CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
As the housing crisis continues to define both the Australian politics and economics, one man has faced extreme criticism for daring to try something new.
Sydney-based property developer Hayden Stutchbury (48) is not only the laughing stock of his entire industry, but he is now also a beacon for extreme hatred.
“I just thought I’d do something different” he said.
“But everyone is furious about it”
After honing his craft on medium density Meriton rip-offs for the last decade, Hayden got to thinking that it might be worth building some high-rises that actually look good in a semi-tropical harbour city, with materials that suit the climate.
“I dunno. I just saw a bunch of these old buildings in the city and thought, why not make things like that again?”
Unfortunately for the embattled developer, the entire sector is furious that he has strayed from the unofficial template of building unaesthetic wage cages out of steel and plaster.
“I’ve been told to stop fucking around with the art deco and victorian styles immediately” says Hayden.
“My peers in the industry say it’s completely unacceptable to build sold apartment buildings that will last hundreds of years. It’s even worse that they are pretty”
“Apparently, we can still flip dogboxes for the same price as these nice ones. Apparently I’m putting unfair pressure on the other developers who will also be expected to build apartment blocks that bring people joy to look at”
Multiple construction industry lobby groups and real estate have already sent Hayden cease and desist letters, ordering him to stop what he’s doing immediately.
“They’ve said if I’m not feeling fulfilled by building high rise lego-land shitholes with no parking, then I can go and build some homeland McMansions with no trees”
“But apparently this whole ‘architecture’ thing is not acceptable in modern New South Wales planning”
