The proposed mixed use development located in the Sydney inner-city suburb of Zetland, creates a compact, fine-grained, high quality building composition that combines a commercial showroom, commercial offices and two residential dwellings. The site lies within a small pocket of residential houses in a conservation area on the northern threshold to Green Square Town Centre. The site is also in close proximity to two green spaces, Mary Obrien Reserve to the north and a small pocket park to the south.

The development involves the demolition and replacement of a dilapidated warehousing and showroom building currently on the site, the construction of a new terrace house in Cook Lane, and the retention and refurbishment of an existing weatherboard cottage that is considered to be a contributory item within this conservation area. The composition of these three main building elements aim to mesh the site with the surroundings and varied building types.

The design takes advantage of the unusual site location. The commercial tenancies form a sculptural composition that creates a prominent terminating feature to Gadigal Avenue, whilst also providing a building scale that addresses Joynton Avenue and future taller mixed use buildings to the south as part of the Green Square Town Centre development. Conversely, the residential components of the site form an appropriately scaled and conservative bookend to the row houses in Tilford Street.

The activity that will be generated by the two commercial tenancies will reinforce other commercial activities in the precinct whilst locally helping to provide activation and passive surveillance of the two adjacent green spaces. The contrasting expressions of the residential and commercial components of the development punctuate the streetscape of Joynton Avenue and work to signal the gateway to Green Square Town Centre. The development seeks to both assist the positive transformational thrust of the Green Square locality whilst carefully providing an appropriately scaled connection with the existing heritage housing stock.

‍