GIO Building

GIO Building

Company type	Private
Industry	Office building / Heritage site
Founded	1929
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Products	Office space

The GIO Building is a heritage-listed office tower situated at 60-70 Elizabeth Street within Sydney's central business district in New South Wales, Australia. Erected in 1929, it is also referred to as the General Insurance Office Building and was initially known as the Sun Building or Sun Newspaper Building. Currently under private ownership, it was officially entered into the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Architecturally, the structure is a representative example of the Interwar Skyscraper Gothic style.

Early proprietors of the land

The property at 60-70 Elizabeth Street encompasses portions of three historic land grants located in Section 40 of Sydney: Allotment 7 granted to Jacob Josephson (1836), Allotment 18 granted to Francis Wilde (1836), and Allotment 8 granted to Joseph Roberts (1842), all of which had earlier occupants.

Most of the plot lies within Allotment 7, originally granted to Jacob Josephson, a jeweller who arrived in Sydney in 1818. Following his death in the 1840s, ownership passed to his son, Joshua Frey Josephson. Born in Hamburg in 1815, Joshua qualified as a solicitor in 1844, served as Sydney’s Mayor in 1848, and was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1855. His career included roles as barrister, land titles commissioner, director of the Australian Joint Stock Bank, and investor in both pastoral and urban properties. He held office as solicitor general in 1868 and served as a district court judge until 1884. The Josephson family maintained possession of Lot 7 until the early 1920s.

Lot 8 was occupied by Richard Roberts from 1829 and remained within the Roberts family until its sale to John Starkey in 1874.

The grant awarded to Francis Wilde was subject to dispute but was ultimately confirmed to Mary Harper by 1851. Ownership subsequently changed hands through mortgages and sales, coming into possession of Jacob Christian Fischer and later his heirs. In 1908, Sir Matthew Harris acquired this parcel. Harris (1841–1917) inherited extensive real estate holdings, served on Sydney Municipal Council from 1881 to 1900, represented Sydney-Denison in the Legislative Assembly between 1894 and 1901, and held the mayoralty of Sydney from 1898 to 1900. Additionally, he chaired Sydney Hospital and led the Royal Agricultural Society. Presumably acquired as an investment, Harris’s family retained this property until its sale to Sun Newspapers Limited in 1927.

Initial site development

By approximately 1835, much of the land granted to Francis Wilde and William Roberts had been developed, whereas Josephson’s adjacent allotment remained largely undeveloped aside from four small structures along Phillip Street. By the late 1830s, Elizabeth Street between Hunter and King streets featured an assortment of private residences with notable legal chambers situated near its southern end. These chambers were conveniently located close to the Supreme Court, attracting legal tenants; meanwhile, Phillip Street was less built-up.

By 1842, Wentworth Chambers—likely described contemporaneously as a "handsome enclosed series of Chambers"—had been constructed on part of Josephson’s grant. By the late 1840s, Elizabeth Street had undergone considerable change; most buildings between Hunter and King streets were modern structures predominantly occupied by barristers and solicitors. Wentworth Chambers consisted of two single-storey gabled buildings separated by an open passageway. Joshua Josephson himself appeared to maintain chambers opposite this location.

In February 1863, Joshua Josephson registered the land under the Real Property Act, marking it among New South Wales’ earliest properties to be recorded under this system. By 1873, Joshua Josephson owned parcels including houses fronting both Elizabeth and Phillip Streets. Wentworth Court (or Place) housed weekly tenants by the mid-1870s and expanded into a three-storey building by the early 1880s with a diverse tenant mix including artists, merchants, watchmakers, surveyors, but predominantly legal professionals. A photograph from 1926 depicts a modest three-storey facade facing Elizabeth Street contrasted with a taller and more ornate elevation along Phillip Street.

Ownership later transferred jointly to Sydney Arthur Josephson and William Edward Wilson before being sold incrementally to Sun Newspapers Ltd between May 1920 and February 1921. The company further consolidated its holdings in 1927 by purchasing additional land from the Harris family. The precise date when part or all of Lot 8 was acquired remains uncertain.

