On Wangal Country, a former industrial site is becoming a place for people again. As one of the first major projects in the Kings Bay Precinct, it will reconnect a once-industrial site in Sydney’s inner west to the city, with 117 apartments including 15% affordable housing.

We started with Country. The site carries many layers, from its deep cultural significance to its more recent industrial life. Our aim was to reconnect these stories, designing a future that acknowledges the past while making space for a community to thrive.

We held onto the memory of what came before. Brick and timber from the old workshops are salvaged and reused, shaping new structures that still carry the weight of the site’s history. Rhythmic facades reference the industrial sheds that once lined the harbour’s edge.

At the same time, the landscape begins to heal. Native grasses and trees return to the ground, drawing birdlife back to the foreshore. Water-sensitive design guides rain into planted swales and wetlands, turning infrastructure into habitat.

At street level, it’s all about people. Shaded paths, active frontages, and public gathering spaces encourage movement and connection. Small-scale places to meet, sit, and walk make the precinct feel open and welcoming, a clear shift from the site’s industrial heritage to a neighbourhood designed for community.