MLC Centre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids MLC Centre
MLC Centre Sydney
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Commercial
Location	19-29 Martin Place, Sydney
Coordinates	33°52′05″S 151°12′34″E / 33.868019°S 151.20932400000004°E / -33.868019; 151.20932400000004
Construction started	1972
Opening	1977
Owner	Dexus
Height
Roof	228 m (748 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	67
Lifts/elevators	26
Design and construction
Architect	Harry Seidler
Developer	MLC Limited
Main contractor	Civil & Civic

The MLC Centre is a very tall building, called a skyscraper, located in Sydney, Australia. A famous architect named Harry Seidler designed it. It's 228 metres (about 748 feet) tall and has 67 floors! This building is one of Harry Seidler's most important designs. It even won a special award called the Sir John Sulman medal from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.

About the MLC Centre

The MLC Centre looks like a bright white, modern column. It has eight huge support columns in its corners. These columns get a little narrower towards the top. This building is one of the world's tallest buildings made from reinforced concrete. When it was finished, it was one of the tallest buildings outside North America.

A Tall Building in Sydney

From 1977 to 1992, the MLC Centre was Sydney's tallest office building. It was also Australia's tallest building for nine years. In 1986, the Rialto Towers in Melbourne became taller. Today, the MLC Centre is fully owned by a company called Dexus.

What's Inside the Building?

Many businesses have offices in the MLC Centre. For example, the Sydney Consulate of the United States of America is located here. The bottom part of the building has a shopping centre. There is also a large theatre called the Theatre Royal. It can seat 1,186 people.

Keeping the Building Strong

The building had a big repair project that cost $100 million. This project helped protect the outside of the building. It fixed damage to the concrete panels caused by steel inside them rusting. The repairs made sure the building still looked the same as it did when it was new.

Images for kids

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  View from Sydney Tower

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  The Australia Hotel, 1932, was taken down to build the MLC Centre.

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  Martin Place in the early 1950s. The Australia Hotel was removed in 1971-72 for the MLC Centre.

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  The bottom part of the building, called the podium.

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  The Theatre Royal building.