The disused Summer Hill Flour Mill site located in inner west Sydney is undergoing a restoration that will not only result in modern apartments, but also promote community activity by linking it with surrounding neighbourhoods, public transport and bike paths.
The $120-million EG Funds Management development program will feature 380 modern apartments and terraces, a small retail precinct, commercial studio spaces, and public parks and gardens on the 2.5 hectare site. International design practice HASSELL will oversee the architecture, interior design, urban design and landscape architecture for the project.
The historic mills were last operated in early 1900s. The ongoing redevelopment will turn these now-obsolete structures into contemporary homes close to the Sydney CBD. Considering these old mill buildings are usually much higher than the surrounding buildings, they offer designers a chance to construct taller blocks than are usually permitted, which in turn is a attraction for many potential buyers.
The project supports environmental sustainability, with photovoltaic panels, shading screens and natural ventilation reducing energy consumption throughout the precinct, and the collection and reuse of rainwater – minimising water use.
The project will give a new life to the heritage industrial site, while retaining and reusing the concrete silos and other significant heritage buildings, along with an existing avenue of Brush Box trees. A third of the site has been reserved for publicly accessible open space, parks and gardens for both residents and the wider public, including:
- A public square at the heart of the precinct, framed by heritage buildings.
- A significant new park with picnic benches, shelters and barbeque facilities.
- Interconnected walking and bike paths, including connections to Hawthorne Canal.
The Flour Mill of Summer Hill project will be delivered in two phases: the first consists of 127 premium studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, and three- and four-bedroom terraces. Construction of stages one and two is due to begin in the first quarter of 2015.
