Crown Sydney, The City's Tallest Building

From public outrage to architectural icon, how Sydney’s tallest building reshaped the harbour

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It was reviled, mocked, and protested against before it even had a girder in place, but now Crown Sydney stands as an iconic harbourside landmark.

A monolith of glass, steel and concrete, tapering towards the top with an elegant twist, Crown Sydney has dominated the city skyline since 2020, claiming the title of Sydney’s tallest building.

At 271 metres tall, it can be seen from the outermost suburbs of Greater Sydney, easily distinguished due to its separation from the main cluster of CBD skyscrapers. 

Controversial Construction Crown Sydney

To say its construction was controversial is an understatement; not since the plans for the Sydney Opera House were unveiled had the city been so vocal and divided about a new building. Like the now world famous “sea shells” on Bennelong Point, Crown Sydney drew attention because of its design and its conspicuous location on the Sydney Harbour shoreline. 

The building itself is a serious feat of engineering and design. Conceived by London-based architecture firm, WilkinsonEyre, the tower’s sculptural form is inspired by three overlapping flower petals. The structure rotates a full 60 degrees from base to crown, a complex twist achieved through parametric modelling and realised in a shimmering skin of around 7,000 uniquely shaped glass panels. The effect is dramatic: a constantly shifting reflection of harbour, sky, and city.

The building’s orientation and curved façade were carefully designed to maximise sightlines to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, giving residents and guests some of the most prized panoramas in the country.

The tower’s interior is as impressive and opulent as its exterior suggests. The lower podium levels house hospitality venues and the casino floor. Above that, between levels 6 and 32, sits a 349-room ultra-luxury hotel marketed with “six-star” flair. Higher still are just 82 private residences, followed by exclusive penthouses, sky villas, and upper service levels. Near the top, a public observation deck offers Sydneysiders and visitors a rare chance to see the harbour from roughly 250 metres above sea level — a perspective once reserved for helicopter passengers.

History of Sydney's Tallest Building

The history of Crown Sydney is folded into the history of the Barangaroo precinct. Once industrial wharves, the land was reclaimed in the mid-20th century before being earmarked as part of the massive Barangaroo urban renewal project. Early proposals for a hotel tower on the headland were rejected after public backlash. The project resurfaced in 2012 when the NSW Government entered negotiations with Crown Resorts for a luxury casino resort, pushing the plan through an unsolicited proposals process that drew scrutiny from the start.

Those who opposed the tower argued that it privatised land intended as public open space. They questioned transparency in the approval process and expressed concern about broader social impact of expanding high-end gambling in the city.

Just before its grand opening, in 2020, a public inquiry examined Crown’s suitability to hold a casino licence, uncovering serious compliance failures at other venues. As a result, the glittering new casino floor sat idle when the building opened in December 2020. Crown was later deemed unsuitable to operate the licence, underwent major reforms, and was eventually acquired by global investment firm Blackstone. After regulatory changes and oversight conditions, the casino finally opened in 2022, with its licence fully restored in 2024.

While opinions still vary, Crown Sydney has now secured its place in the city’s story and skyline.