The much-loved social housing complex designed by Tao Gofers in 1979, has been sold for $150 million to Sirius Developments, a company owned and backed by Australian investment firm JDH Capital.

’We are very excited about the opportunity to retain and revitalise this iconic Sydney building, which holds a special place in the heart of so many Sydneysiders,’ told a JDH Capital spokesperson, adding that they have assembled an all-Australian team of architects, planners, heritage consultants and builders to ensure ‘Sirius is more sensitive to the character of The Rocks while retaining the building’s iconic features’.

BVN will lead the renovation and were hard-and-fast about only signing on if the existing building was retained.

Currently, Sirius stands at 11 storeys at it’s the centre, with its iconic silhouette stepping down to two storeys at both its northern and southern ends. The proposed ‘refurbishment’ will add 10 new apartments (metal-clad pods) to the existing 79 apartments. which will be stacked on top of the lower portions of the building. All dwellings will get metal-clad balconies and upgraded glazing systems.

The apartment break-down of the refurbished building is not yet released, though presently no social or public housing provision is proposed. Architecture AU spoke to NSW housing minister Melinda Pavey, who labeled the sale of the building “a great outcome’ and detailed how the $150 million will be spent on new social housing dwellings.

Gardens will be added to Sirius’ rooftops, and commercial/retail spaces will also be included at its base. Meanwhile, a lower bay of the existing building will be removed to create a link between Cumberland Street and Gloucester Walk.

‘Once complete, we believe that the revitalised Sirius will be a building that all of Sydney can be proud of,’ said JDH Capital’s Spokesperson. ‘We look forward to working closely with the community to understand how we can best acknowledge and celebrate Sirius’ rich history and ensure the building is better integrated into its surrounds.’

How do you feel about the proposed outcome? We’d love to hear. If you’re passionate about the future of this incredible building, please support our dedicated pals at Save Our Sirius.