Winning design for Sydney's Erskineville Village revealed

Bates Smart has been announced as the winner of the City of Sydney Council's Design Excellence Competition for Buildings F and I of the Erskineville Village project.

Buildings F and I form part of a wider proposal for a mixed-use precinct at a former industrial site at 155 Mitchell Road, Erskineville. The overarching vision for the project is to supply 1,000 build-to-rent residences, retail and dining offerings, and a 7,500-square-metre park known as McPherson Park. A 20-metre-wide pedestrian trail called the Kooka Walk will weave throughout the precinct.

Buildings F and I will house 360 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with balconies, an outdoor cinema and bar, a yoga studio, a swimming pool, a sauna, workspaces, and landscaped outdoor areas with barbeque and cooking amenities for communal use.

Bates Smart was announced the winner by the project developer, Coronation Property, following a design excellence panel and detailed evaluation process.

Bates Smart director Matthew Allen said that the practice approached the competition by creating contextually responsive buildings that reflect the local landscape and heritage.

"Our aim is to craft a contextually responsive collection of buildings that weave together interpretations of country, industrial heritage and established built character," Allen said. "In this urban setting, we have embraced solidity, with embossed precast concrete panels used as a civic canvas to tell stories of Country. Colour has been used carefully, with masonry tones recalling colours of the Indigenous landscape. The angled geometry of the building forms is interpreted in finer-scale details such as balconies and sun shading."

Joseph Nahas, Coronation Property's managing director, said the development marks the company's first collaboration with Bates Smart.

"We are thrilled to partner with Bates Smart on their winning design, which captures the essence of Erskineville, while transforming it into a contemporary, inviting space for living, shopping, working, socializing, or simply enjoying the surroundings," Nahas said.

"It's rare to find a development of this size that offers an opportunity to balance high-end, design-led BTR residences with retail, green space, and culture all in one location. We are particularly pleased that the appointed team, renowned and award-winning, comprises local Australian architects who bring a deep understanding and passion for our neighbourhoods.

"As we move forward with the Erskineville Village project, our goal is to rejuvenate this site into a dynamic destination that will not only enhance the lives of its residents and visitors but also contribute positively to the wider community. This comes at a critical time, as we strive to provide affordable rental solutions in the midst of Sydney's intensifying housing crisis."

In addition to Bates Smart's appointment, Architecture And (formerly Andrew Burns Architecture) has been engaged for Building D and Silvester Fuller for Building E. There is also a design competition underway for Buildings G and H, with an announcement of the winning firm expected shortly.

The build-to-rent residences will be managed by Coronation's new subsidiary, Nation.

The entire Erskineville precinct is slated for completion by 2026.