GIO Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GIO Building |
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The Elizabeth Street building façade, in 2013
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| Former names | Sun Building Sun Newspaper Building |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Skyscraper |
| Architectural style | Interwar Skyscraper Gothic |
| Address | 60-70 Elizabeth Street, Sydney central business district, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°52′06″S 151°12′39″E / 33.8682479719°S 151.2108732860°E |
| Named for | Government Insurance Office (GIO) |
| Opened | 15 October 1929 |
| Renovation cost | A$12 million (1985) |
| Client | Sun Newspaper Limited |
| Owner | NGI Investments Pty Ltd |
| Technical details | |
| Material |
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| Floor count | 10 |
| Lifts/elevators | 7 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Joseph Kethel |
| Architecture firm | Thomas Rowe and Sydney Moore Green |
| Main contractor | Concrete Constructions Ltd |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Keers Banks and Maitland |
| Official name | GIO Building; Sun Building |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Criteria | a., c., d., e. |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 683 |
| Type | Commercial Office/Building |
| Category | Commercial |
The GIO Building is a historic office tower located at 60-70 Elizabeth Street in the heart of Sydney central business district, Australia. It was built in 1929 and is also known as the General Insurance Office Building. Originally, it was called the Sun Building or the Sun Newspaper Building. This impressive building is privately owned and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register since April 2, 1999.
The GIO Building was designed in a special style called Interwar Skyscraper Gothic. This style was popular for tall buildings in the 1920s.
Contents
History of the GIO Building
Building the Sun Newspaper Headquarters
The land where the GIO Building stands today has a long history. It was once made up of several smaller plots. These plots were owned by different people, including Jacob Josephson, Francis Wild, and Joseph Roberts, starting in the 1830s.
One important owner was Joshua Frey Josephson, Jacob's son. He was a talented musician and later became a solicitor and even the Mayor of Sydney in 1848. He owned a large part of the land until the 1920s.
Over time, this area became popular for legal offices because it was close to the Supreme Court. By the 1840s, a building called Wentworth Chambers stood on part of the site. It housed many lawyers and other professionals.
In the 1920s, a company called Sun Newspapers Limited bought these different land sections. They wanted to build a new, bigger home for their newspaper.
The Rise of The Sun Newspaper
Sun Newspapers Limited was a big player in Sydney's newspaper world. In 1910, they launched The Sun newspaper. It was a new kind of paper for its time.
The Sun was different because it put important news on its front page, not just advertisements. It also focused on exciting stories like crime and human interest. This made it very popular with readers.
To celebrate its launch, The Sun did fun promotions. They had motorboats with posters on the harbour and a chariot pulled by seven horses in the streets! The newspaper's success meant it needed more space.
The company decided to build a brand new, larger building. In 1926, they held a competition to find the best design. The winner was Joseph Kethel, an architect who had already designed other buildings for Sun Newspapers.
Architect Joseph Kethel's Vision
Joseph Alexander Kethel was born in 1866. He learned architecture from Thomas Rowe and Sydney Moore Green. Kethel designed many buildings, including offices, homes, churches, and theatres.
He was the perfect choice for the Sun Building because he had designed their previous offices in Castlereagh Street and Newcastle. He also designed buildings for other newspaper publishers.
Opening the Sun Building
The new Sun Building was built by Concrete Constructions Ltd. It officially opened on October 15, 1929. Many important people, including the Governor of NSW, Sir Dudley de Chair, attended the ceremony.
The building's design was very exciting. It was one of the first major buildings in Sydney to use the "commercial Gothic" style. This style was inspired by tall American skyscrapers of the 1920s. It featured vertical lines and decorative details at the top and bottom.
The building had some cool features for its time. It had two towers: one on the Elizabeth Street side held a golden "sun" symbol, and the other on the Phillip Street side had an observation deck. There was also a cafeteria and even a hospital for staff!
The building used "Vita glass" in some windows, which was thought to let in healthy ultraviolet light. It also had seven fast lifts, traveling at 182 meters per minute. The basement levels housed the huge printing machines.
The outside of the building was covered in beautiful materials. The ground floor used Uralla granite. Above that, it was covered in Benedict Stone, a special manufactured stone. The inside entrance had "richly coloured" Cudgegong marble. The newspaper was proud to use Australian materials.
Interestingly, the building originally had two landscaped gardens in front of its Elizabeth Street side. But these were removed around 1934 when the street was widened.
Changes Over the Years
In 1929, Sun Newspapers Ltd merged with another company to form Associated Newspapers Limited. The Sun Building became part of this new company.
In 1955, the building was sold to the Government Insurance Office (GIO). After this, the inside of the building was greatly changed to fit GIO's needs. Many of the original interior features were removed.
Since then, the building has had many updates and renovations. In the 1980s, major changes costing $12 million were made. Most of the inside was rebuilt, with new lifts, stairs, and services. Shops were also added on the ground floor.
Today, the building continues to be an office space, with various businesses as tenants.
Architecture and Design
Interwar Skyscraper Gothic Style
The GIO Building is a great example of the Interwar Skyscraper Gothic style. This style was influenced by American skyscrapers of the 1920s, like the famous Chicago Tribune Building.
Only a few buildings in Australia were built in this style. It combines traditional Gothic details with the tall, vertical look of skyscrapers. You can see this in the decorative parts at the bottom and top of the building. The vertical lines of the windows also make it look very tall.
The GIO Building stands out among other historic office buildings in the area, like the former APA Building and the State Savings Bank. Together, these buildings show how architectural styles changed for tall offices in the period between the two World Wars.
Outside Features
The outside of the GIO Building still looks much like it did when it was first built. It has a base made of polished stone, a plain middle section with many windows, and decorative details at the very top.
The original design was symmetrical, meaning it looked the same on both sides. However, later additions in the 1930s changed this a bit. Some of the original metal-framed windows are still there, especially in the large arched openings.
Over the years, some things have changed on the outside. New shop fronts have been added, and canopies (shelters) have been put above the entrances. Some parts of the building's exterior show signs of age, like cracks in concrete or corroded metal.
Inside Features
Unlike the outside, most of the GIO Building's interior was changed during the 1980s renovations. Very little of the original inside remains.
However, the former board room and a small room next to it on the seventh floor are still original. These rooms have early timber wall panels, timber floors, and a fireplace. The ceiling in the board room also has original plaster mouldings with a "Gothic" design.
The ground floor now has shops and a large open space connecting Elizabeth and Phillip Streets. It features wide stairs and an escalator. The materials used inside, like light-colored marble, are from the 1980s renovations.
The office floors above are usually decorated by the different companies that rent them. The lift lobbies often have unique designs, but their ceilings are similar, with "Gothic" plaster mouldings like those in the old board room.
The building now has five lifts, two fewer than when it was first completed. The toilet areas have all been updated with new fittings.
Heritage Significance
The GIO Building is very important to the history of New South Wales. It is recognized for several reasons:
- Historical Importance: It played a big role in the history of newspaper publishing in Sydney, especially with Sun Newspapers Ltd. The land itself also has ties to important historical figures like Joshua Josephson, who was a prominent lawyer and Mayor of Sydney.
- Architectural Beauty: The building is a rare and early example of the Interwar Skyscraper Gothic style in Sydney. It's also a significant work by the architect Joseph Kethel. Its exterior is still largely intact, showing off its unique design.
- Technical Achievement: The GIO Building was one of the first major buildings in Sydney to use Benedict stone for its exterior cladding. This was a new and innovative building material at the time.
The GIO Building is a key part of the historic architecture around Martin Place, Elizabeth Street, and Phillip Street. It helps us understand how Sydney's city center changed over time.
