Five heritage-listed Edwardian warehouses in Sydney’s Surry Hills are set to undergo adaptive reuse after receiving planning approval.
The approved scheme will reimagine 4–22 Wentworth Avenue as a mixed-use commercial hub, providing 7,600 square metres of lettable area across retained and expanded buildings. The design stems from a design excellence competition won by DKO and Aileen Sage for client Willow Development Group, with landscape architecture by Dangar Barin Smith.
Dating from 1911, the warehouses will be adapted to accommodate flexible commercial spaces and multiple entries, while a “faceted, prism-like” tower will be introduced above 4–6 Wentworth Avenue and a multi-storey landscaped atrium at 8 Wentworth Avenue will link the buildings internally.
Heritage consultant Jean Rice guided the heritage approach for the design while Finding Infinity led the environmental strategy. Willow Development Group said the scheme prioritises reuse over replacement, aiming to work with the site’s history rather than erase it. “Original brickwork, timber structures, shopfronts and signage are all carried forward – held with care, not hidden,” said the group.
According to the architects, the facades of the warehouses will be restored and “returned to their former glory,” with new steel detailing introduced in bold colours.
The landscape design by Dangar Barin Smith includes sunken gardens, rooftop terraces and communal spaces, using mostly Indigenous plant species.
Construction is expected to commence mid- to late-2026.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
