(read the full article on The Fifth Estate)
Beyond concern for preserving such rich heritage, the proposed demolition of the MLC Building in North Sydney poses deep environmental concerns.
History is the story of who we are. A wise society will take lessons from that history – both good and bad – and critically engage with the present to proactively shape a better future. We do this well in many regards, and we should make no exception when we come to questions of architecture.
There is currently a development application in assessment at North Sydney Council to demolish MLC Building, a 20th Century masterpiece of significance to Australia.
Completed in 1956, it marks an important part of our cultural, social, commercial and architectural history. Its inclusion as a heritage item on many registers recognises this. So how can such a vital piece of our architectural history be discarded like ephemera that fashion has left behind – only for its value to be potentially “rediscovered” anew in the near future?