collaboration".

~ Phil Baigent (former Director of Ancher Mortlock and Woolley)

This open pedestrian plaza has seen many significant rallies, protests and demonstrations over the years, including the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in the 1970s and against Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. The square remains an important gathering area for a variety of City of Sydney supported events like the Mardi Gras, Lunar New Year and Christmas.

See below for a snapshot of some of the items in our collection that feature this iconic city precinct over the years. To find even more items relating to Sydney Square try the search tool.

External linksOld Sydney Burial Ground

Aerial view of Sydney Square looking north west, circa 1977 (A-00017025)

Key dates and actions

Date opened23rd September 1976

Geo location

Geo address483B, George Street, Sydney, 2000, Australia

Relationships

CollectionPlaces of InterestSydney Town HallTown Hall HouseSt Andrew's CathedralSeriesAncher, Mortlock and Woolley records of St Andrew's Precinct and Town Hall House, 1971-1994Photographs of Town Hall and Town Hall House, 1972-1974

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Sydney Square