Five historic Sydney warehouses slated for adaptive reuse

Architectural practices DKO and Aileen Sage have unveiled plans for the redevelopment of five historic warehouses on Sydney's Wentworth Avenue, led by Willow Development Group.

The Edwardian warehouses at 4-22 Wentworth Avenue date from 1911 and are protected by a local heritage listing. Currently, the buildings are occupied by various retail and commercial tenancies.

According to a media communique, DKO and Aileen Sage's proposal, which was selected following a design excellence competition, involves an adaptive reuse strategy that "balances heritage conservation with contemporary intervention, using the existing built fabric as a framework for innovative spatial and architectural expression."

With the designers' aim being to reinforce the project's urban and cultural relevance, their approach has been shaped by five core principles: expressing each warehouse's individual character, streamlining circulation to connect the five buildings, designing for diverse tenancies, articulating a cohesive tower form and sensitively adapting the site's heritage.

According to the media communique, the designers have worked with heritage consultant Jean Rice to utilise and retain as much of the existing building fabric as possible. At the same time, energy efficiencies have been designed into the redevelopment. These include 100 percent electrical services and solar PV harvesting, rainwater harvesting, and waste diversion.

DKO director of architecture and growth Rupert Reed reflected, "The heritage fabric of the site has always guided our design. This project is about cohesion - not just between buildings, but between disciplines, ideas and histories.

Rice added, "This was a true collaboration - one built on listening. The outcome is richer for the way stories of the site informed design decisions."

The proposal introduces a new commercial tower above the corner building at 4-6 Wentworth Avenue, envisioned as a prism-like form. Next door, at 8 Wentworth Avenue, a top-lit, glazed atrium space is designed to draw light deep into the site. This space is envisioned with lush landscaping and a spiral staircase.

According to director at Aileen Sage Amelia Holliday, "New works will balance cohesion and diversity through artful additions and sensitive heritage adaptations." The proposal includes restoration of the warehouses' current shopfronts with a contemporary language of detailed steel work in bold colours.

In terms of landscaping, landscape architect Dangar Barin Smith has developed a biophilic strategy for the development across sunken gardens, rooftop terraces and landscaped communal spaces that employ a palette of mostly Indigenous plants.

The proposal has received development approval and is expected to commence construction in mid-late 2026.

Director of the Willow Development Group Michael Skala commented, "We feel incredibly privileged to be able to put our mark on Surry Hills and look forward to delivering a new calibre of workspace for Sydney and a new benchmark for commercial city fringe stock. This project will go further than just paying homage to its heritage, integrating the existing historic buildings into the landmark finished product that DKO and Aileen Sage have meticulously designed."