Draft Good Design for Medium Density Living for WEB

5/19/2018 Draft Good Design for Medium Density Living for WEB

good designfor medium density livingDRAFT


2 good design for medium density living (DRAFT)

Produced by:

Department of Planning

Centres and Urban Renewal Team:

Margaret Petrykowski

in collaboration with Tim Williams Architects

Graphic Design and Production:

Marietta Buikema and Bianca Nardi from the

Government Architects Office

We wish to thank all the contributors to

this publication including the architects,

developers and councils.

March 2011

www.planning.nsw.gov.au

Crown copyright 2011

NSW Department of Planning

ISBN 978-1-74263-141-7

DISCLAIMER:

While every reasonable effort has been made

to ensure that this document is correct at the

time of publication, the State of New South

Wales, its agents and employees, disclaim any

liability to any person in respect of anything or

the consequences of anything done or omittedto be done in reliance or upon the whole or any

part of this document.

State of New South Wales through the

Department of Planning, 2011. You may copy,

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provided that you attribute the Department

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You are required to acknowledge that the

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Density Living and to include this copyright

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credits


DRAFT

good design

for medium

density living

3


ministers statement

Sydneys population is expected to grow by 1.6

million over the next 25 years, eventually exceeding

6 million people by 2036. This population growth

will require the construction of 770,000 additional

dwellings. How we plan for this growth will

determine how well Sydney maintains its status as

one of the worlds most livable cities into the future.

The recently released Metropolitan Plan for Sydney

2036 aims to locate a greater proportion of these

new homes in existing urban areas, with the

majority being located within walking distance of existing centres that enjoy

good transport accessibility.

The Department of Planning has also prepared regional strategies for the

rest of NSW so as to provide strong strategic planning frameworks for

the growing regions of NSW. The regional strategies contain policies to

strengthen regional centres and minimise unnecessary greenfield and out of

centre development.

This shift towards increased urban intensification across NSW will improve

sustainability, reduce the need for car travel, improve housing affordability,

and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing residential densities also

aligns with the growing trend towards smaller households, making them more

affordable and energy efficient.

While there is an undeniable imperative to increase densities across NSW,

there is a need to ensure that new developments are well designed, are

respectful of the environment and contribute positively to the existing built

form.

This publication showcases examples of well designed, low rise, suburban

infill residential and mixed use projects suitable for a variety of locations and

contexts. The featured projects demonstrate that innovation and a high level

of design creativity can achieve sustainable and attractive living environments

in sometimes challenging locations, on very small sites. The examples of

featured housing types demonstrate that architects can provide the required

innovation for the housing industry to invent new affordable housing types

that are better suited for the changing demographics and environmental

challenges that NSW is expected to face in the future.

This publication provides real alternatives to the standard suburban house

and offers practical, workable solutions to help solve the challenges facing

growth in NSW.

Tony KellyMinister for Planning, Lands and Infrastructure



5

introduction

Sydneys population is projected to grow to almost six million people by

2036, so providing suitable housing in the right locations is a necessity. The

strategic direction of the Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 supports this

goal.

More efficient use of existing urban areas will be needed in future where

small, medium and large centres enjoy good access to services, jobs and

public transport.

Well-designed medium density centres are needed with a suitable scale

of housing and mixed-use development. This will improve urban amenity,

stimulate local economies and deliver new, energy-efficient homes more

suited to Sydneys changing population profile.

A large proportion of this new residential development will be infill housing.

This includes duplexes, townhouses, row houses, villas, subdivision of large

homes into smaller units and other building types, such as warehouses or

commercial buildings redesigned into residential apartments and shop-tophousing, with shops and other businesses at street level.

All these types of housing can be designed to fit well into existing suburban

areas. They are desirable places to live that offer choice to cater for changing

demographics. They also enable increasing densities in existing suburbs in

a sustainable and incremental way without the loss of local character and

amenity.

This publication showcases examples of well-designed, low-rise, suburban

infill residential and mixed-use projects that are suitable for a variety of

locations and contexts. The featured projects show how innovation and a

high level of design creativity can achieve sustainable and attractive livingenvironments, in sometimes challenging locations on very small sites.

The projects offer design alternatives to the standard house on a typical

suburban block. While carefully selected, they are not intended to be

definitive. This publication is a living document and will be added to as

new projects are completed. These will be posted on our website at www.

planning.nsw.gov.au.


0 - 5

5 - 20

20 - 50

50 - 250

>250

539,000


why do we need well designed medium density housing?

Sydneys population is growing faster than previously

expected. Revised NSW forecasts show the population is

expected to grow by 1.7 million people between 2006 and

2036. This is an average annual rise of 56,650 people.

While Sydneys population is growing, the average

household size is falling. The growing number of one and

two-person households is increasing demand for smaller,

more affordable homes to help young families and older

residents stay in their communities.

These significant population and social changes mean

Sydney will need 770,000 more homes by 2036; a 46

per cent increase on the current 1.68 million homes.

The location, size and type of new housing must reflect

the populations changing needs. The Metropolitan Plan

requires at least 80 per cent of all additional dwellings are

to be within walking distance of centres with good public

transport.

Currently about 60 per cent of homes in Sydney are

detached suburban houses located in low-density suburbs.

Only about 40 per cent of existing housing are units,

terrace housing, semis and low, medium and high-rise

apartments. It is these housing types which are more

likely to suit the needs of future smaller households (ABS,

2006a).

New homes in Sydney are getting bigger. Between

2001 and 2006, the number of homes with four or

more bedrooms grew by 14 per cent, while the size of

development lots reduced by half. This has resulted in

very large houses on small lots, that have limited or no

backyard space, or deep soil areas, and that are very close

to their neighbours.

The typical new Australian home in 2009-10 was 215m2;

this is a 10 per cent increase in size in a decade. In

comparison, the average home size in the USA is 202m2,

whilst in Denmark (the biggest average homes in Europe) it

is 137m2and in Britain (the smallest homes in Europe) only

76m2(ABS, 2009). There needs to be a change of focus

in Sydney towards designing more sustainable, attractive

and smaller homes to offer more affordable options to

the community. Design innovation and housing choice,

more sustainable housing types, such as duplexes, villas,

townhouses, courtyard homes and a range of apartments

featured in this publication, are encouraged.

Low-rise medium density residential development is

desirable because it:

Is less expensive to build

Does not need major site amalgamation

Performs better environmentally than most high-rise

housing (Holloway and Bunker 2006; Pullen 2007)

Can deliver a greater mix of more affordable housing

types

Fits into existing streets and neighbourhoods

Suits a wide range of demographic groups.

Small to medium-size private sector building companies

provide 98.5 per cent of all housing in Australia. They

usually deliver economical housing in greenfield locations

which has made Australian home ownership rates amongst

the highest in the world. However, there has been little

innovation in housing products offered to the community

for many years. The cheap cost of detached house

construction, relying on private labour and low technology

has, with few exceptions, excluded architectural

involvement. Less than 10 per cent of housing projects in

Australia are designed by architects.