Sun Newspapers

During the 1890s, Sydney's afternoon tabloid scene included the Australian Star, published by the Australian Newspaper Company. After 1901, the paper experienced financial difficulties and was operating at a loss by 1907. To secure funding, Chairman Sir Robert Anderson obtained a loan from Sir Hugh Denison of Associated Tobacco Companies, yet the company still faced potential liquidation. Director Herbert Easton convinced Denison to reassess the situation, resulting in a group of Sydney businessmen establishing Sun Newspaper Company Limited. Two former directors rejoined the board, initiating a revamp of the publications. While The Australian Star persisted for three months, the Sunday Sun transitioned into a daily paper and was succeeded by The Sun on 1 July 1910. Editor Montague Grover introduced groundbreaking journalistic techniques that transformed Australian newspapers by prioritizing front-page headlines and dynamic layouts.

On its launch day, circulation figures doubled those of The Star, aided by promotional activities such as motorboats displaying Sun posters and a chariot procession. The publication's popularity was largely due to its extensive use of international cable news services alongside comprehensive crime and human interest reporting. Rising readership prompted the acquisition of land behind the Castlereagh Street office for a new building, completed by late 1915.

In 1918, Sun Newspapers Ltd purchased the struggling The Northern Times in Newcastle, rebranding it as The Newcastle Sun and commissioning architect Joseph Kethel to design a new four-story building on Hunter Street. The late 1920s saw further expansion when the company incorporated the established Daily Telegraph Newspaper Co Ltd into its portfolio.

In early 1921, Moore Street was renamed Martin Place as it extended eastward beyond Pitt Street. Anticipating this development, Sun Newspapers acquired property between Elizabeth and Phillip Streets near Martin Place's northern end—the location of their existing premises—in February 1921. This site lay along the planned extension corridor from Castlereagh to Macquarie Street, a project proposed since a 1909 Royal Commission.

Between 1926 and 1927, architect Joseph Kethel submitted several plans for demolition and new construction on this site. In 1926, Sun Newspapers organized an architectural competition featuring six entries judged by Professor Leslie Wilkinson and Melbourne architect Kingsley Henderson. Kethel’s design was selected; having had a long-standing relationship with the company, he submitted an updated building application in July 1927 with structural engineering provided by E. Leslie James.

Joseph Alexander Kethel

Joseph Alexander Kethel (born 31 January 1866) was the second son of Alexander Kethel and began his architectural training under Thomas Rowe and Sydney Moore Green in 1887. His practice was responsible for several prominent commercial structures in Sydney, including buildings for Alliance Assurance at 97 Pitt Street and the London Assurance Building at 16-20 Bridge Street, both since demolished. Kethel’s portfolio also included private homes and rural estates such as "Cavan" near Yass, "Chatsworth" at Potts Point (built in 1922 but later demolished), a residence in Leura, religious buildings like Fuller Memorial Church in Surry Hills, and theatres including the Independent Theatre at North Sydney. He held the position of Honorary Architect to the Royal Australian Historical Society until his passing on 29 April 1946.

Kethel maintained a close working relationship with newspaper publishers, having designed earlier buildings for Sun Newspapers, which led to his commission for their premises at 60-70 Elizabeth Street. Additionally, he designed facilities for publishers of Truth and Sportsman located at 61-73 Kippax Street, Sydney.

The Sun building

Constructed by Concrete Constructions, the Sun Building was officially inaugurated on 15 October 1929, with notable attendees such as the Governor of NSW, the Premier, and university dignitaries.

This structure showcased the popular "commercial Gothic" architectural style of its time, eliciting varied opinions. Building magazine remarked on its unique characteristics: "the five large openings... stately... yet not entirely harmonized with the decorative elements," and pointed out the firm's sun emblem as its most audacious design feature.

Design constraints imposed by height limits led to a two-tiered roof configuration, influenced by the site's sloping terrain. The tower facing Elizabeth Street was crowned with a gilded sun balloon, while the Phillip Street tower contained an observation deck and a rooftop staff cafeteria. Employee facilities were notably advanced for that era, including a hospital on the thirteenth floor, a mechanical suite equipped with individual foreman desks, mechanical toilets accompanied by showers, and "Vita glass" windows designed to admit ultraviolet light for health advantages.

The building was outfitted with seven high-speed elevators operating at the maximum allowed velocity of 600 feet (182 meters) per minute—ranking among Sydney’s largest interwar lift installations. It also boasted Australia’s most extensive mechanical ventilation system at that time, partly necessitated by three basement levels beneath Phillip Street. These basements housed printing presses and heavy storage areas.

