Project Overview
Our aesthetic inspiration was taken from the historical use of the area. In the 1800’s Erskineville was renowned for its brick production and large scale industries for leather and timber. The surrounding areas were lined with workers cottages and small terrace homes. The idea of combining the large industrial scale aesthetics in a juxtaposition to the more refined decorative residential home, has created some interesting meeting spaces for social interaction, creating a real sense of community. This concept was also drawn in essence from some of the inner west’s trendy hotspots. Examples such as Camperdown's ‘Dues Ex Machina’(a renovated factory space) and in Alexandria the highly popular ‘The Grounds’ which is located in an old pie factory.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Tony Leung
Bing Qi
Ordella Wall
Chuan Fu
Fay Feng
Brandan Villatora
Tarek Zhu
Trevor Joy
Project Brief
Our brief was to create an expression and connection with the past. The materials in our building informs its industrial past with red brick and copper colour cladding. The shapes within our building echo this further, the articulated roof and windows have a warehouse design. In our glass full height lobby there is a staircase element with the character of a chimney stack from Sydney Park.
The scale of the massing has been broken down in to three different architectural qualities. The lower levels have the design principles of the Victorian terrace houses, the mid-level apartments have the equally desirable warehouse conversion feel and the upper levels are reminiscent of a SOHO loft apartment.
These themes blend seamlessly in to a whole design that synthesize in to homes that whilst maintaining the soul and heritage of the area, encapsulate an enticing way of life. With plenty of light filled interiors and communal landscaping this design has the ‘cool factor’ that responds to its environment and the needs of its occupants.
Project Innovation/Need
The project needed to link people, history and architecture together. We adapted the building forms of old terraces and industrial spaces in to modern and funky affordable housing. This unique design captures this areas feel and creates a community where none existed before. We fulfilled the push and desire for renewal, re-use and the authentic and original.
Design Challenge
The design responded to the onsite conditions including a single-storey basement. By doing this we limited the expense of excavation, retaining walls and below ground level risk of the development. The perimeter of the basement has been planned, the above ground massing of the development adjusted and primary structure located to avoid any disruption to Sydney Water’s Storm-water Channel. Economics was the main challenge involved.
Sustainability
Economy of process and production:
Substantial integration of standardised kitchen/ bathroom fittings and layouts within apartments for economy and speed of off-site fabrication and on-site installation.
Standardisation of planning layouts and footprints to limit apartment types on consecutive levels.
The structural integration of precast concrete walls [constructed off-site] as both party walls and solid façade elements, fast tracks the erection of the development and minimises requirements for additional structure.
Prefabrication of façade elements and smaller façade elements, such as engineering brickwork, will be cast as brick slips onto the precast concrete walls to minimise facing brickwork cost, for quality of off-site production, speed of installation, reduction of inter-reliance of individual subcontract trade packages.
Strategic specification of partition types to maximise standardisation and reduce number of different types to reduce on site thinking, fast track fit out installation
Planning efficiency To minimise corridor lengths, services reticulation space risers to maximise the number and enjoyable space of apartments [Net Sell-able Area] within prescribed Gross Floor Area limits.
Architecture - Proposed
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow. The project can be a concept, tender or personal project, i.e. proposed space.
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