The examples of housing types in this publication show

that architects can provide the required innovation into

the housing industry to invent new affordable dwellings

Residential density per hectareFurture dwelling target for urban areas


120m2 NSWUK = 76m2

Denmark= 137m2

USA = 202m2

Australia= 215m2

83m2Australia

78m2 USA

32m2

UK

7

that suit changing demographics and many future

environmental challenges.

Good design for higher-density housing should focus on

increasing densities without compromising the amenity of

existing residents. They also need to contribute positively to the

character of the locality and offer a high-quality public domain.

Good building design does not need expensive construction

techniques and materials but rather design creativity to

produce smaller, well-designed houses which are more

sustainable with lower running costs. Good urban design

of infill residential projects is vital to promote community

understanding and acceptance of higher densities in

suburban locations.

A key factor in housing cost is providing car parking

spaces. About 30 per cent of apartment construction

costs are for below-ground car parking. There is potential

to lower housing costs by reducing car parking spaces

according to location, especially if they are close to

public transport. Site areas used for garaging and access

driveways could also be reduced, leaving more land for

quality private open space, tree planting and residential

amenity.

In past decades, suburban development in Australia has

largely relied on space to achieve good amenity. Design

creativity is now needed to attain amenity at medium and

high densities. More detailed thought is needed about how

buildings relate to their neighbours and streetscapes, and

how to maximise landscaping and vegetation benefits at

each location. The need to encourage a rise in the supply

of affordable housing calls for design innovation.

Increasing the density of housing in existing suburbs is a

challenge and will need creative solutions. The concept

of density is sometimes a cause for concern within

communities. The examples in this publication show that

medium-density housing does not always need to be

achieved through high-rise development.

The key issues to consider when deciding on locations for

increased density include:

Choice of development type

Design of the project

Suitable setbacks from the street and side and rear

boundaries to ensure good privacy and amenity all round

Well-scaled and designed private courtyards with

sufficient deep soil area to plant a small tree

Well-designed street fencing and garbage bin storage

screened from public view

Creative ways to accommodate a car.

The projects featured in this publication will fit wellinto existing suburban contexts, can provide desirable

accommodation for our changing demographics,

whilst also increasing densities in existing suburbs in a

sustainable and incremental way, and will not result in a

loss of character and amenity for existing localities.

The architects can provide the required innovation for the

housing industry to invent new affordable housing types

that are better suited for the changing demographics and

environmental challenges that NSW is expected to face in

the future.

Average house size Average house area per person



9-11 Northwood Street, Camperdown

Brandling Lane, Alexandria

15 Esther Road, Mosman

Fairfield Villas

Gobbutch Road, Little Bay

Millard Drive, Little Bay

Regatta Way, Cabarita

19 Beaconsfield Street, Beaconsfield

80 Renwick Street, Redfern

Spurway Street and Eighth Street, Ermington

24 McKye Street, Waverton

Blaxland Avenue, Newington

13 Coronation Avenue, Petersham

Phillip Street, Redfern

62 Frenchmans Road, Randwick

Dover Road, Rose Bay

1A Bond Street, Mosman

23-25 Egan Street, Newtown

Kilmory, 6 Wentworth Avenue, Point Piper

Corner of Pacific Street and Ocean Street, Newcastle

8 Belmore Lane, Surry Hills

Substation 175, Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills

1 12

2 13

3 14

4 15

5 16

6 17

7 18

8 19

9 20

10 21

11 22

project locations


9

Fairfield 15 d/ha

Newington 42 d/ha

Surry Hills

Potts Point

67 d/ha

80 d/ha



Duplexes 12

9-11 Northwood Street, Camperdown

Brandling Lane, Alexandria

15 Esther Road, Mosman

Villas 18

2 typical examples analysed from

Fairfield

Courtyard Houses 22

Gubbuteh Road, Little Bay

Millard Drive, Little Bay

Regatta Way, Cabarita

Townhouses 28

19 Beaconsfield Street, Beaconsfield

80 Renwick Street, Redfern

Spurway Street and Eighth Street,

Ermington

projects


11

Apartments 34

24 McKye Street, Waverton

Blaxland Avenue, Newington

13 Coronation Avenue, Petersham

Phillip Street, Redfern

Shop Top Housing 42

62 Frenchmans Road, Randwick

7-13 Dover Road, Rose Bay

1A Bond Street, Mosman

Adaptive Re-Use 48

23-25 Egan street, Newtown

Kilmory, 6 Wentworth Avenue,

Point Piper

Corner of Pacific Street and

Ocean Street, Newcastle

Compact Houses 54

Substation 175, Devonshire Street,

Surry Hills

8 Belmore Lane, Surry Hills



PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This Torrens-title duplex replaces a former

single-storey mechanics workshop in a

leafy street in Sydneys Inner West. What

appears as a modest infill of two terracehouses proves to be a spacious, light and

airy contemporary living environment with

generous private open spaces and lap

pools. Each home has three bedrooms with

balconies, atrium, deck and landscaped

courtyard, as well as off-street parking. The

upper-level living/study space opens onto a

large leafy roof terrace.

Surrounding development in Northwood

Street is mainly single and two-

storey residential dwellings with a few

warehouses converted to residential

apartments and some light industrial

buildings. The mature fig trees give the

street a special character.

Due to the wider than typical site

subdivision, the masonry faade is used in

a way that gives the two dwellings a more

vertical appearance. This relates well to

the proportion of other traditional terraces

in the street. Horizontal elements, such

as the parapet and balconies, also give a

residential look to the street faade.

Attention to detail at the entry level of the

development has included forms, texture

and colour, which look aesthetic and blend

in with the transition between residential

and light industrial buildings in the area.

The duplex fits well within the scale

and character of the existing mix of

traditional terrace houses and doubles the

residential density of the site. The design

uses the relatively small site well: it has

two lap-pools and attractive and private

entertainment areas. Overall, the duplexes

are very liveable and light-filled family

homes in an inner-city context.

Council: Marrickville Council

Area Density: 55 d/ha

Development Density: 59.8 d/ha

Architect:Architects Johannsen + Associates

Builder: AMI United Developments

Landscape Architect: Paul Scrivener

Landscape Architect

Site Area: 334.4m2

Site area of each dwelling is 167m below

the minimum lot size permitted by the

Council. The design was assessed on merit.

Building Height:8.75m

FSR: 1.05:1

Site Coverage: 47%

Setbacks: Consistent with the existing

street setback

Car parking: 1 car space per dwelling

and soft landscaped area suitable for car

washing.

Number of dwellings and dwelling mix:

2 x 3/4br dwellings

Cost: $2,500/m2

Photography: Michael Nicholson

Locality Plan

9 -11 Northwood St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050


0m 5m 10m 15m13

Private Courtyard

Interior View

Second Floor Plan

Street View

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan



PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This inner-city duplex is on a former

communal amenity patch and located on a

rear lane behind four terrace houses. The

pair of compact houses share a commonentrance. The interiors feed directly onto

a paved rear courtyard and a common

garden. A double-height glazed veranda

contains the stairs and is the focus of both

houses, allowing all spaces direct views of

the garden.

Though compact, the interiors are filled

with light and transparency yet very private,

considering the close proximity of the

neighbouring houses. The privacy is created

with angled bedroom windows to the lane

and high screens to the courtyard spaces.

