Page 134 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sydney

132  SY DNEY AREA B Y AREA

2 Dr Chau Chak 3 University
Wing Building of Sydney
14–28 Ultimo Rd, University of Parramatta Rd, Camperdown.
Technology, Sydney, Ultimo. Map 4 D4. Map 3 A5. Tel 9351 2222. @ 343,
Tel 9514 2000.  Central Station. Parramatta Rd & City Rd routes.
@ Parramatta Rd & City Rd routes. Open daily. 7 8 phone 9351
∑ uts.edu.au 2274 (book one week in advance).
Named after the philanthropist Inaugurated in 1850, this is
who funded its construction, Australia’s oldest university.
the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building The campus is a sprawling mix
is the first building in Australia of buildings from different eras,
designed by the renowned and often of dubious architec tural
influential architect, Frank Gehry. merit. However, the original
Brett Whiteley Studio: former artist’s studio, Affectionately dubbed the Victorian Gothic main building
now a museum “crumpled brown paper bag” still stands on its ele vated site,
building, this 2015 masterpiece of dominating its surroundings.
1 Brett Whiteley design and engineering is home The work of the Colonial
Studio to the Business School at the Architect Edmund Blacket, it
University of Technology (UTS). is scrupulously modelled on the
2 Raper St, Surry Hills. Map 5 A4. Gehry described the design architecture of Cam bridge and
Tel 9225 1881. @ 343, 372, 393. as a metaphorical tree house, Oxford. It features intricate stone
Open 10am–4pm Fri–Sun, or a “growing, learning organism tracery, a clock tower with carved
by appointment on Wed & Thu. with many branches of pinnacles and gargoyles, and
Closed Easter Sun, 25 Dec.
7 partial access. thought”. a cloistered main quadrangle.
The design is striking, The gem of the campus
In June 1992, Brett Whiteley, both on the outside and is the Great Hall at the
enfant terrible of Australian the inside. The exterior main building’s northern
contemporary art, died features an east­ end. This sombre building,
unex pectedly at the age of 53. facing, sandstone­ with its carved cedar
An internationally acclaimed coloured brick façade ceiling and stained­glass
and prolific artist, he produced that undulates like windows depic ting
some of the most sumptuous fabric, and a western famous philosophers
images of Sydney and its façade of angular glass and scientists, is used
dis tinctive harbour ever painted. shards that reflects the for public concerts and
In 1985, Whiteley bought a city back to itself. The university ceremonies.
former factory and converted “fluid” brickwork was The Nicholson
it into a studio and residence. a technical feat, with Statue of Hermes, Museum of antiquities
The studio is now a public custom­made brick Nicholson Museum (see p39), the Macleay
museum and art gallery. shapes laid by hand. Museum and the War
Very few changes have The building is on the route Memorial Art Gallery are all within
been made to the building of The Goods Line pedestrian the grounds. They are open to
since Whiteley was in residence. walkway (see p101). the public on most weekdays.
The furniture, lighting, collections
of memorabilia, postcards,
photographs and other objects
are all as he arranged them.
The upstairs studio includes
his unfinished paintings, art
equipment, collections of
reference books, and a graffiti
wall covered with his quotes
and images. Even the music
that is played is from Whiteley’s
own collection.
The studio is under the admin­
istra tion of the Art Gallery of New
South Wales (see pp110–13), and
displays changing exhibitions
of the artist’s works borrowed
from the Whiteley Estate, the
Art Gallery of New South Wales
and private collections. The east-facing façade of the unusual Dr Chau Chak Wing Building

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