WATERBOARD SITE A

An exemplary residential community that defines a major new public square and connects to the precinct by a network of fine grained, human scaled streetscapes, establishing a new benchmark for inner city living in Sydney. Our response to this invited design Excellence Competition, we developed a strategy which focused on maximising amenity and value, creatively responding to the unique opportunities and challenges presented by this complex site. Rather than distributing residential floorspace across both competition sites, our proposal consolidates all apartments on the northern portion of the site to deliver the following benefits: - Superior separation of dwellings from noise and air pollution of the arterial road - Creation of a cohesive community who share a park address and common courtyard garden entry - Maximised number of north facing apartments with city views - Eliminated complexities arising from building around or over non-negotiable easements - A larger Heritage Square with more sun and more trees unaffected by easements - A flexible, free-standing and highly transparent commercial/retail pavilion that is unencumbered by upper storey residents or residential core and lobby - A generous sunny landscaped plaza stretching between the Pump House and the colonnade defining the Young Street urban edge. - Innovative residential planning achieving greater connection to views - Outstanding levels of amenity to common areas - Diversity in residential types including two storey dual key ground floor park facing 3-bedroom units. The site’s rich history is expressed in landscape and built elements, connecting inhabitants to the pre-settlement landscape which ultimately gave way to it’s industrial and present use.