Integral to the interior are a diverse

range of materials, colours and furniture

elements that allow circulation between

spaces of contrasting character that

further promote a sense of spaciousness.

This project has successfully increased

inner-city density in capturing an

opportunity to develop on a very smallparcel of land using a creative design

solution to accommodate the populations

changing needs.

Council: City of Sydney


Development Density: 133 d/ha

Architect: David Langston-Jones

Builder: Joe and Sebastian La Rosa

Site Area: 150m2

Building Height: 7m

FSR: 0.95:1

Site Coverage: 70%

Setbacks: 0m side setbacks and to lane

frontage

Car parking: 1 car


2 x 2br dwellings

Cost: $5,500/m2(note: this design could be

built for a much lower rate)

Photography: Trevor Mein

Locality Plan

Brandling Lane, Alexandria, NSW, 2015


0m 5m 10m 15m

15

Street View

First Floor PlanGround Floor Plan

Interior View Private Courtyard



PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Esthers is a luxury small-scale duplex

development built on a sloping site about

200 metres from Balmoral Beach on

Sydney Harbour.

This development replaces a dilapidated

single-storey house on a prominent corner

block. The development includes two

single-level, duplex-style, three-bedroom

apartments, over a basement car park

excavated into the site.

The modern, contemporary-style building

has an open-plan interior with good natural

light and cross ventilation. Extensive

external covered deck areas, designed foroutdoor entertaining, take full advantage

of the view.

The upper dwelling, which the owner

occupies, is designed to function as

an independent house. It includes an

extensively-landscaped backyard garden

with a BBQ, deck and wet-edge swimming

pool. The lower apartment is identical

in its internal layout and opens out onto

a large landscaped terrace designed foroutdoor living.

The building sits comfortably amongst

apartment buildings, duplexes and houses.

The horizontal stacking of the apartments,

the use of a low-pitch skillion roof, and the

extensive use of landscaping, gives the

building a form, bulk and scale that suits

its urban context and the corner position

of the site.

The design response doubles the

residential density, achieves high

amenity for both dwellings, maintains

a good local street address and has an

appropriate scale protecting the amenity of

neighbouring homes.

Council: Mosman Municipal Council



Architect: Corben Architects

Builder: SX Projects

Landscape Architect: Marcia Hosking of

The Hosking Partnership

Site Area:695.6m2

Building Height: 8.5m

FSR: 0.6:1

Site Coverage: 50%

Setbacks: Matching surrounding setbacks

Car parking: 5 cars

2 per apartment and 1 visitor


2 x 3br apartments. The upper level

apartment has an additional study/family

room.

Development complies with Councilsplanning requirements

Cost: $5,500/m2

Photography: Craig Bryant

Locality Plan

15 Esther Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088


0m 5m 10m 15m17

Street View

Basement

EstherRoad

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan



Villas, Fairfield, NSW, 2165

CASE STUDY

Villas and townhouses have been a popular form of low-

scale, infill development since the 1980s. Suburbs such as

Caringbah and Fairfield have seen a huge increase in these

developments over the last 10 years.

Typically, they occur on two 15m wide or more single

house lots joined together. Dwelling numbers can be

multiplied several times over, depending on the site area.

They are usually arranged around a central paved driveway

with single or double garages attached to each dwelling.

As a consequence, dwellings are placed towards the

boundaries reducing the amount of landscaped area and

private open space. Driveways and garages tend to occupy

about 30% of the site area which is more than the private

courtyard area of approximately 18%. Wide driveways

impact negatively on the street character and create

alienating pedestrian environments. These developments

typically achieve an FSR of about 0.4:1. There is usually

no change in the design of a villa development in response

to differing site orientations. This results in poor amenity

for some dwellings and overshadowing of neighbours.

There is a need to explore other design approaches to this

common dwelling form for increasing suburban density to

improve the built form outcomes, residential amenity and

environmental performance. The two hypothetical case

studies look at different ways to address these issues.

They both assume that car parking is kept to a common

on grade area to the front of the site, thus reducing the

area of driveways and giving more room for landscaping,

private open space and building floor space.

The two design strategies use a zero-lot courtyard house

design typology that provides an excellent amenity for each

dwelling and achieves generous north-facing courtyards. The

design of the houses and the location of the upper floor can

be changed to suit the orientation of the block to maximise

winter sun for the houses and gardens.

The courtyards size of approximately 6m2

allows forthe planting of a small tree. The designs have wide rear

and side setbacks to adjoining properties and room for

landscape screening to maintain privacy. Both design

concepts include two-storey houses and apartments over

a combined car parking area facing the street, which

significantly improves their appearance from the street.

The car parking area is incorporated into the design of

the development, with a relatively narrow garage door

opening. The street is activated with first-floor apartments

with direct street-level entries. The driveway width is

minimised allowing for safer pedestrian footpath crossings.

Dwelling entries are arranged via landscaped garden paths

rather than a concrete driveway lined with garage doors.

The area of the site dedicated to car space is reduced to

Council: Fairfield City Council


Development Density:

Existing: 49 d/ha

Proposed: 49 d/ha

Architect: Tim Williams Architects

Site Area: 2,000 m2

Building Height:

Existing: 8m , Proposed: 8m

FSR:

Existing: 0.4:1, Proposed: 0.61:1

GFA:

Existing: 957.5m2, Proposed: 1,220m2

Dwellings:

Existing: 12, Proposed: 12

Average Dwelling Size

Existing: 80m2, Proposed: 123m2

Site Coverage:

Existing: 51%, Proposed: 56%

Landscaped Area:

Existing: 18%, Proposed: 40%

Setbacks:

Existing front: 7m, Proposed front: 7m

Existing side: 1-5.2m, Proposed side: 3-4m

Existing between habitable rooms: 6-7.5m

Proposed between habitable rooms: 12m

Car parking: 12

1 per dwelling,

10 off street car parks + 2 street spaces

Photo Montage: Brigitte Buchholz - ARUP

PROJECT DESCRIPTION


18% Open Space 30% Car Space Building Area

30m

80m

19

Existing Street View

Artists Impression of Proposed Street View Indicative only

Typical Villa Development Plan at FSR 0.4:1

12% of the site and the landscaped area increased to

40%.

These alternatives to the current villa developments

could also accommodate streetscape improvements

such as angled parking, new street trees and

more landscaping to reduce the amount of un-

shaded, impermeable surfaces and lessen ambient

temperatures in summer.

Both case studies show that private open space can

be doubled in some cases and the FSR increased

to 0.61:1 with a better site design and layout of

individual houses. The amenity of individual homes is

also improved without affecting neighbours and the

wider community.

This alternative design approach achieves dwellings

with better sun access, an excellent relationship to

outdoor space and greater privacy from neighbours.

The upper levels of dwellings in both case studies

are located to maximise the sun access to the private

courtyards.


0m 5m 10m 15m


Ground Floor Plan

Section A-A

deep soil area

fence

40% Landscape 12% Car Space FSR 0.65:1

A

B B

A

future development existing house

Section B-B

First Floor Plan

Case study 1. North South site orientation.