Exterior cladding featured Uralla granite at street level, complemented by emerald pearl stone framing the windows and red granite on the Elizabeth Street facade. Above this base, Benedict Stone—a composite material first developed in America in the 1880s—was widely applied; this represented one of Australia’s earliest major uses of the material. Inside, notable elements included richly hued Cudgegong marble in the entrance foyer and Apollo-themed tiled panels on stairway landings. Otherwise, interior finishes were relatively understated. The newspaper stressed sourcing Australian materials to express its national identity.

The frontage included two landscaped garden plots adorned with ornamental pedestals and young trees along Elizabeth Street, connected by a central walkway leading to the main entrance. These green areas were removed around 1934 during street widening works.

During this era, Sydney saw the construction of several key newspaper publisher buildings: Robertson & Marks’ Daily Telegraph Building (1916); Manson and Pickering’s Sydney Morning Herald building (1929); and Spain and Cosh’s Evening News Building (1926).

Subsequent history of Sun Newspapers Limited

On 1 October 1929, Sun Newspapers Ltd merged with S. Bennett Ltd to establish Associated Newspapers Limited, functioning as both an operational and holding entity. In January 1930, it acquired the Daily & Sunday Guardian and completed full ownership of Daily Telegraph Pictorial Ltd by February. Facing economic downturn during the early 1930s depression and falling readership numbers, the company ceased publication of the Evening News and Sunday Pictorial, combined the Daily Guardian and Daily Pictorial into The Daily Telegraph, and merged the Sunday Guardian with the Sunday Sun. This consolidation resulted in a portfolio consisting of morning, evening, and Sunday editions.

By 1936, key assets of S Bennett Limited—including the goodwill associated with The Daily Telegraph—were sold to Consolidated Press Holdings, where Associated Newspapers held shares. At this juncture, Sun Newspapers Limited remained as the only active subsidiary. To cut expenses, Sun Newspapers went into voluntary liquidation in March 1937, followed by S. Bennett Limited in 1938; meanwhile, the Newcastle Sun was sold to Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate Pty Ltd.

On 26 January 1938, Associated Newspapers introduced Pix, pioneering pictorial journalism in Australia. Between 1939 and 1940, investments in new equipment expanded circulation capabilities. A subsidiary named Wireless Newspapers Pty Limited was liquidated at year-end 1939 while shares were acquired in Australian Newspaper Mills Pty Limited. The company’s publication lineup included titles such as Daily Sun, Woman, Sunday Sun, World's News, Pix, Wireless Weekly, and Radio and Hobbies. By 1943, Wireless Weekly was replaced by Pocket Book Weekly, and despite paper rationing during wartime, circulation numbers increased.

In 1947, two new magazines—Sporting Life and Glamour—were launched. Later in that decade, Sungravure Limited was established to oversee rotogravure printing operations. At Associated Newspapers’ 1953 Annual General Meeting, Warwick Fairfax declared his intention to join the Board following a share issue to John Fairfax & Sons aimed at financial strengthening; Fairfax also secured representation on the Board.

In June 1955, ownership of the Elizabeth Street property was transferred to the Government Insurance Office (GIO). Rights for magazine and job printing were assigned to Sungravure Limited amid ongoing operational challenges. By late 1956, W.O. Fairfax assumed chairmanship; production and distribution of The Sun relocated to John Fairfax & Sons’ Broadway facilities along with staff.

In 1970, half ownership of Sungravure Pty Limited was sold to International Publishing Corporation—then recognized as the world’s largest magazine publisher. At that time, Associated Newspapers published only The Sun and The Sun Herald. By 1974 it generated profits from trading activities related to The Sun and held a one-third stake in The Sun Herald. On 21 April 1978, Associated Newspapers regained full control of Sungravure Pty Limited.

Later developments of the Sun building

Sun Newspapers Ltd proactively planned for growth, expanding its premises in October 1931 by purchasing a portion of former Allotment 7, located at 68-70 Elizabeth Street, which Sydney City Council had resumed in 1930. Additional land acquisitions from the Council followed in March 1936 to support further enlargement.

During the late 1930s, the architectural firm Scott Green and Scott undertook multiple modifications and extensions. These works included enclosing a northern lightwell adjacent to the APA Building and significant additions that necessitated demolishing Dymocks Chambers and Northfield Chambers. After World War II, under EA & TM Scott's direction, a mezzanine floor was inserted between the sixth and seventh levels (1946-47), alongside the construction of a roof fan room and new restroom facilities.

