COMMONWEALTH ST. APARTMENTS, SURRY HILLS – PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The core idea for this project was to give the Douglass building another lease of life. The two was unused and neglected for many years and the owner wanted to revitalise the heritage building by undertaking an adaptive reuse design strategy. After extensive consultation with Council and our heritage architect, the result is sixteen apartments and two restaurants which offer different spaces and amenity while respecting the heritage character of the original building.

Surry Hills has been undergoing an intensive densification over the past fifteen years. The influx of residents has attracted many businesses to service the growing population. This project offers a completely different type of accommodation compared

The adaptive reuse of heritage buildings is rarely found in the area so we sought to build on the intrinsic character of the building by carefully inserting the new elements to complement the heritage elements such as the timber and.

The significance of the project is that it manages to give new life to one of Surry Hill’s heritage buildings. Surry Hill’s heritage stock is well regarded and warrants proper protection and this project is an exemplary example of adaptive reuse. By adopting a design approach which responds to all of the various controls and demands the results in a building that enhances the existing context and improves the streetscape. It is a prime example of recycled urban buildings in the City of Sydney and sets a benchmark for all future heritage projects.

Project Team:                   Nicholas Solomon, Serge Linnik and Arkadi Filinchtein