80m

30m


0m 5m 10m 15m

21

Ground Floor Plan

Section A-A

deep soil area

40% Landscape 12% Car Space FSR 0.65:1

A

B B

A

future development existing house

Section B-B

First Floor Plan

Case study 2. East West site orientation.

80m

30m


Locality Plan


PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This group of 12 small-lot, attached

courtyard houses is part of the Prince

Henry redevelopment at Little Bay. The

houses are arranged in two groups with acar court separating them.

All living areas have a northerly aspect

and are designed to maximise cross-

ventilation. The houses feature a direct

and seamless connection from the living

spaces to a north-facing, landscaped,

private courtyard. This is essential in

small-lot housing to maximise the use and

visual perception of space. The external

landscape elements form a buffer between

the private and public domain and also

give protection from the wider coastal

environment.

The material palette includes fibre cement,

metal-sheet roofing, operable louvres and

small elements of brickwork. The skillion

roof form is popular in traditional coastal

housing and was used in this development

to reflect the local type of roofing within a

contemporary context.

The design of the houses uses the land

efficiently and creates an attractive living

environment on a small, compact lot.

This is achieved by building to the lot

boundaries and maximising the private

courtyard space whilst maintaining the

amenity of surrounding homes. This design

could become a good model for house

design on small lots, in other locations in

suburban Sydney.

Council: Randwick City Council



Architect: Order Architects

Developer: Stockland

Builder: JPS Constructions

Landscape Architect: Melissa Wilson

Landscape Architects

Site Area: 3,726m2


FSR: 0.56:1 (max permissible 0.75:1)

Site Coverage: 26%

Setbacks: 3m and 7.5m (staggered) from

front boundary (2m required as minimum)

Car parking: 13 garages and 11 car spaces

within the property


12 x 4br dwellings

Development complies with Councils

planning requirements

Photography:Margaret Petrykowski

Gubbuteh Road, Little Bay, NSW, 2036


0m 5m 10m 15m

23

Street View

First Floor Plan

Rooftop TerraceGround Floor Plan


Locality Plan


PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This row of 10 small-lot courtyard houses

is part of the Prince Henry redevelopment

at Little Bay. The attached houses have

either three bedrooms or two and a study,and are oriented around their own north-

facing courtyard.

Double-storey forms wrap around the

private, internal courtyards so as not to

affect the amenity of the lots on either

side. The design responds well to the

small lot size and maximises the amenity

of the recreation area. The living spaces

are arranged to visually blend with the

outdoor zone. This enhances the sense of

space, volume and light, and also allows

a seamless transition between indoor and

outdoor living.

The development responds to its coastal

location by blending a relaxed, yet

sophisticated, design that reflects a beach

lifestyle in an urban setting. The low scale

of the houses and the repeated faade

elements give unity and definition to the

street. The end lots are a different plan

type and act as bookends.

The palette of materials used for the

houses is limited to the natural textures

inspired by the marine setting. They also

reflect the existing historic structures

located on the site. The natural colours

of the timber, galvanised steel, bricks and

rendered surfaces will blend well with the

coastal environment.

The compact design of these houses

offers an efficient and attractive living

environment on a small lot, as they are built

to the boundaries, maximise the private

courtyard space and maintain the amenity

of surrounding homes. This clever and

efficient courtyard house design should be

considered for small lots in other suburban

locations in Sydney.




Architect: Order Architects


Builder: AMD Holdings

Landscape Architect: Anton James Design

Site Area: 2,206m2


FSR: 0.74:1

Site Coverage:43%

Setbacks: 2m from the street, 0m setbacks

elsewhere

Car parking: 11 garages and 9 car stand

spaces within boundary


10 - 9 x 3br (or 2 + study), 1 x 4br

(or 3 + study)


planning requirements

Millard Drive, Little Bay, NSW, 2036


0m 5m 10m 15m

25

Ground Floor Plan

Site Plan

First Floor Plan

Artists Impression Of Street View

Millard Drive


Locality Plan


PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The 18 Torrens-title courtyard houses are

located on a former paint factory site on

the waterfront of Hen and Chicken Bay on

the Parramatta River. The houses are alltwo storeys and some have roof terraces.

They have been cleverly designed around

north-facing courtyards and the upper

level is set back sufficiently to give them

good solar access. The central courtyard

becomes the outdoor living focus of the

dwelling and allows good natural light and

ventilation to all the rooms. The efficient

design of each small lot and the excellent

residential amenity achieved is exemplary.

It is a good model for similar small-lot

housing in other Sydney areas.

Council: Canada Bay Council



Architect:Mirvac Design and Eeles Trelease Pty Ltd

Builder: Mirvac Constructions

Landscape Architect:Aspect

Site Area: 5,330m2

Building Height: 2 - 3 storey

FSR: 1:1

Site Coverage: 60%

Setbacks:

Front 0.7m-3.0m

Rear 4m-7m, side 0m

Car parking: 2 per dwelling


18 x 3-4br dwellings

Development complies with sites

masterplan

Cost: $1,870/m2(in 2003)

Photography: Rowan Turner

Roof Terrace View

Regatta Way, Cabarita, NSW, 2137


0m 5m 10m 15m

27

Riverfront View Internal Courtyard

First Floor PlanGround Floor Plan


Locality Plan


internal rooms.

Their great advantage is that they are

able to capture natural light access to all

the living spaces without reducing the

amenity of the surrounding houses. The

design achieves full cross ventilation and

living areas that face north, which reduces

reliance on air conditioning and heating.

The townhouses are conceptually described

as row houses and would therefore be

classed as a Class 1 building in the Building

Code of Australia (BCA); however with

car parking located in the basement, the

development is classified as a Class 2

building. Such a residential building would

not normally be achievable on this small site,

due to the setback distances required for

privacy, ventilation and fire protection, to

the adjoining properties.

Through a creative design process and

consultation with the BCA specialist, an

alternative design solution was developed.

The ground-floor concrete slab acts as a

horizontal fire barrier, like vertical party

walls required in a Class 1 building, so it

could be built without all the additional fire

measures. This allowed three townhouses

over the car park slab instead of the usual

two traditionally-designed ones.

The townhouses now stand as a valuable

precedent and an excellent design

alternative to the traditional Sydney terrace

house design and are a model of higher-

density living.




Architect: Southmarc

Developer: Grahame South

Builder: Australian Construction

Management Enterprises

Site Area: 386m2

Building Height: 9m

FSR: 1.14:1

Site Coverage:71%

Setbacks: 0m setback from side and

western boundaries. 1m from eastern

boundary

Car parking: 4 cars


3 x 3br townhouses on 2 levels


planning controls

Cost: $3,800/m2

Photography: Brett Boardman

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

These three identical townhouses replace

an old weatherboard cottage at the border of

the terrace house area of Beaconsfield and

the semi-industrial landscape of Alexandria.

The dense and difficult context demanded

an inventive solution to protect the amenity,

privacy and sun access to the surrounding

homes and, at the same time, create a

private and attractive living environment for

the three dwellings on the site.

