Peter Sheridan is man on a mission. Following on from his very successful ‘Sydney Art Deco’ (2019), his latest booklet, “Sydney Art Deco and Modernist Walks: Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay”, released this week, was written as part of his mission to illustrate how unique our area is. “It’s not just a walk: it’s a celebration of how important built history is in Sydney. Ours is a unique collection, unique in its architecture and demographics,” he says.

Its 200 pages showcase 75 Art Deco and 32 Modernist buildings in our area. With a handy fold-out guide each page provides a cameo of individual items with a vignette containing the date of construction, style and architect. Information is taken from various sources including council archives.

One local architect describes the book as ”an important and colourful compendium” of our area for locals and visitors.

It should be on every bookshelf and coffee table in every apartment in this area. “It is a template through which we can view Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay through a predominantly 20^th century architectural filter,” Peter Sheridan says.

His booklet traces the evolution of Potts Point and Elizabeth from its Aboriginal settlement days through the colonial era (with its nine remaining 19^th century villas), the post-gold rush boom, to its Art Deco and Modernist influences.

Along the way various Art Deco styles are noted, such as Functionalist (1930s and 40s), Mediterranean Revival (1920s and 30s), Stripped Classical (late 1920s and early 30s) followed by the Modernist/International Style from 1950 -1969.

Architects Emil Sodersten (1899-1961) and Harry Seidler (1923-2006), both with five buildings in the area, are highly rated, as well as the work of Hugo Stossel (1905-2002) and Aaron Bolot (1900-1989).

It’s all a flanneur’s delight with the self-guided walks taking about two-three hours but which can be enjoyed on more than one journey, good exercise in these times of limited access opportunities. The carefully curated map inside the cover lists all items with purple circles and white numbers to enhance the walking/talking experience. It is large enough to be easily digested on the go and small enough to fit snugly inside any jacket pocket.

The major items are catalogued such as the Minerva, not Metro, theatre but less well known interesting items such as 40 Macleay Street, where The Beatles pop group sensation stayed in 1964, or Wyldefel Gardens (1936), or St Ursula apartments, 5 Onslow Avenue where Hugo Stossell lived, are also highlighted.

The book gives us the first comprehensive catalogue of Art Deco and Modernist buildings in Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay and reinforces Peter’s claim that “This area is unique in Australia. It has national and international heritage significance and deserves to be recognized and protected as an historic precinct.”

This, however, is not his only mission. Dr Sheridan AM is now considering an extended pub crawl of Sydney’s amazing Art Deco hotels and pubs.

Cheers to that!

“Sydney Art Deco and Modernist Walks: Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay”

RRP$29.99

Available Potts Point community bookshop

14 Macleay Street Potts Point

Phone 9331 6642

Please phone to confirm opening hours and pick-ups

Also available from Sydneyartdeco.com

By Andrew Woodhouse