Common Office

Shop Top Building

Facing Old South Head Road, the shop-top housing alteration is conceived as an intervention within the existing urban fabric. In response to the demands of pandemic-era living, the project reworks the existing frontage and introduces a set-back upper volume, establishing a renewed street presence while reshaping the homes around a more open and connected approach to domestic life.

A layered presence
Composed of stucco render and strong vertical columns, the existing building presents a solid street façade while concealing a poorly resolved interior behind it. The proposal retains and reworks its defining frontage, opening it up to reveal deep loggias. Above, a finely framed metallic volume extends the building as a lighter, more transparent upper layer.

Living behind the frontage
At ground level, commercial tenancies remain directly connected to the pavement. Above, the residences are organised around generous loggias set behind the façade, extending the living spaces outward while maintaining the building’s vertical rhythm. These sheltered outdoor rooms form an open yet protected threshold between home and street, bringing light and air into the residences while maintaining privacy from the activity of the road.

Project Facts
Typology: Mixed Use (Residential and Retail)
Location: Sydney, Australia 
Client: Private