The townhouse design solution challenges

the traditional terrace house forms mainly

found in the area. Each house is designed

as an L-shaped individual dwelling, built

around a north-facing courtyard. They

act as a light scoop and provide a private

outdoor space which is the focus for all

19 Beaconsfield Street, Beaconsfield, NSW, 2015


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29

Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Street View Courtyard View


Locality Plan


PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The site is located in a transitional mixed-

use area of the Redfern heritage village

where there used to be a small industrial

warehouse and car parking.

With increasing pressure to use tight

inner-city sites for residential use, these

contemporary townhouses set a new

example for dense urban living in the back

lanes of Redfern.

Limitations in site area required an

innovative design strategy to create five

dwellings and a vibrant mix of living and

bedroom spaces that face the lane and

take advantage of the northern aspect.

Each townhouse has direct street access

via a flexible car space, studio or childs

play area with see-through doors to

maintain visual interest and activity on

the street. Only three townhouses have a

car space. The footprint of the two corner

one-bedroom townhouses was too small

for a car. Council allowed the car parking

requirement to be dropped, as the site is

close to Redfern Station.

The building design has functional

balconies with screens and a rooftop

terrace that defines the buildings

corner and provides a private outdoor

entertainment area to a one-bedroom

corner apartment.

As the building faces the north and east,

remotely-operated louvres are used to

control privacy, light and solar access.

They give an interesting play of volumes

and textures to the buildings faades.

The buildings ingenious design makes

excellent use of the entire site and creates

high-quality, inner-city homes.

Council:City of Sydney

Area Density:55 d/ha


Architect:Architects Johannsen + Associates

Developer: TG2 Properties

Builder: Olding Constructions

Site Area: 164m2

Building Height: 12m

FSR: 2.09:1

Site Coverage:100%

Setbacks: 0m at ground level, 3m from rear

boundary at 3rd level

Car parking: 2 spaces provided for 2 x 2br

townhouses designed as flexible ground

level studio


5 - 2 x 1br townhouses on 3 levels, 3 x 2br

townhouses on 4 levels


planning controls

Cost: $3,500/m2(in 2002)

Photography: Anthony Fretwell

80 Renwick Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016


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First Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Elevation View

Street View


Locality Plan


Spurway Street and Eighth Street, Ermington, NSW, 2115

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Ermington Riverwalk is a large, new

residential development on the site of the

former naval stores on the Parramatta

River. The three and four-storeytownhouses fit well with the four-storey

apartments and the one and two-storey

houses on either side.

The townhouses have been designed

as a contemporary version of the tried

and tested row houses, but present an

attractive rhythm of glazed and screened

portals giving a desirable identity and look

to the street.

The faades are also articulated with arefined palette of colours and well-chosen

materials that are used consistently

throughout the development.

The townhouse layouts fit some of the

garages into a car court. The garages

are designed with a wall opening facing

the private garden space, to allow a

flexible use of the space as a patio for

entertaining, childrens play area or just for

parking. One townhouse has a studio overa double garage.

The result is an elegant collection of

contemporary homes with designs that

offer privacy and good amenity for the

residents and achieve a high-quality

public domain.

Council: Parramatta City Council

Area Density: 15d/ha

Development Density: 41d/ha

Architect: Turner + Associates


Landscape Architect: Context

Site Area: 4,147m2

Building Height:

9.5m (2 storeys), 10.5m (3 storeys)

FSR: 0.61:1

Site Coverage: 55%

Average lot area: 220.5m2

Average building footprint area: 122m2

Average landscape area: 98.5m2

Setbacks: 4m to street

Car parking: 22 in garages and 7 off-street


17: 1 x 4br + study, 5 x 3br + study,

10 x 3br, 1 x 3br + studio


planning controls

Cost: $1150/m2

Photography: Margaret Petrykowski


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First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Street View


Locality Plan


Blaxland Avenue, Newington, NSW, 2127

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The site was previously used as a naval

armament depot, before it was developed

as the athletes village for the Sydney

Olympic Games.

Stage 1 of the Newington apartments is

made up of several four-storey walk-up

apartment buildings over basement car

parks. They are built with concrete slabs

and painted brick walls. All the apartments

are cross-ventilated making the best use of

solar access and natural airflow.

Three of the buildings are U-shaped

arranged around a terraced garden court.

These buildings are stepped in sections,allowing use of roof terraces over

apartments below, and are a good model

for leafy locations. Each dwelling takes full

advantage of city, water or garden views.

They are designed to benefit from the

central garden, while still having privacy

and their own entries.

The buildings face the street with generous

balconies and setbacks. The entries to

apartment lobbies are prominent andtogether with the landscaped setbacks,

they add to the richness of the streetscape.

The car parking is screened well from

all sides of the building and the car park

driveways are combined to reduce the

impact on pedestrians..

Council:Auburn Council



Architect: Mirvac Design, Eeles TreleasePty Ltd, Vote Associates

Builder: Mirvac Constructions

Landscape Architect: EDAW

Site Area: 4,660m2

Building Height: 2 - 4 storey

FSR: 1.7:1

Site Coverage: 43%

Setbacks: 5-8m from street boundary

Car parking: 1 per 2br apartment

2 per - 3br apartment

Number of dwellings and dwelling mix: 27

Development complies with sites

masterplan

Photography:

Courtyard - Patrick Bingham-Hall

Street View - Margaret Petrykowski


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35

Street View

Ground Floor Plan

Courtyard View


Locality Plan


Section

24 McKye Street, Waverton, NSW, 2060

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

A single-storey cottage has been replaced

with five apartments on the north-west corner

of McKye and Carr Streets in Waverton.

The character of the local area is mainly three-

storey flats built over the past 30 to 40 years,

two-storey townhouses and higher residential

towers.

The building uses the site well in building to

within one metre of the boundary on one side

and including private north-facing courtyards

with the two-storey apartments and a large

terrace capturing city views for the top-floor

penthouse.

The building is well articulated using colour,

building forms and stepped roofs. The car

parking access is in the podium of the

building and has little impact on pedestrians.

All five apartments have high environmental

performance and full cross-ventilation. The

design offers a strong sense of identity,

individual layout and good amenity to each of

the dwellings.

The design achieves good density on the

site, gives definition to this prominent corner

position and uses a scale that suits the areas

character.

Council: North Sydney Council



Architect:Joshua Farkash & Associates Pty Ltd

Builder: Ozbuild Constructions P/L

Landscape Architect: Jocelyn Ramsey

Site Area: 614.3m2


FSR: 1:1

Site Coverage: 46%

Setbacks:3m to the West, 11m to the

North, 6m from Mckye Street and 1m to

Carr St

Car parking: 8 cars


5 dwellings, 2 x 3br apartments,

2 x 2br two storey apartments,

1 penthouse

Development generally complies with

Councils controls with the exception of

the marginally greater height on the Carr

Street frontage which was negotiated and

endorsed by the Council

Cost: $2,000/m2



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37

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Street View


Locality Plan


13 Coronation Avenue, Petersham, NSW, 2049

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This development is located on the former

Eversleigh Hospital site that included

wards and nurses quarters. The fine

Federation architecture of this heritage-listed ensemble has been kept and adapted

for residential use. New buildings have

been added to the site and arranged

classically around a formal garden, which

is visible from the street.

