Plans for a 2.1-hectare mixed-use precinct in Sydney’s Waterloo, designed collaboratively by SJB, Bates Smart, Curious Practice and Chenchow Little, have been greenlit by the New South Wales government.
The scheme includes 826 build-to-rent (BTR) homes alongside 4,095 square metres of retail and hospitality offerings at the corner of Danks and Young Streets. It is, according to developer Coronation Property, the “largest housing development approved through the NSW government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway to date.”
Coronation managing director Joe Nahas said the project capitalises on “a rare opportunity to deliver housing at genuine scale in an established inner-city location … [and] to create a complete neighbourhood, one that draws on the character and cultural energy of Waterloo, Surry Hills and Redfern while introducing exceptional architecture, hospitality, amenity and public spaces of its own.”
The precinct will be operated by Coronation’s BTR platform Nation, and is set to include a diverse mix of apartment types, including the developer’s compact “city starter” and “city stayer” typologies, intended to accommodate people at different stages of life.
According to the developer, extensive resident amenities “designed with the service and experience of a five-star hotel in mind” will support wellness, work, social connection and everyday convenience.
Bates Smart director Matthew Allen commented that the project’s design is “the result of four architects working to a shared vision: a high-density, high-amenity precinct where active streets, vibrant pedestrian spaces and distinctive architecture work together to bring a rich, diverse urban environment to Waterloo.”
SJB director Adam Haddow added that the scheme was founded on “a simple idea, that delivering more homes should also mean delivering better places to live.”
“The architecture has been shaped around the everyday experience of residents, from light and outlook within the home, to shared spaces, landscape and the life of the precinct beyond the front door,” Haddow said.
Construction began in March following early works approval, while the site’s rezoning and state significant development application were concurrently assessed. Staged completion is targeted from 2028.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
