The affordable housing project at Mary Ann Street, in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Ultimo, is a unique public housing project that combines contemporary architectural design with heritage conservation and ecologically sustainable design (ESD) principles. The project represents the first attempt to combine each of these elements in Sydney’s public housing program.

The development consists of a range of existing heritage buildings, a stonemason’s cottage and six nineteenth-century terrace houses, with twelve new residential units built behind them. Conservation works to the old houses (in collaboration with Design 5 Architects) was combined with the insertion of new stairs to meet current building codes, new bathrooms, kitchens, laundries and services.

The ESD principles embraced in the project are:

• Collection of rainwater in large tanks to water gardens and wash cars and bikes
• Provision of maximum solar access to all units in winter
• Use of solar-boosted heat pump water heaters based on the principle of reverse refrigeration
• Provision of natural ventilation
• Use of low-energy lamps throughout
• Provision of clothes drying balconies for bedrooms
• Use of glass louvers to trap sun in winter and minimise heat loss on winter nights

Date	1995
Client	City West Affordable Housing
Cost	A$2.4 million
Cottage	1
Terraces	6
Units	12

1995	Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA), NSW Merit Award for Multiple Housing

1995	Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA), NSW Merit Award for Multiple Housing

1994	The Architecture Show Magazine (TAS), Unbuilt Home Design of the Year

1994	The Architecture Show Magazine (TAS), Unbuilt Home Design of the Year

1994	The Architecture Show Magazine (TAS), Green Home Merit Design Award

1994	The Architecture Show Magazine (TAS), Green Home Merit Design Award