Sydney central business district

Sydney central business district New South Wales
Sydney central business district
Sydney central business district
Coordinates	33°52′5″S 151°12′44″E
Population	14,308 (2011)
Postcode(s)	2000
LGA(s)	City of Sydney
State electorate(s)	Sydney
Federal Division(s)	Sydney
Suburbs around Sydney central business district: Barangaroo Millers Point The Rocks Port Jackson Pyrmont Sydney central business district Woolloomooloo Darlinghurst Ultimo Haymarket Ultimo Surry Hills

The Sydney central business district (also Sydney CBD; popularly referred to as the City) is a suburb and the main commercial centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It extends southwards for about 3 km (2 mi) from Sydney Cove, the point of first European settlement. Its north–south axis runs from Circular Quay in the north to Central railway station in the south. Its east–west axis runs from a chain of parkland that includes Hyde Park, The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens and Farm Cove on Sydney Harbour in the east; to Darling Harbour and the Western Distributor in the west. At the 2011 Australian Census the suburb recorded a population of 14,308.

The Sydney central business district is also sometimes used loosely to encompass the surrounding suburbs such as Pyrmont, Haymarket, Ultimo and Woolloomooloo.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Sydney

Panoramic view of the Sydney Town Hall

The Sydney CBD is an area of very densely concentrated skyscrapers and other buildings, interspersed by several parks such as Hyde Park, The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens and Wynyard Park. George Street is the Sydney CBD's main north-south thoroughfare. The streets run on a slightly warped grid pattern in the southern CBD, but in the older northern CBD the streets form several intersecting grids, reflecting their placement in relation to the prevailing breeze and orientation to Circular Quay in early settlement.

The CBD runs along two ridge lines below Macquarie Street and York Streets. Between these ridges is Pitt Street, running close to the course of the original Tank Stream (now tunnelled). Bridge Street, took its name from the bridge running east-west that once crossed this stream. Pitt Street is the retail heart of the city which includes the Pitt Street Mall and the Sydney Tower. Macquarie Street is a historic precinct that houses such buildings as the State Parliament House and the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Governance

Administratively, the Sydney CBD falls under the authority of the local government area of the City of Sydney. The New South Wales state government also has authority over some aspects of the CBD, in particular through the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

Commercial area

Martin Place

The Sydney CBD contains many of Australia’s tallest skyscrapers, including Governor Phillip Tower, MLC Centre and World Tower, the latter consisting predominantly of apartments. The tallest structure is Sydney Tower at 309 m (1,014 ft), however planning restrictions limit future developments to a height of 235 m (771 ft) due to council restrictions.

The Sydney CBD is home to some of the largest Australian companies, as well as serving as an Asia-Pacific headquarters for many large international companies. The financial services industry in particular occupies much of the available office space, with companies such as the Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Macquarie Bank, AMP Limited, Insurance Australia Group, Poll Security, Polltraxx International, Polltraxx Music Group Australia, AON, Marsh, Allianz, HSBC, AXA, ABN Amro, and Bloomsbury Publishing all having offices.

Culture

Scots Presbyterian Church

The Sydney central business district skyline seen from Port Jackson

There is a large concentration of cultural institutions within the CBD including: the Museum of Sydney, the State Library of New South Wales, the Customs House branch of the City of Sydney Library, the Theatre Royal, the City Recital Hall and the Japan Foundation.

Many other cultural institutions are located at the edge of the CBD, such as: the Sydney Opera House and the Museum of Contemporary Art to the north, the Australian Museum and the Art Gallery of New South Wales to the east, the Powerhouse Museum to the west, White Rabbit Gallery and the Haymarket branch of the City of Sydney Library to the south.

Every January, the city celebrates with the Sydney Festival. There are art, music and dance exhibitions at indoor and outdoor venues. Australian and International theatre during the month is also featured, including Aboriginal, and Contemporary. Many of these events are free.

The Sydney Film Festival is an international event organised every year in June at various venues across the CBD.

Sydney boasts a lively cafe culture which is complemented by a club and bar scene distributed throughout the CBD and concentrated in a couple of locations such as Darling Harbour.

Tallest buildings 150m+

Name	Image	Height (m)	Floors	Year	Purpose	Address	Notes
Citigroup Centre		243	50	1998-2000	Commercial	506 George Street		Officially the tallest habitable building in Sydney since 2000. =10th tallest building in Australia.
Chifley Tower		241	50	1991-1992	Commercial	122 Phillip Street	A 3-metre lightning rod was added in 2000 but does not constitute an architectural feature, leaving the building with an official height of 241m. 206m to roof. Tallest building in Sydney from 1992 to 2000. Was one of the most expensive buildings in the world at A$1.2 billion. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
Deutsche Bank Place		240	39	2003-2005	Commercial	126 Phillip Street	The second-tallest building in the world with fewer than 40 floors (Al Faisaliyah Center (Riyadh) is taller at 267m). 160m to roof. Designed by Norman Foster.
MLC Centre		228	60	1975-1977	Commercial	19 Martin Place	244m to antenna and 227m to roof. Tallest building in Sydney from 1977 to 1992. Designed by Harry Seidler.
Governor Phillip Tower		227	54	1991-1994	Commercial	1 Farrer Place	254m to antenna and 227m to roof. Tallest Building in Sydney to antenna. Designed by Denton Corker Marshall.
Ernst & Young Tower		222	45	2003-2004	Commercial	680 George Street	190m to roof. Part of the World Square complex.
Aurora Place		219	41	1999-2001	Commercial	88 Phillip Street	More commonly known as Aurora Place but officially RBS Tower. 188m to roof. Designed by Renzo Piano.
ANZ Tower		195	46	2010-2013	Commercial	163 Castlereagh Street
Suncorp Place		193	48	1970-1982	Commercial	259 George Street	Construction began in 1970 and was not completed until 1982, as the project was delayed many times.
AMP Centre		188	45	1973-1976	Commercial	50 Bridge Street	Tallest building in Sydney from 1976-1977. Currently undergoing major redevelopment. Designed by Peddle Thorp & Walker.
Capita Centre		183	31	1987-1989	Commercial	9 Castlereagh Street	Designed by Harry Seidler.
Grosvenor Place		180	45	1985-1987	Commercial	225 George Street	Designed by Harry Seidler.
Australia Square Tower		170	46	1965-1967	Commercial	264 George Street	Tallest building in Sydney from 1967-1976. Designed by Harry Seidler.
Westpac Place		166	35	2003-2005	Commercial	251 Kent Street

Gallery

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  Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

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  York Street

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  State Library of New South Wales

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  Queen Victoria Building

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  Sydney Conservatorium of Music

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  Terraced buildings, now mostly demolished, looking towards the Royal Botanic Gardens and Bennelong Point, 1920s

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  View towards Circular Quay, from the North Shore, c. 1930

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  The central business district features heritage conservation for historic buildings, such as the former Burns Philp Building on Bridge Street.

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  19th century York Street apartment building

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  The QVB at night

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  The CBD skyline illuminated at dusk from Cremorne Point

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Sydney

External links

Media related to Central Business District, Sydney at Wikimedia Commons