Building: What is wow?

John Prescott, Tony Blair's deputy prime minister, and responsible for urban planning in the UK throughout the early 2000s, was continually asked, "What is wow?". His response? "It's buildings that strike you and you say, 'bloody 'ell'".

Prescott, in his typically raw manner, has described what has gradually become architectural consensus over the past decade-or-so. For architecture to be good, we are told, it needs to be so spectacular, so radical, so mind-blowing, that we should unanimously say "bloody 'ell". And many buildings elicit exactly that response - great buildings like PTW's Water Cube, Foster's Gherkin or Gehry's beautiful but ridiculous aluminium franchises that have sprung up everywhere from LA to Bilbao (there was even talk of him building one in Geelong, for chrissakes).

For me, 'wow' doesn't have to equate to spectacular. A perfect example is Casey Brown's Mudgee Tower. Here is a building that is small in proportion (only a 3 sqm footprint), yet with a wow factor beyond comparison. It's setting, sense of place and permanency, innovation and simplicity are what gives the Tower its 'wow' factor.

And if, when viewing such a building, you still say "bloody 'ell", then so be it.

Designing: When architects become their city

For a select few architects, their work somehow becomes indistinguishable from the city itself. While they may practice in many cities, their work always conveys a particular setting. Think of Norman Foster in London (so very nouveau British), Richard Neutra in Los Angeles (total LA cool), Denton Corker Marshall in Melbourne (all those sticks!).

In Sydney, we have many beautiful and iconic works by leading architects such as Jorn Utzon, BKH, Allen Jack+Cottier and Alex Popov. But there are only two architects that, to me, truly represent this city's character - Harry Seidler and Engelen Moore.

Harry Seidler pioneered the Bauhaus movement in Sydney and, in fact, Australia, with his unapologetically modernist Blues Point Tower (1961), Australia Square (1967) and MLC Centre (1975). In his recent, Horizon (1998) and Cove (1999) apartment buildings, Seidler continued to demonstrate this ethos. Seidler died in 2006 but he has made an indelible mark on this city.

Engelen Moore were founded in 1995 with the partnership of Tina Engelen and Ian Moore. They disbanded just over 10 years later, but their apartment buildings such as Altair, Barcom Avenue, 150 Liverpool Street and The Grid - which are all located within a few blocks of each other - convey the essence of Sydney like no other. Variously described as 'functionalist', 'international' and 'minimalist', their work focuses on light, air and environment, just like Sydney itself. Ross Honeysett's photography beautifully illustrates this concept.

As both Seidler and Engelen Moore are no longer practicing, the question arises: who will take their place? Who will become the next architect to convey what Sydney in the 21st century is all about?

Selling: Elizabeth Bay

Sydney has thousands of apartments with harbour views, but there are not many that get as close to the water's edge as this gem at 1/79 Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay.

It's currently listed through McGrath. I see it from across the harbour every evening while walking the dog and have always thought it is such a special site - with the blue expanse of Sydney Harbour rolling off the balcony.

I have no idea what the asking price is but the auction on February 28 will reveal how many buyers in Sydney are still in the market for a premium waterfront property in these "difficult times". If that is you, you could potentially pick it up for a steal. The rest of us, sigh, will have to keep on dreaming.

Quoting: Gaston Bachelard on houses

"If I were to name the chief benefit of the house, I should say: the house shelters daydreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace... the house is one of the greatest powers of integration for the thoughts and memories of mankind" - Gaston Bachelard, 1958

Building: Albury LibraryMuseum

Growing up in Albury in the 1980s, I was immersed in an architectural landscape consisting of a few federation buildings, 1970s tract housing and a really, really long railway station. It took a vivid imagination, a stack of old magazines, and hours trawling architecture books from the local - and, it should be said, poorly-designed - library for a kid to garner architectural inspiration.

So, when recently in town, I was delighted and surprised to discover the library had been replaced by the stunning Albury LibraryMuseum, designed by AshtonRaggattMcDougall.

The LibraryMuseum’s architecture references that same really, really long railway station, as well as local bridge and building design, and the region's natural features of rivers and trees. It aims to be the “city’s living room”, and what a stunning living room it has become.

I’ve admired ARM’s work since first laying eyes on Storey Hall as a wide-eyed 15 year old on my first solo trip to Melbourne, and now they have made their mark in my home town. Hopefully, with this striking addition, children growing up in Albury today will find inspiration a little closer to home.