181-187 Hay Street, Sydney, Heritage building in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia
The Corporation Building at 181–187 Hay Street is a three-storey Federation Anglo-Dutch style commercial building of brick, sandstone and colourful terracotta, designed by George McRae and completed in 1895. It occupies a corner site fronting three streets, with a small round tower and conical roof at the main corner. The facade retains much of its original detailing, though shopfronts were inserted in the 1920s and the awning replaced in 1935.
The building was constructed between 1893 and 1895 according to designs by architect George McRae in Federation Anglo-Dutch style. It was originally built to serve market administration and public facilities.
The 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art occupies this space since 2000, linking the historic structure with contemporary artistic practice. Visitors observe how modern creative work takes place within a heritage-protected environment.
The building sits at a busy street corner with good accessibility and clear visibility from the street. The external architecture is well preserved, while the interior spaces have been adapted for current uses.
The building is one of the very few surviving public toilets erected in Sydney in the 1890s; the 1892 proposal called for "good lavatory accommodation" for the growing Haymarket markets, alongside small shops and offices. Traces of that combined use can still be read in the fabric.
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