The Inner West of Sydney is a thriving and eclectic area, known for its mix of historic charm and contemporary urban renewal. Encompassing suburbs such as Balmain, Birchgrove, Leichhardt, Ashfield, Marrickville, Newtown, and Earlwood, the area is celebrated for its strong community culture, vibrant café scene, and deep-rooted architectural heritage. The Inner West has long been a sought-after location, offering a balance of city convenience and village-like pockets, where heritage-listed streetscapes blend with modern, architect-designed homes. With a diverse mix of cultures and lifestyles, the Inner West continues to evolve, embracing both its historic past and future growth.

The topography of the Inner West is highly varied, ranging from more conventional, level suburbs, to peninsulas with sloping blocks and proximity to water, and repurposed industrial areas. Suburbs such as Birchgrove and Balmain, located on a single peninsula, are surrounded by water and enjoy extensive water views and close relationship to the harbour. Others like Dulwich Hill and Earlwood, positioned near the Cooks River, are known for their undulating terrain, requiring innovative architectural responses to maximise views. Our Strata House in Earlwood, was specifically designed to negotiate a level drop across one such site, ensuring the new dwelling responded to and maximised the distinct topography, with primary accommodation elevated to capture stunning views across the surrounding green, suburban context. In contrast, areas like Leichhardt and Petersham feature flatter, grid-like layouts with a dense concentration of Victorian and Federation-era homes.

In recent years, a wave of contemporary architecture has also emerged in post-industrial suburbs such as Marrickville and Camperdown, where old warehouses and industrial buildings have been transformed into stylish, contemporary residences. These new designs often incorporate exposed brick, steel, and concrete, paying homage to the area’s industrial past while embracing modern aesthetics, with many featuring open-plan layouts, generous, over-sized ceiling heights and floor-to-ceiling glazing. By their very nature, being adaptive reuse, they represent an environmentally conscious approach to development. Our Montessori Belfield, also located in the Inner West, adopted a similar approach, as we successfully transformed a former 1970’s RSL Club, into a Childcare centre for 90 children, on a tight urban site. Such projects, which repurpose buildings rather than demolish them, positively contribute to the sustainable transformation of the Inner West.

The historical significance of Inner West architecture is a defining feature of the area. As one of Sydney’s earliest settled regions, the Inner West is home to a range of period homes dating back to the Georgian, Victorian, Federation, and Edwardian eras. Suburbs like Newtown and Glebe are lined with classic Victorian terrace houses. Originally built to accommodate Sydney’s growing working-class population in the 19th century, with their iconic iron lacework balconies and narrow frontages, they maintain a sense of old-world charm. Many, including terraces that we have secured Development Approval on in Birchgrove, Stanmore and Annandale, have been innovatively adapted and improved for modern life. Balmain and Annandale also showcase an impressive collection of sandstone cottages and worker’s terraces, many of which have been lovingly restored to retain their original character. Further afield, Haberfield is renowned as one of Australia’s best-preserved Federation garden suburbs, with Federation homes featuring ornate brickwork, decorative timber gables, and leadlight windows. Strict heritage controls ensure that new developments remain in keeping with the suburb’s early 20th-century charm. Moving into the mid-20th century, Californian bungalows became popular in areas like Earlwood and Croydon, offering wide verandahs, timber detailing, and spacious gardens—ideal for families.

With our office being located in Leichhardt, in the heart of the Inner West, we have been privileged to play a role in the area's ongoing development and enjoy the challenges posed by its varied urban context. A context which is well suited to our approach of assessing each site on its own merit and developing bespoke designs, tailored to a specific context and client brief.

If you’d like to discuss a potential project in the Inner West, please reach out to us at mail@phplusarchitects.com.au we’d love to chat.