168 Oxford Street, Paddington

Winner - Category B2 Conservation areas – New or infill

Category: B2 Conservation areas: New or infill development
Architect: Humphrey & Edwards
Heritage consultant: N/A
Builder: Infinity Pty Ltd

Design statement

The original site consisted of four shabby Victorian two-storey shops and a vacant allotment on the corner used for parking. The shopfronts had been bricked up and the building used for many years as a Pathology Laboratory.

The architectural aim was to build a new infill building on the corner and restore the shops to their original configuration.

The infill was designed to respect the Conservation Zone of Paddington and the Victorian character of the street without resorting to 'facadism' and reproducing faux-Victorian architecture.

The building was conceived as a predominantly sandstone masonry one, with vertical slot glazing to reflect the glazing characteristics of the vicinity. Sandstone was chosen both for its mellow aging qualities and to relate to the strong sandstone character of Victoria Barracks opposite and the adjoining terraces.

The large Plane tree in front of the building was protected and preserved in deference to the continuous plane tree planting along the length of Oxford Street. Preservation of the tree meant that no awning was built on the new building, but this assisted in the architectural integrity and proportion as the building turns into the side street.

The completion of the building has restored the symmetry of the street block and added to the harmonious completeness of an important retail street in Sydney.