No. 1 Lacey

A heritage warehouse reborn in the residential typology.

BLP were engaged by Cornerstone with BKH to convert the five-storey heritage former 1912 Globite school-case factory and warehouse building into 38 over-sized warehouse apartments and seven terrace penthouses, fully restoring and adapting the space with retail and commercial spaces at its base.

The development retains its exposed brickwork, oversized timber arched windows, heavy timber beams and sturdy columns remain in homage to industrial origins.

With an extremely large floorplate, the building didn’t easily lend itself to the residential typology. However, through inventive planning around an extravagantly landscaped internal courtyard, the result is generously sized north-facing apartments and hotel-like corridors.

The north-east facing large timber windows provide an abundance of natural light, while the demolition of the old extension creates floor space on the roof as a glass box to take the most advantage of the light and views of the site. A multi-storey open-air atrium runs up through No. 1 Lacey from a planted garden on the ground floor, enlivened by contemporary art that reflects the building’s past uses as the Globite school case warehouse.

Each apartment is designed to evoke the grandeur and aesthetic of a Parisian loft apartment, while staying true to the heritage elements and craftsmanship exhibited in the original architecture through the preservation of the raw brickwork of the inner and outer walls, vast timber windows, dramatic high ceilings and striking wooden columns and beams.

Location – Surry Hills, NSW
Client – Cornerstone Property Group
Completed – 2017, with BKH

Gallery
Awards
  • Winner, 2018 Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW), President’s Award
  • Winner, 2018 Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW), Urban Renewal/Adaptive Reuse
  • Winner, 2018 Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW), Medium-Density Development Below 100 Dwellings
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