The residential complex consists of five

multi-storey buildings with 109 dwellings

and an underground security car park

for 130 vehicles. The design includes 11

adaptable dwellings.

The pitched-roof forms of the new

buildings and the use of traditional

materials, such as brick and render,

complement the heritage buildings and suit

the scale and character of the area.

The preservation of the existing trees and

the generous grounds around the re-used

heritage buildings has seen the site keep

its attractive, leafy character. This adds to

the high residential amenity in this innercity location. It is a good example of a

medium-density development that will be

ideal for other heritage-rich and leafy areas

in Sydney.

Council: Marrickville Council



Architect: SARM Architects Pty Limited(Formerly TGP Architects and Planners) in

association with Spence Pearson Architects

Builder: Abigroup Limited

Landscape Architect: SARM designed all

hard landscape areas

Site Area: 10,096m2


FSR: 1.15:1

Site Coverage:40%

Setbacks: 4m minimum

Car parking: 130 cars


109 dwellings accommodated in 5 buildings

with a mix of 24 x 1br, 69 x 2br and

16 x 3br


planning controls

Cost: $1,455/m2(approx.)

Photography:Tim Williams


0m 5m 10m 15m

39

Street View

Site Plan Addison Road

Coronation

Avenue


Locality Plan


Phillip Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This is a city block bounded by Walker,

Phillip, Morehead and Kettle streets in

Redfern. The development is part of

the Redfern Public Housing Project, torevitalise the inner-city neighbourhood of

Redfern. It provides new public housing for

young families, the elderly and those most

in need.

The site used to have 106 walk-up units,

built in 1953. A master plan was prepared

for the entire site which includes two

adjoining blocks. The west block is not

part of this development and will be sold

to help fund the renewed social housing.

The redevelopment of the eastern block

involved demolition of 10 two and three-

storey public housing buildings, and the

construction of 106 new low-to-medium

rise dwellings.

The four corners of the site are anchored

by the three-to-four-storey apartment

buildings, which act as bookends to

the townhouses that directly front both

Morehead and Walker streets. Strong

design elements define each corner with

the use of colour and form, seen in the

white, cantilevered balconies that wrap

around masonry elements.

The townhouses are designed to ensure

a robust and interesting array of faade

treatments. An innovative arrangement

and combination of materials and colours

provides a lively streetscape.

The project is only the second public

housing development in Australia to

achieve a Green Star rating. It was awarded

a 5-Star Green Star rating under the Multi-

unit Residential PILOT tool in 2009.

The project fits well into the surrounding

context of the high-rise towers of the

McKell Building and Poets Corner to the

east and the two-storey historic terraces,

within a heritage conservation area, to the

south. It offers a high-quality environment

for a diverse range of demographic groups,

which is close to a local park, transport

and shops.




Architect: LFA (Pacific) Pty Ltd

Builder:

Richard Crookes Constructions Pty Ltd

Landscape Architect: LFA (Pacific) Pty Ltd

Site Area: 9,709m2


(3 - 4 storey apartment buildings &

1, 2 and 3 storey townhouses)

FSR: 0.96:1

Site Coverage: 44%,4,260m2

Setbacks: To street 4m min. to apartment

buildings. 4 - 10m to townhouses to retain

existing trees

Car parking:6 accessible off-street parking

spaces


106 dwellings.

44 x 1br apts, 14 x 2br apts, 8 x 2br

accessible apts, 13 x 2br townhouses,

17 x 3br townhouses, 6 x 3br accessible

townhouses, 4 x 4br accessible

townhouses

Development complies with CouncilsDevelopment Application conditions

Cost: $3,650/m2 (approx.)



0m 5m 10m 15m

41

Site Plan

Street View of Apartments Street View of Townhouses

Walker Street

Morehead Street

KettleStreet

PhillipStreet


Locality Plan


62 Frenchmans Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The development is situated on the

prominent corner of Frenchmans Road

and Kemmis Street, which was formerly a

Caltex service station. The building designresponds well to two very different street

characters.

On Frenchmans Road the building is

designed as a mixed-use development with

shops on street level with three levels of

residential apartments above.

On Kemmis Street the building suits

the terrace house context with greater

street setbacks, articulated faades and

individual balconies, which add interestand scale.

The recessed upper floor reduces the

developments scale and the green roof

softens the buildings definition. The

corner design reflects the sharpness of the

street intersection with a blade wall, two-

storey apartment and roof garden.

The individual identity of the apartments is

enhanced with separate doors in different

locations rather than one central entry.

The rooftop apartments have access to

individual private gardens with plants

hanging over the building faades creating

an attractive green-curtain wall.

All apartments have natural cross-ventilation

and the development employs green

technologies to reduce water and energy use.

The high-performance glazing will reduce

the heat load whilst letting in good levels

of daylight. The landscaped roof provides

evaporative cooling to the apartments in

summer and insulation in winter.

The project is an excellent example of

shop-top development that contributes

to the vitality of the local area. It offers

attractive medium-density and diverse

dwellings that are well-suited to mixed-use

suburban centres.




Architect:Brenchley Architects

Builder: Solitarii Developments

Landscape Architect: 360 Degrees

Site Area: 1,192m


FSR: 1.6 :1

Site Coverage: 93.9%

Setbacks:

0m on Frenchmans Road

3.5m to terrace frontage on Kemmis Street

Car parking: 25 car spaces in one basement


dwellings and 3 shops


planning controls

Cost: $3000/m2(approx.)

Photography: Elizabeth Allnutt

Margaret Petrykowski


0m 5m 10m 15m

43

Frenchmans Road View

Ground Floor Plan First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan Thrid Floor Plan

Kemmis Street View


Locality Plan


7-13 Dover Road, Rose Bay, NSW, 2029

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project is located in the traditional

suburban commercial centre in Rose Bay.

It is a mixed-use development with 10

residential apartments, two shops and abasement car park on a compact urban site.

The plan of the building has a T-form that

sets the sides back from the adjoining

buildings, whilst giving all units good

cross-ventilation. On each typical floor, two

units face the road as a continuous street

wall, which the Councils DCP requires

for Rose Bay. The upper-level apartments

have rooftop terraces with views towards

the harbour and a leafy, elevated outlook

to Vaucluse. A third unit to the rear is

set back from the property boundaries

and shares no common walls with its

neighbours, allowing extensive harbour and

city views to the north-west.

Two light wells penetrate the ground floor

to give natural light and ventilation to this

level and the car park. A small landscaped

court provides a pleasant outlook from the

entry lobby at the centre of the building.

This development has generous apartments

with excellent amenity. It shows how a

mixed-use, suburban shopping centre-scale

development can achieve high-quality

dwellings together with commercial uses.

It fits well into the local street context and

is a benchmark for the future character of

the area.

Council: Woollahra Municipal Council



Architect: Hill Thalis Architecture & UrbanProjects

Builder: Beach Constructions

Landscape Architect: Jane Irwin Landscape

Architecture

Site Area:609m2

Floor Area: 1,220m2 (812m2residential /

127m2retail)

Building height: 14.4m (4 storeys)

FSR: 2:1

Site Coverage: 84%

Setbacks: 0m


10 dwellings - 2 x home offices, 2 x 1br,

5 x 2br, 1 x 3br and 2 x shops

Car parking: 14 cars in one basement level

Cost: $3,750/m2



0m 5m 10m 15m45

Street View

Rear ViewDover Road

Ground Floor Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan


Locality Plan


1A Bond Street, Mosman, NSW, 2010

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This development, along an arterial

road, is a mixed-use, urban project that

successfully joins a commercial two-storey

heritage building together with a multi-unitdevelopment.