Ownership passed to Associated Newspaper Ltd amid Sun Newspapers' liquidation in August 1939. Beginning in September of that year, a portion of the basement was leased to Sydney City Council. Full ownership was secured by Associated Newspapers in December 1953 before transferring the property to the Government Insurance Office in June 1955. The building then underwent comprehensive interior renovations tailored for government functions, designed by the NSW Government Architect's Office and carried out by NSW Public Works, including repairs to steel windows completed by mid-1957. Despite this, Associated Newspapers remained as tenants until February 1963.

Starting in 1959, architect firm Morrow and Gordon managed numerous alterations impacting much of the structure: changes to entrances, partitioning on the ninth floor, construction of car park ramps and mezzanines (1959); upgrades to toilet facilities, installation of a covered roof walkway, creation of a new tea room, and tank modifications throughout the early 1960s; significant mechanical ventilation improvements in 1968; and alterations to ground-floor areas in 1970.

Additional architectural contributions were made by others; notably, Guildford Bell designed spaces for Ansett Transport Industries on the basement and ground floors in 1959.

The transformation continued through the 1970s and 1980s. Architect R. B. Keers directed extensive renovations from 1970 to 1972 across several floors. In 1985, Keers Banks and Maitland documented major refurbishments valued at $12 million that involved stripping interior finishes above ground level, installing new services including lifts, stairs, toilets, and rooftop plant rooms. Window replacements and facade changes facilitated retail tenancies on ground floors. Since then, ongoing internal reconfigurations and tenancy adjustments have taken place.

Description

Located on Lot 1 D.P. 87319 at 60-70 Elizabeth Street and 153-163 Phillip Street, the building comprises a structural system of steel framing combined with reinforced concrete and masonry elements. It includes seven basement parking levels beneath lower ground and ground floors and rises eleven stories above street level. Access points are provided via entrances on both Elizabeth and Phillip Streets; vehicle entry is positioned at the southern end of Elizabeth Street’s facade with a loading dock situated on the Phillip Street side.

The design exemplifies the uncommon Interwar Skyscraper Gothic style, drawing inspiration from American skyscrapers of the 1920s—particularly the Chicago Tribune Building (1922-25). This architectural approach blends features from the Commercial Palazzo style prevalent in the early 1920s with late-1920s to 1930s Art Deco influences. It is distinguished by concentrated medieval decorative motifs at its base and parapet levels, vertical mullions on windows, and Gothic towers that contribute prominently to Sydney’s skyline.

Visually, 60-70 Elizabeth Street complements nearby interwar office buildings such as the former APA Building (53 Martin Place), State Savings Bank (48-50 Martin Place), and MLC Building (42-46 Martin Place). Collectively, these structures demonstrate architectural advancements in tall office buildings during the interwar era and reflect significant urban development extending Martin Place towards Macquarie Street.

A Structure and Facade Review was performed by Ove Arup & Partners on behalf of Rider Hunt Terotech. Additionally, Roy Lumby conducted an inspection of the building on 8 September 1999.

External fabric

The building's exterior largely preserves its initial design and original materials. Characteristic of office buildings from the interwar period, it presents a polished stone base that rises through decorative elements, a simple shaft composed of window bays, and ornamental features crowning the top and parapets. Initially, the facade was symmetrical with five uneven window bays; however, additions made in the 1930s on the southern side have altered this symmetry. Early metal-framed windows are still present within large arched openings above street level on both facades, although all other windows were replaced during renovations in the late 1980s. The flat roofs are covered with a membrane system known as "butynol." The original ground floor awning on Phillip Street has been removed, though its supporting brackets remain intact.

Alterations to the exterior include new shopfronts on both facades, canopies installed over the Phillip Street entrance and Elizabeth Street shops, recent stone cladding at the Phillip Street ground level, grilles above ground floor openings on Phillip Street, and sizable rooftop plant rooms. Most of these changes took place during the 1980s. A few original doors survive within the ground floor car park vestibule on Elizabeth Street.

Ove Arup & Partners noted several issues:

• Spalling concrete with exposed corroded reinforcement in the eastern tower staircases;
• Cracks in fire stairs caused by joints between steel frames and masonry panels;
• Fractures in the roof parapet at the southern end of level 11 and plant room walls above;
• Damage to the metal roof of plant rooms from pedestrian traffic, along with corroded screws and gutters leading to water ingress;
• Rusted hold-down bolts securing handrails on roof levels 10 and 11;
• Degradation of cement-rendered surfaces;
• Corrosion affecting two steel-framed windows on level 11 of the tower;
• Staining visible on painted facade surfaces and reconstructed stonework;
• Broken or malfunctioning fittings on original lower-level windows resulting in sealing problems;
• Moisture issues in the basement due to water penetration through perimeter walls, particularly at northwest and southwest corners.

