Rob Stokes, NSW's Planning Minister, has launched a national competition to create a new style of housing based on the terrace house. Zinc Terraces fit the bill.
NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes is calling for a revival of the terrace house, but is looking for ways to adapt the traditional design for contemporary, urban life.
Terrace houses in Australia were originally built in the 1830s for workers, but, from the 1970s, terrace suburbs, such as Paddington, Surry Hills, and Newtown, were gentrified and are now some of Sydney's hottest property.
Terrace-style, medium density housing suits urban lifestyle needs.
Zinc Terraces in Sydney's Beaconsfield are a nod to New York's brownstones, but designed for an Australian lifestyle.
Each terrace has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a top-level parents' retreat, an internal courtyard open to the sky, front and back gardens, a back garage, and high-end finishes and fittings. Another key feature is a room above the garage with a bathroom and kitchenette, which can be used as a home office, teenager's retreat, guest room, or could even be rented out as an extra source of income.
The six terraces meet the varied and complex demands of urban life. They are private, yet face onto the street for a connection with the neighbourhood. Their floorplan is flexible, and can be adapted to suit a range of lifestyles. Gardens at the front and back of the homes, and the internal courtyards, provide outdoor living spaces. Skylights and extensive use of glass create light-filled interiors. Generous wardrobes and storage spaces are integrated into the interiors.
Gustavo Thiermann of Ink Architects said, "We've taken the raw concept of a grand Victorian terrace and redesigned contemporary living spaces, integrating principles of sustainable design as a commitment to responsible living for the future. We've stacked three levels of living, sleeping, entertaining, and working zones to give residents the flexibility to seek out, and find, a variety of spaces. Each terrace capitalises on the site's ideal solar aspect, which has obvious environmental benefits in both summer and winter. They gain natural cross-flow ventilation, which reduces the need for artificial cooling during summer months. Heating is provided through a clean hydronic, in-slab heating system.'
Peter Shield, of Ray White Erskinville, said the terraces offer an alternative to the thousands of apartments going up around Green Square. Zinc Terraces are only 450m from Green Square railway station.
Zinc Terraces are being developed by CD Construction Group, and marketed by Ray White Erskineville.
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