LEADING architects have condemned a decision by the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, to dump the principal finding of a design review he commissioned into Barangaroo, which warns current plans for three office towers are so big they ''create the effect of an homogenous mass''.

In his first involvement on the city's biggest construction project, NSW government architect Peter Mould, along with two other architects, said making two of three towers ''taller and thinner'' could help reduce ''the overall perception of significant visual bulk and a 'wall' of buildings''.

Redesign rejected … Barry O'Farrell dumps review findings.

But Mr O'Farrell rejected the recommendations on what has been one of the most contentious parts of the Barangaroo project, insisting a redesign could take 12 months even though plans for only one tower, known as C4, have so far been approved.

''If we keep debating the design it will never be built,'' Mr O'Farrell said at the weekend. ''Given the volatile nature of world markets, we simply cannot afford to delay Barangaroo while we look at alternative designs.''