Sydney landmark should house future city school, say top architects

"Public school in the making": the Department of Education building. Photo: Christopher Pearce

One of the two major public buildings on Sydney's Bridge Street should be converted into a much-needed city school, says a group of prominent Australian architects.

The Department of Education building and the adjacent Department of Lands building are being offloaded by the Baird government for "no longer meeting their requirements"after more than a century of civic use.

The architecturally prized landmarks, known as "the sandstones", are being sold on a 99-year lease through an international expressions of interest campaign closing on December 3. The marketing pitch describes it as a "rare" chance for a buyer to convert the two buildings into boutique luxury hotels.

But eight architects and academics are appealing to the Premier and Treasurer to keep the historically significantbuildings in public ownership by realising the Education building's potential as "a Sydney city public school in the making".

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Australian Institute of Architects' gold medallists Richard Leplastrier and Peter Myers, both of whom worked withJornUtzonon the Sydney OperaHouse, are among those who put their names to a letter sent on Saturday.

"Surely here is an unlikely to be repeated opportunity to make a very fine city-based school in a buildingthat belongs to the citizensand is currently under the custodianshipof the Department of Education," the letter says.

The group argues the building was "readily adaptable" for use as a public high school; a purpose that would require less intrusive changes to the historic structure than a hotel.

"Basically, you could call it Bridge Street High School, just write it in chalk on the wall and that's it; everything's there," said Mr Myers, who has designed plans that show how the building's internal courtyard could be converted into a 500-seat theatre.

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Sydney landmark should house future city school, say top architects