Where is the Frank Gehry building in Sydney?

If you want to see Frank Gehry architecture in Sydney, Australia, head to the Goods Line in Ultimo, home of the UTS business school ‘brown paper bag’.

Who is Frank Gehry?

Frank Gehry is responsible for some of the best-known modern buildings on earth. The Canadian-born architect has left his distinctive stamp on cities all over the world. His key works include the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Dancing House in Prague.

Gehry’s wild, asymmetric designs are distinctive to the eye. They often look anarchic, and don’t easily fit into any architectural categorisation.

13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

(💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
(Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
(🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.

Frank Gehry in Australia: The UTS Business School building

Until 2015, Gehry had not designed any buildings in Australia. But that changed in 2015 when the University of Technology Sydney opened its new business school building. The Dr Chau Chak Wing building was the first piece of Frank Gehry architecture in Sydney, and it wasn’t universally popular.

Supposedly costing $180 million, the Dr Chau Chak Wing building figureheads the hugely revamped Ultimo neighbourhood to the west of Sydney’s Central Business District.

Frank Gehry in Sydney: The Gehry Building design

More than 320,000 hand-placed bricks and glass panes make up the 13-story building. The asymmetric, curving, waving design has each brick and pane designed carefully for the exact position it is placed in.

The bricks are sandstone, a reflection of the natural environment around Sydney. Some jut out, creating a rippling wave effect.

Upon opening, critics compared the new Frank Gehry building in Sydney to a crumpled brown paper bag. It’s easy enough to see the resemblance. But in the setting, especially when approached from Ultimo’s pedestrianised Goods Line, the only piece of Frank Gehry architecture in Sydney looks as striking and distinctive as it was intended to be. And it is regularly referred to as the Gehry building.

Dr Chau Chak Wing Building in Ultimo, Sydney — The Dr Chau Chak Wing building – home to the University of Technology Sydney business school – is the only piece of Frank Gehry architecture in Sydney. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Special occasion? Here’s how to do Sydney in style!

A private sunset cruise on Sydney Harbour with bubbly.
Dodge the tour buses on a private, personalised Blue Mountains day tour.
See the harbour, beaches and city skyline from a bird’s eye view on a helicopter tour.

There are also dozens more private Sydney tours, tailorable to your tastes.