In Sydney’s Glebe, works have been newly completed on a social housing project inspired by the historic architecture of the site’s surroundings, with two buildings employing a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure.
The project was designed by Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW) for Homes NSW and the King’s Trust, with Kane Constructions as the design/build contractor and Group GSA the delivery architect.
JPW’s design, which was first unveiled in 2020 and submitted for planning approval in 2021, includes two eight-storey CLT apartment buildings – with red-brick cladding and metal-framed windows nod to the language of nearby woolstore buildings – and a row of three-storey townhouses that adopt the language of adjacent rendered terrace houses.
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Situated opposite MJ Doherty Reserve, the development spans two sites owned by Homes NSW, 17–31 Cowper Street and 2A–2D Wentworth Park Road, which previously accommodated 19 social housing dwellings. The newly built design delivers a near-300 percent uplift on this figure, providing 75 social homes across 70 apartments and five terraces.
A media release from JPW states that “the design is based on the strong belief that housing outcomes can be immensely improved by creating well planned, sustainable and enduring places where passive building design principles come first to maximise long term flexibility and minimise energy use.”
According to the firm’s communique, the project exceeds performance design standards for daylight, cross ventilation, accessibility and amenity, and is the first fully-electric project of its kind to have been designed to deliver a 6-star Green Star rating. Sustainability initiatives across the development include rooftop gardens, solar power, on-site bike parking and extensive landscaping.
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“Cowper Street Housing is a showcase of traditional architectural approaches where the values of making and crafting our built environment are measured alongside cost and efficiency,” said JPW project director Graeme Dix.
“Several years in delivery, the project anticipated the growing need for density done well … [The development’s] strong focus on amenity, liveability and sustainability demonstrates that density, even in some of the most densely populated suburbs of Sydney, can be done well,” he said.
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CEO of Homes NSW Rebecca Pinkstone commented, “Cowper Street shows how good design can help deliver more homes in established communities without losing what makes those places work.”
“The project has been carefully designed to respond to the character of Glebe while improving the quality, accessibility and amenity of social housing for residents,” she said. “By combining thoughtful design with sustainable construction, we’re delivering homes that are built to last and support strong, connected communities.”
The project is expected to welcome residents in April 2026.