Internal fabric

The majority of the building’s interior was removed during renovations in the 1980s, with only the former boardroom and its adjacent anteroom on the seventh floor remaining as original elements. Structural components such as columns, floor slabs, and concrete staircases within the roof towers also survive from the initial construction.

The ground floor accommodates retail spaces alongside a substantial central circulation area that links Elizabeth and Phillip Streets via broad stairs and an escalator. The finishes primarily date to the late 1980s, featuring extensive use of light-colored marble, mirrored glass-faced columns, recessed ceilings with large light fixtures, and carpeted floors edged by marble borders.

Office floors display tenant-specific fitouts; for instance, the fifth-floor foyer showcases an "Art Deco" design by the Department of Public Works around 1996. Lift lobbies differ according to tenants—on level ten there is timber paneling at dado height—while ceilings throughout maintain a consistent style with coved edges and plaster mouldings in a Gothic pattern reminiscent of those found in the seventh-floor boardroom.

The seventh-floor Board Room, now incorporated into the Attorney General’s tenancy along with its ante room, retains original timber wall paneling, parquet flooring, and a fireplace beneath a low timber ceiling. These spaces may have been introduced or relocated either during initial construction or subsequent renovations in the 1980s. The ante room preserves early wall paneling but has modern ceilings and floor coverings. Contemporary lighting fixtures have been installed.

Toilet facilities and lift cars are equipped with modern fittings; currently five lifts operate—two fewer than were originally installed. The lift cars themselves feature timber lining with paneled timber ceilings.

Built in 1929 for The Sun newspaper—an afternoon tabloid published from 1910 through to the 1980s—the building served as headquarters for Sun Newspapers Limited until 1939. Designed by Joseph Kethel following an architectural competition, ownership transferred to Associated Newspapers Ltd after Sun Newspapers' liquidation that year. As Sydney’s last major newspaper building constructed in the CBD, its Skyscraper Gothic architectural style represented media commercial strength. The former Sun Building is one of only three Sydney structures exhibiting this style—the others being the Grace Hotel and State Theatre.

Heritage listing

As of 27 August 2008, the GIO Building holds historical importance due to its connection with Sun Newspapers Ltd's publishing operations in early 20th-century Sydney. The location is also associated with the notable figure Joshua Josephson.

From an architectural perspective, it is potentially Sydney’s earliest prominent example of the Interwar Skyscraper Gothic style and represents a rare surviving work by architect Joseph Kethel. In terms of construction, it is distinguished by its pioneering and extensive application of Benedict stone, likely marking the first significant use of this material on a large-scale building within a major New South Wales city.

The GIO Building was officially entered into the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, fulfilling the following criteria:

Illustrating cultural or natural history in New South Wales

Located at 60-70 Elizabeth Street, the building is connected to Sun Newspapers Ltd, a key player in revolutionizing newspaper publishing in early 20th-century Sydney, with its use extending into the mid-1900s. It stands among several substantial structures purpose-built for newspaper production during that period, although much of the original interior evidence has been removed.

The site also bears significance due to its association with Joshua Josephson, a distinguished legal professional and former mayor of Sydney who held considerable property interests within the city.

Architectural qualities and technical significance

Joseph Kethel, who designed numerous buildings for newspaper publishers and other clients in the early twentieth century, created this rare and largely intact example of Interwar Skyscraper Gothic architecture in Sydney. It may represent Australia’s first major instance of this style. Some original interior features survive, notably within the boardroom and adjacent room on the seventh floor.

The structure makes an important contribution to the architectural character of the Martin Place, Elizabeth Street, and Phillip Street precincts, forming a visual link with the former APA Building and other interwar office buildings nearby.

Connections with community or cultural groups

The building does not possess significant social value nor is it notably associated with present-day community, spiritual, or cultural organizations.

Potential to enhance understanding of cultural or natural history

Its façade is technically notable as the earliest substantial use of Benedict stone cladding on a commercial building in Sydney’s central business district.

See also

• Australian non-residential architectural styles