Why Adaptive Reuse is Re-Shaping Sydney’s Inner City

Building where the city already works

Adaptive reuse allows density to be introduced in locations that are already well-connected and well-serviced. Projects like Apt.Broadway build on established infrastructure, supporting more efficient patterns of urban living without the need for outward expansion.

An excellent location a block from the Broadway Shopping Centre and within walking distance of Central Station and two major universities, the under-occupied 100-year-old, 8-storey, office building was a perfect opportunity for conversion into a building for urban community living. This was possible by using the Co-Living provision of the Housing State Environmental Policy (SEPP).

The Apt.Broadway project transformed a vacant commercial building in Smail Street, Ultimo, into a co-living residential development of 150 units with integrated retail and workspaces.  Key heritage elements, including the building’s historic brick façade and wooden columns, have been restored. The building’s transformation includes a rooftop communal space and, internally, a landscaped atrium which is visible from all residential levels.

The ground floor retail activation is especially important in creating urbanism in this location. Retail, dining and flexible workspaces encourage engagement of pedestrians and the local community.  A new glazed street frontage transforms the ground plane, activating the lobby and retail spaces while creating a stronger visual connection between the building and the public domain. New awnings enhance pedestrian amenity through shade and weather protection, contributing to a more welcoming and active streetscape.

A different kind of growth

In many cases, the impacts of development – disturbance of land, built form and patterns of movement – have already been absorbed over time. Reworking these buildings introduces new uses without fundamentally altering the surrounding urban fabric. It offers a more balanced way to increase density within established neighbourhoods, while maintaining continuity and activity at street level.

Responding to changing uses

As cities evolve, buildings become part of a layered urban fabric, shaped by changing demographics and patterns of use. Structures originally designed for industrial or commercial purposes can become less suited to contemporary needs. Apt.Broadway responds to this shift through a change of use, adapting an existing building to support a co-living model that integrates residential, social and shared spaces.

This approach is not limited to housing. At Reddam House North Shore, 41 McLaren Street, North Sydney, AJC transformed a 1970’s deteriorating office building, originally designed by Harry Seidler, into a vertical K–12 campus.

It demonstrates how existing structures can be adapted to support entirely new uses within dense urban areas. The original innovative design approach positioned the building well for this adaptive re-use, supported by demographic shifts in the local area. The adaptive design retained Seidler’s original column grid and glazing strategy, with classrooms positioned along the east and west facades and shared spaces extending onto north-facing terraces.

From architecture to urban strategy

Adaptive reuse is often framed in terms of sustainability or heritage, but its influence on how cities grow is equally significant. The question is no longer simply whether we build, but how we can extract more value from what already exists.

As Sydney responds to increasing density and housing demand, projects like Apt.Broadway signal a necessary shift, one that leverages the capacity of the existing city to accommodate change.

Adaptive re-use is no longer just an alternative, but an urban and architectural design imperative.