Sydney’s Reader’s Digest Building in Surry Hills, once labelled one of the city’s most unusual structures, is set for a major refresh into a creative hub that reworks its mid-century character while keeping its heritage features intact. The $23-million project will adapt the Brutalist building for contemporary use while preserving its distinct personality and architectural value.
Restoring a Local Icon
Built in 1967 at 26–32 Waterloo Street and heritage-listed by the City of Sydney, the Reader’s Digest Building remains a standout of postwar design. Architect John James combined expressive concrete forms with artistic detail rarely seen in commercial buildings of that era. The sculptural ironwork by Douglas Annand and rooftop garden by Bruce Mackenzie helped establish its reputation for experimentation, though some pieces—considered too suggestive at the time—were removed before the building opened.
Architects Adam Haddow of SJB and Matthew Byrnes of Design 5 – Architects are now leading the refurbishment. Planning documents from the City of Sydney outline improvements to accessibility, natural light and sustainability.
Media coverage also notes the retention of original features such as handrails, lighting, and other mid-century details.
Creative Energy in Surry Hills
Haddow said the project is designed to create a “honey pot for creative activity” in Surry Hills, describing it as an informal town hall for the community. The redevelopment includes a ground-floor café and new tenancy areas, with upgraded entries and access from Cooper Street. The team’s approach builds on James’ use of the Fibonacci sequence to achieve human-centred proportions—a concept that remains central to the redesign.
The building owner, Barana Group, which purchased the site in 2019, is collaborating with Design 5 on heritage refurbishment and SJB on interior design. The Reader’s Digest Building is recognised in heritage documentation as an important example of 20th-century architectural innovation. The structure has also been the focus of an earlier Environmental Upgrade Agreement, which aimed to enhance energy performance.
The current works will reinstate Annand’s sculptural elements, some of which were stored for decades. The restoration will also rebuild the rooftop garden and integrate new systems that bring the building in line with modern performance and accessibility standards.
Reviving the Surry Hills Spirit
Project teams see the redevelopment as part of Surry Hills’ continuing shift from industrial zone to creative district. Once known for print and publishing, the suburb is now filled with studios, cafés, and small design firms.
Haddow, a nearby resident, says the renewed Reader’s Digest Building should serve as a local gathering place, continuing the building’s original mission to connect people through ideas and creativity.
Works are slated to begin in late 2025; a public completion date has not yet been announced.
Published 6-Oct-2025
