When designing an architects own home above their own workplace, Smart Design Studio thought of the industrial qualities of the surrounding precinct and how they could bring them into the design of the home of William Smart.
Twenty Hall is a boutique apartment and retail building located metres from Bondi Beach. Comprising ten generous apartments atop a corner retail tenancy, it’s a contemporary extension of the original Bondi Post Office. The design respectfully retains the original building fabric from the 1920s whilst sculpting new fenestrations that reference the existing architecture.
The corner position has an established angled geometry that the new building adopts with angled sandstone blades to filter views, protect glass from the hot summer sun and offer privacy.
Stokes 18 is a ‘big cousin’ and neighbour to our own studio, Stokes 14. It transitions from the lower scale of the adjoining heritage conservation area to the emerging city centre of Green Square City. In a similar way to our studio, Stokes 18 runs off the energy that it produces, which is estimated to be 1.3 times its annual consumption. To achieve this, 400 solar photo-voltaic panels are integrated into the facades and roof and are coupled with battery storage.
Concurrently, the building is designed to be very low energy in operation, which is achieved through energy-efficient fixtures and fittings, natural cross-ventilation, daylight harvesting and minimising AC.
Approval granted for a mixed use tower in Bondi Junction
Development Application has been approved for a 19-storey mixed use tower in Bondi Junction that combines striking design elements with environmental initiatives. The sculpted design is a response to maximising panoramic harbour views for the occupants and their neighbours.
The building is modulated by a scalloping of the façade. On the southern side, it splits into two slender parallel forms. Apart from enabling natural light and ventilation into the corridor, this articulates the tower on the narrow lane frontage.
2023 marks 25 years of Smart Design Studio. Since the inception of the studio, we have completed many projects and we are proud of them all. The scale and budgets may have varied, but our approach remains the same – architecture from the inside out. Thank you to all our clients, designers, consultants and the makers who have been part of this journey.
We’re proud to announce the formal endorsement of our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). We began work on our Reflect RAP in mid-2022 as a commitment to helping create a better future. The journey since then has been simultaneously rewarding and challenging.
We’re building our understanding of what best practice First Nations engagement looks like in project work at the same time as embracing a broader scope of personal and professional involvement in reconciliation. The dialogue and conversations we’ve started are bringing our studio team together and reshaping our practice.
A new structure for Smart Design Studio
We are thrilled to announce a broader structure at Smart Design Studio moving forwards. This is an exciting future-focused step that promotes the longevity of the practice. It recognises our talented and ambitious staff and their leadership qualities and provides a pathway for their professional growth.
Nestled within a refurbished inner-city laneway in Sydney’s Surry Hills, Beau and Dough is a refined and bespoke 200sqm hospitality venue spread across two separate ground floor tenancies for the Nomad Group. Beau, the rear tenancy, is a boutique 50 seat neighbourhood wine bar serving locally sourced produce and exceptional wines.
The front space Dough serves signature baked breads and accommodates the main purpose-built commercial kitchen.
Smart Design Studio has been awarded another Interior Architecture Award – this time at the 2023 NSW Architecture Awards for our Amara project.
Jury Citation:
“This proiect demonstrates architectural finesse in its reworking of an historic house with an elegant addition at the rear. The floor plan has been carefully rationalised and the interiors reflect a breath-taking design rigour. Amara is a beautifully calm residence where each element feels deliberate and purposeful.