Both Sydney and Melbourne boast major iconic civic buildings. When it comes to civic buildings, those built for serving – arts, transport networks, education or government administration – there’s added public pressure and excitement. According to Sydney Architect Tomek Archer, Sydney’s obsession with the outdoors has caused missed opportunities.

A good example of a classic civic building is architect Sean Godsell’s RMIT building in Melbourne with its geometric facade.

Melbourne Architect Nick Harding believes immigration has helped to make Melbourne’s city what it is today: diverse and inviting. Melbournites embrace the new.

“Fed Square would have to be the only town square built 200 years after the settlement of a city that has been successfully embraced as the centre of a city from the moment is was completed. Whether you like the architecture or not it is irrelevant, it is a truly successful urban strategy creating a new centre and one that is next door to the river, connecting the CBD to one it’s few natural assets,” says Harding.

Southern Cross Station by Grimshaw Architects aimed to resolve many complex elements on both an urban and architectural level. The station had to meet the programmatic demands of a major transport interchange and at the same time acknowledge the station as an extension of the city grid, a part of the daily life and activity of Melbourne. There was also the key objective to repair the urban fracture between the emerging revitalised Docklands district and the city.

Alex Ritchie from e2 says he simply feels Melbourne ‘gets it’. “I really like how in Melbourne new architecture plays with the scale of its heritage fabric. My favourite Melbourne buildings are the Southern Cross Station by Grimshaw; The Exhibition and Convention Centre by DCM and 140 William Street (formally BHP House) by Yuncken Freeman.

“After the completion of the Opera House, Sydney has not build any true risk taking or progressive architecture since,” says Ritchie. The Design Writer Penny Craswell agrees Melbourne has maintained its edge. “Melbourne is constantly changing, with new architecture that pushes the boundaries of design. Sydney is still catching up, though the new buildings at the University of Technology, Sydney, including the Gehry building, are starting to challenge the standard glass and steel box approach to new buildings.” Craswell says.

Frank Gehry’s new landmark ‘paper bag’ building at UTS in Ultimo, Sydney.

Jump to:

Urban architecture: Sydney vs. Melbourne

Round 1: Residential

Round 2: Urban design

Knock out round: Hospitality