The site slopes to the rear, away from the

main road. Its corner location allows for the

six-storey residential apartment building to

merge in behind a low-scale commercial

and retail building that fronts Military Road.

The building is well articulated, looks

attractive from Bond Street and has well-

screened car parking. It steps down in

scale to an adjoining three-storey residentialbuilding down the street.

The apartments face north and away from

the busy road. Natural cross-ventilation is

achieved by clustering the units around a

small central courtyard.

The success of this development is due

to the heritage faade of the commercial

building being retained with retail activities

continuing to activate Military Road. The

separation of the residential part of the

building away from the noisy arterial road

ensures good amenity. This is an attractive

residential development that fits well into

the local street.

Council: Mosman Municipal Council



Architect: Blackmore Design Group

Builder: Construction Pacific

Project Manager: Norfolk Property Group

Site Area: 1,055m2


FSR: 3:1

Site Coverage: 80%

Car parking: 37 cars in 2 basements


Cost: $2,600/m2



0m 5m 10m 15m

47

MilitaryRoad

Street View from Military Road

Street View from Bond Street

BondStreet

Ground Floor Plan


Locality Plan


23-25 Egan Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The development is located in the inner-

city Sydney suburb of Newtown in a

heritage conservation area. A single-storey

brick building was adapted into threestrata dwellings and a studio. Built in

1923, the structure had been used as a

metal workshop, panel beaters and auto

mechanics for 77 years.

The original perimeter brick walls were kept

and the existing roof trusses raised by 600

mm to sit on top of the parapet without

causing major additional overshadowing

to the adjoining properties. This enabled a

two-storey development within the existing

building fabric.

The tight urban nature of the site meant

that the apartments were arranged around

three private north-facing courtyards.

This provides natural ventilation, light and

outlook for all the rooms. The tree tops from

neighbouring gardens give them additional

privacy and green screening. The courtyards

significantly extend the ground-floor living

spaces with an attractive entertaining

area. The bedroom, study and bathroom

are located on the first floor between the

original trusses, with large skylights allowing

excellent light and ventilation.

The original roller door to Egan Street was

replaced with new steel-framed glazing to

the commercial studio. There is a separate

inset entry that gives access to the three

apartments via a common corridor to the

south. The studio and the entrance both

activate the street frontage.

Passive solar design principles and natural

ventilation have reduced the need to

depend on artificial heating and cooling in

the apartments.

The project shows design innovation and

creativity in combining three homes and an

office on a small urban site. The council

dropped its usual car parking requirement

to allow the higher-density project to occur.

This is an excellent example of a successful

inner-city, residential, adaptive re-use of an

older building.




Architect: Mackenzie Pronk Architects witharchitects in association Julie Mackenzie,

Shack Design and Kieran McInerney

Builder: W.F. Pullan and Sons John Pullan

Site Area: 210m2(7.8m x 27m)

Building Height: 2 storey

FSR: Existing use rights enabled the mixed

use zoning to be achieved and an increased

floor space ratio based on the existing FSRof 1.2:1 rather than 0.7:1 permissible in

the City of Sydney LEP.

Site Coverage: 88%. Each apartment

site area is 6.6m x 7.0m and achieves an

internal courtyard of approximately 9m2

Setbacks: 0m

Car parking: 0 cars / 5 bike racks located in

corridor


3 dwellings x 70m2eachand one

commercial studio

Cost: $1,570/m2

(total construction cost $550,000)

Photography: Oliver Berlin


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49

Street View Interior Courtyard

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan


Locality Plan


Kilmory, 6 Wentworth Street, Point Piper, NSW, 2027

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project involved the adaptation of a

large Arts-and-Crafts-style mansion into

seven large apartments with four new

houses in the lower grounds.

Kilmory was built as a residence in

1913 for leading surgeon Sir Alexander

MacCormick. It was converted from

19461954 into a preparatory school for

Riverview and later in 1954, to a retreat for

the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

Kilmory was located on the high ground

of Point Piper, commanding spectacular

views of Sydney Harbour. Surrounded by a

formal garden with encircling hedge, a stablebuilding in the south-west corner of the

property was adapted into a separate home.

It is a large masonry building in the Arts

and Crafts style with decorative stone

detailing, pebbledash render and slate roof.

New additions kept the grand estate

image of the site. They reinforced the

dominant form and visual presence of the

house using sympathetic materials in a less-

modelled form. High-quality contemporarydesign for the new houses in the lower

grounds included finishes such as stone

cladding and copper roofs.

This is a good example of an adaptive re-

use of a heritage house in beautiful grounds

to a community of 10 dwellings that all

benefit from the wonderful garden setting.

Based on Sydneys average occupancy rate

of 2.5 people per dwelling, 25 people can

now live on a site which was once used

by only one family. The adaptation means

the original house and garden are preserved

into the future and maintains the character

of the area.

Kilmory is an item of High Local Heritage

Significance and the design was developed

and agreed to during collaborative meetings

with Woollahra Municipal Council.

Council: Woollahra Municipal Council


Development Density:15.5 d/ha

Architect: Conybeare Morrison International

Builder: Byrne Lewis Construction

Landscape Architect:Context Landscape

Design

Site Area: 6,424m2

Building Height: 3 storey with additional

space created within a new basement and

the steeply pitched roof space.

FSR: 0.625:1 (675m2 Minimum allotments

for individual houses)

Site Coverage: 40%

Car parking: 25


7 large apartments in the former mansion,

the adaptation of the stables to a new

residence and 3 new copper-roofed houses

in the lower grounds below an encircling

hedge

Cost: $4,000/m2

Photography: Neil Fenelon


TE

0m 5m 10m 15m

51

Ground Floor Plan

Attic Plan

Basement Plan

First Floor Plan

Kilmory Viewed From The Garden

Aerial View


Locality Plan


The North Wing Corner of Pacific Street and Ocean Street,

Newcastle, NSW, 2300

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The building stands adjacent to Newcastle

Beach, with Pacific Park to the north and

the former Royal Newcastle Hospital site to

the south.

Built in 1915, the North Wing was originally

designed by G. M. McRae. It was a large

four-storey brick building that linked to the

former York Wing of the Royal Newcastle

Hospital via a stair tower and an enclosed

four-level corridor bridge. The building was

designed using traditional Nightingale

wards. It had large open spaces, good cross-

ventilation, generous open-verandah space

and featured superb octagonal towers and

high-pitched roofs.

Demolition of the building was not allowed as

it is a heritage item of regional significance.

The building forms part of the major urban

renewal project of the former Newcastle

Hospital site. Its adaptive re-use adds richness

and superb architecture to the Newcastle

public domain. It also allows for the creation

of 16 elegant, high-quality apartments in

the most spectacular location in Newcastle.

