NEWTOWN APARTMENTS

Newtown Apartments

Type: Residential Location: Newtown, Sydney Year: 2022

This multi-unit residential project requires three dwellings and a kiosk on the lot at 53 and 55 Georgina Street, Newtown, in the Sydney City Council area. The task is to develop an integrated project that will support the inhabitants within their own dwelling and thoughtfully shape their interactions with one another and with the physical environment of the surrounding site.

Nestled at the edge of Hollis Park at the end of Georgina Street, this housing project seeks to forge a union between residents of multiple dwellings by way of a purposeful centric-focused layout while serving as a node for passersby and residents of the area. Hence, this housing project seeks to foster a sense of community and belonging by affording residents high levels of comfort and autonomy through thoughtful design.

Design aims:

1. To provide residents with high levels of autonomy over their experiences within and around their dwelling.

2. To exploit the natural slope of the site to enhance residents’ privacy and comfort.

3. To foster a sense of community through a central shared space.

4. To provide a good amount of natural sunlight and ventilation for dwelling interiors.

While each dwelling is unique in its affordances, when brought together, their individual position, orientation and configuration complement one another to create a cohesive layout that physically and visually converge into a central shared space. Each dwelling seeks to afford residents a high level of social control through the provision of individual, household and communal controlled spaces as well as different levels of control for outdoor spaces.

An outdoor kiosk sits at the perimeter, drawing in pedestrians from a footpath connecting Wilson Street and Park Lane. The kiosk and adjacent dwellings cocoon a sunken central courtyard area that is shielded from public view.

Together, the three dwellings and kiosk and envelop a private shared space that allows a generous amount of sunlight to bathe the interior spaces and for natural ventilation to take place.

The level changes of the project respond to the natural slope of the site and help to maintain a comfortable level of privacy amongst residents. Each dwelling features a private outdoor space that further exploits a heightened level of privacy afforded by the site’s natural topography.

WEST ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION

Central courtyard

Allows for a centralised point of convergence for social interactions to foster a sense of community and belonging for residents by providing a shared intermediary space for circulation.

Multiple private outdoor spaces

A private outdoor space that overlooks a central shared space heightens the level of autonomy afforded to residents. Residents are able to enjoy the views of a central courtyard from the privacy of their dwellings.

Multiple levels of control

Within the site and within the dwelling, communal controlled outdoor spaces, household controlled outdoor spaces, and individual outdoor spaces are afforded to residents.

Sunken central courtyard

Provides residents with high levels of comfort, privacy and a sense of being shielded from public view as afforeded by level change which is both thougtful and strategic

Multiple private outdoor spaces

A rooftop garden terrace provides an alternative outdoor space and further adds to the multitude of possibilities, control and experience for residents.

Transitory spaces as a light well

Residents spend the least amount of time in circulation spaces such as hallways and staircases which makes these spaces ideal for catching natural sunlight for other interior spaces.