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Conceived as “gentle backdrops to life”, SJB & Coronation Property’s latest multi-residential project comprises 59 terrace houses in the heritage-listed suburb of Ashbury, Sydney.

“I hope our cities will benefit from people seeing better apartment buildings and demanding this from developers,” Australian architect Polly Harbison told est in a recent interview. She proceeded to honour Melbourne and Sydney-based design studio SJB for leading this type of contribution to the multi-residential design landscape. The firm’s latest project in the space materialises as a collection of terrace houses in the charming neighbourhood of Ashbury, a stone’s throw from Sydney’s CBD. The client, Coronation Property, is a longstanding partner of SJB and, like them, a firm believer in designing for the future.

Despite their proximity to the city, Ashbury Terraces borrow much of their interior make-up from the natural world, with a material palette inspired by native Australian flora. For example, Calacatta Viola stone references the pink and beige flowers of the nearby gardens, while Cararra marble references the grey bark of the Paperbark trees. A selection of warm timbers were chosen to support these ‘hero’ materials and create a sense of being in nature while enjoying the perks of city living.

Externally, brickwork pays homage to not only Ashbury’s reserve of heritage-listed houses but also the history of the site itself. “The site actually used to be a brick quarry many years back, so we wanted to convey this through materiality, scale and form,” SJB senior associate Victoria reveals.

Ashbury Terraces channel the essence of inner-city living in the 21st century, offering a home’s individuality and an apartment’s amenity. More broadly, SJB has considered the project’s contribution to the city’s history and future – for all to benefit.

Words by Holly Beadle – Design by SJB & Coronation Property – Photography by Anson Smart.

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