They have high ceilings, generous loggias and

individual floor plan layouts.

This is a good example of an adaptive re-use

of a disused public building into a community

of 16 dwellings that benefit from a wonderful

ocean-front setting. Forty residents can now

live in the building, based on the average rate

of 2.5 people per dwelling. The adaptation

preserves the heritage building while keeping

the character of the area.

.

Council: Newcastle City Council


Development Density:73 d/ha

Architect: Tzannes Associates Pty Ltd

Builder: Abigroup Limited

Landscape Architect:

EJE Landscape Architecture

Site Area: 1,650m2

Building Height: 20m (complies with DCP

57 upper height limit of 25m)

FSR: 1.83:1

Site Coverage: 58%

Setbacks: The building is as per the

existing set-backs with some sections of

the buildings, notably the octagonal towers

on the north and north-east corners are

built within 1m of the boundary. On the

south boundary the two new cores are

built within the line of the towers and set-

backs vary from 2.7m 5.1m. On the east

boundary the building is situated 6m from

the edge of the new York apartments.

Car parking: 20 cars


12 apartments on ground floor: gallery,

caf, gym, entry lobbies and car parking.

Levels 1 3 comprise of 4 x 3 bedroom

units per level

Cost: $2,294/m2

Photography: John Gollings


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53

Street View

Typical Floor Plan


Locality Plan


Substation No 175, Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This substation is located in the traditional

context of Surry Hills. The area consists

of low-scale row housing, medium-rise

commercial buildings along ElizabethStreet and close to the adjoining 15-storey

commercial building that faces a pocket park.

Originally completed in 1925, the electricity

substation building was a small-face brick

structure housing oil-filled transformers

for the City of Sydneys power supply

until 1996. Situated on a 44 m plot at

the southern edge of Sydneys CBD, the

substation was not in use for many years.

The 4.8 m by 9 m site has been redevelopedas a miniature residential tower with a

street-level caf and two apartments over

six storeys.

The living rooms within the tower have

dual orientation, facing both the park and

street frontages, while maximising light,

ventilation and privacy to the interiors.

A carefully-designed pattern of windows

achieves a reinvigorated urban faade to

the adjacent pocket park.

The creative design of the building enriches

the public domain, makes the site look more

urban and achieves a high-density inner-

city living environment in a highly-desirable

location.




Architect:Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

Builder: Mr John Mavros, Trinium Group

Site Area: 44m2

Building Height: 6 storeys

FSR: 6:1

Site Coverage:100%

Setbacks:contained within existing building

footprint

Car parking: 0


2 x 1 br apartments, one with study



z...z...z...z...

0m 5m 10m 15m55

Fifth Floor Plan

Fourth Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Interior ViewGround Floor Plan

Section

West Elevation View


Locality Plan


8 Belmore Lane, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010

topped with a working roof garden.

All floors are connected via a stair void

which enables light to pass through each

floor. The void also acts as a thermal

stack drawing air out through each level

via the roof-top glazing to increase cross-

ventilation. The large sliding windows

are positioned to maximise daylight and

frame city views, whilst ensuring privacy

from surrounding commercial buildings. A

services riser connects each level to allow

for all services and additional storage.

The structure of this house was built

entirely from high-quality precast concrete.

It was made off-site and erected on-site

over a four-day period.

The council received the design well on

the basis that it is an exemplar project in

urban consolidation and a new typology

for housing in limited urban living spaces.

Compact houses use innovative solutions

yet still reflect a contemporary lifestyle.

They are diverse, creative and focus on

the essentials and a less is more design

concept. Quality of design, materials,

functional use, interior and technologies are

key objectives for city living.

The house also activates a city lane,

which had been a decrepit corner, and

considerably improves the public domain,

especially at night. Compact houses are an

affordable way to live in the inner city and,

most importantly, avoid the need to cope

with the gruelling commute.




Zoning: Zone No. 10 - Mixed Uses Zone(SSLEP)

Architect: Domenic Alvaro

Builder: Baseline Constructions

Landscape Architect: 360 Degrees

Site Area: 46m2


FSR:2.6:1

Garden Area: 36m2(roof garden)

Site Coverage: 100%

Car parking: space used as utility room

Cost: $3,000/m2

Photography: Trevor Mein

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The site is located in the Surry Hills urban

village area. It is a mixture of small narrow

lots and fine grained terraces or row houses

and large commercial and light industrial

buildings, with continuous street frontages.

The compact house is an ultra-compact

home built on a site so small it can fit into

the garage space of a typical suburban

home (7 m by 6 m). As the size of cities

continues to expand, the compact house

builds upwards, rather than outwards,

using a number of design devices to make

micro-spaces more liveable. The house is

designed to have one multi-purpose room

per floor with no corridors or doors and

diversifies the use of each floor for adding

spaces in the future.

The house is therefore zoned vertically:

utility/store/bicycle/parking is located on

ground level, sleeping/bathing on first level,

living space on second level, eating/food

preparation/entertainment on third level and


0m 5m 10m 15m57

Interior View

Laneway View

Section

Rooftop Garden Plan

Kitchen Plan

Living Plan

Bed/Bath Plan

Garage Plan



DENSITY

Development density

The ratio of the number of dwellings to the

area of the site they occupy.

Net density


area of land they occupy (precinct or a block),

including internal public streets and half of the

width of adjoining streets that provide access

to the dwellings.

Gross density

The ratio of the number of dwellings to the area

of land they occupy. The area includes internal

public streets, all areas of public open space,

local shops, employment areas, primary and

secondary schools, local community facilitiesand half the width of adjoining streets.

Area density/urban density


area of land they occupy, including all other

land within the urban area.

COMMON HOUSING TERMS

Duplex

A dwelling that is on its own lot of land (not

being an individual lot in a strata plan or

community title scheme) and is attached to

only one other dwelling.

Townhouses

An attached dwelling, with two or more

storeys, that is on one lot of land. May be

Torrens or strata titled.

Villas

Three or more dwellings (whether attached

or detached) on one lot of land (not being an

individual lot in a strata plan or community title

scheme) each with entry access at ground

level.

Residential apartment building

A building, with three or more storeys, that

contains three or more dwellings.

Shop-top housing

One or more dwellings located above (or

otherwise attached to) ground-floor retail or

business premises.

definitions

BUILDING HEIGHTS

Low rise

Three storeys or less: including terraces,

townhouses, shop-top housing, semi-

detached housing and small residential flat

buildings.

Medium rise

Four to five storeys: including residential flat

buildings and shop-top housing.

High rise

Six storeys or more: including residential flat

buildings, shop-top housing and large mixed-

use developments, such as offices and shops,

with housing above.

RESIDENTIAL DENSITY

Low density

Fewer than 25 net dwellings per hectare. This

only includes the number of dwellings within

land zoned for housing, not land for open

spaces, roads, etc.

Medium density

Between 25 and 60 net dwellings per hectare.

High density

More than 60 net dwellings per hectare. High-

density living does not necessarily mean high

rise. There are many development forms that

result in medium and high density which are

low or medium rise.

Floor space ratio

The floor space ratio (FSR) of buildings on a

site is the ratio of the gross floor area of all

buildings within the site, to the site area.


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