An architect turns a forgotten Sydney terrace into a sculptural home shaped by light, material and a bold reworking of its Victorian foundations. Located in Darlinghurst, Surrey House by Smart Design Studio transforms a Victorian terrace dating to the late 1890s, retaining a sense of its original character while introducing an expressive contemporary interior. Led by William Smart, the heritage renovation centres on qualities of light and the way they animate each space throughout the day.
Rather than approaching the alterations and additions as a conventional exercise in functionality, Smart Design Studio sought to make every room feel striking. A significant intervention occurs at the rear of the terrace house, where an existing floor was removed and raised to resolve the low ceiling of the lowest level. The resulting double-height volume gives the interior a heightened sense of scale, while a sculptural spiral staircase connects the home’s multiple levels.
As the architect turns a forgotten Sydney terrace into a sequence of distinctive spaces, a recurring quatrefoil motif brings cohesion to the architecture. The form appears throughout the house and extends into the courtyard, where four large circles establish the geometry of the landscape. Six tropical birch trees will eventually arch over the garden, creating a private, green retreat within dense inner-city Darlinghurst.
The experience of moving through the Victorian terrace is defined by a deliberate contrast between old and new. Traditional cornices, architraves and panelled doors remain part of the arrival before the interior opens towards the spiral staircase and double-height living space. A five-metre-high curved glass sliding door framed in stainless steel then draws the living areas towards the courtyard. Through these carefully orchestrated moments, the architect turns a forgotten Sydney terrace into a home that feels both intimate and expansive.
Light is central to the brick architecture and interiors. Rather than exposing every source, light is bounced around curved surfaces, creating shifts between shadow, reflected illumination and subtly changing tones. This approach allows the occupants to experience natural light without compromising the seclusion required of inner-city living.
A restrained material palette further amplifies these effects. Beeswax-finished hard-set render gives walls and ceilings a soft, milky imperfection, while poured terrazzo grounds the lower levels. Narrow oak boards define the upper floors, marble is carved and laid in vertical formats throughout the bathrooms, and scuffed stainless steel introduces a deliberately textured finish to the kitchen and wine cellar. Flush ZETR electrical outlets and switches are integrated into the architecture.
After approximately five years of design, planning and construction, the architect turns a forgotten Sydney terrace into an assured study of light, form and material. Rather than allowing the constraints of a heritage renovation to determine the outcome, William Smart uses them to establish moments of contrast and surprise. The result demonstrates how thoughtful alterations can give a home an entirely new identity. Ultimately, the architect turns a forgotten Sydney terrace into a living sculpture – one where changing light continuously reshapes the experience of the architecture.
0:00 – Introduction To Surrey House By Smart Design Studio
1:09 – Designing A Striking Victorian Terrace
2:22 – A Sculptural Journey Through The House
5:21 – A Subdued Palette Of Enduring Materials
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Photography by Romello Pereira.
Architecture by Smart Design Studio.
Interior design by Smart Design Studio.
Build by AJ Bristow & Sons.
Styling by Alexandra Gordon.
Landscape design by Dangar Barin Smith.
Bricks by Krause Bricks.
Electrical outlets and switches by ZETR.
Filmed and edited by The Local Production.
Production by The Local Production.
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land in Australia. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
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