Bundarra - 479 South Dowling Street, Surry Hills

Architect Smart Design Studio/ Those Architects
Location Surry Hills
Services
- Civil
- Structural
Sectors
- Commercial & Fitout (inc retail)
End Client Milligan Northern Investments
Value $16 Million

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Partnership

Bundarra is the result of a long-standing and trusted collaboration between Northrop and Smart Design Studio, working alongside Milligan Northern Investments as the end client. Building on a shared history across highly design-led and technically ambitious projects, including Indigo Slam and 12-14 Stokes Avenue, the team brought a strong foundation of mutual understanding to a complex inner-city site.

Project

Located on a prominent corner at the intersection of South Dowling Street and Fitzroy Street in Surry Hills, Bundarra is a contemporary commercial office development that reimagines a heritage Victorian terrace through adaptive reuse and a striking new-build extension.

Designed by Smart Design Studio in collaboration with Those Architects, the project combines restoration and innovation to create a landmark workplace and the headquarters for creative agency Howatson+Company. The development integrates the original 1860s terrace with a multi-storey glass and zinc addition, distinguished by angled fins that respond to solar exposure while maximising natural light.

Delivery

The delivery of Bundarra presented a range of significant technical and logistical challenges driven by its heritage context and highly constrained urban site.

A key complexity was the integration and preservation of the 1860s heritage terrace, which shared a party wall with the adjacent neighbour, requiring careful structural coordination and protection of existing fabric throughout construction.

The site itself was extremely constrained, bordered by South Dowling Street (a major RMS arterial road) to the west, Fitzroy Street (a one-way street) to the south, and an easement running along the northern boundary, creating significant challenges for access, staging, and materials handling.

To address these constraints, the project team implemented pre-formed AFS wall systems along the boundary, improving efficiency and reducing on-site construction risk in tight conditions. The loading dock was strategically utilised as a materials handling and staging area, enabling better control of deliveries and reducing disruption within the constrained streetscape. Throughout construction, Northrop worked closely with Milligan Northern Investments and Smart Design Studio to continually adapt sequencing and coordination strategies.

The project also featured a highly complex façade system, delivered in collaboration with façade engineer Prism Facades, including a double-curved glass façade that required detailed coordination between structural and façade design disciplines.

Given the interface with existing heritage structures and unknown existing conditions, the Northrop team maintained a strong on-site presence, supporting the contractor through construction and responding to unexpected “unknowns” as they emerged during demolition and early works stages.

Impact

Bundarra has become a distinctive presence at a key gateway to Surry Hills, sitting confidently at the intersection of heritage and contemporary commercial development. By carefully adapting a Victorian terrace and pairing it with a bold new addition, the project demonstrates how older fabric can be retained and reactivated within a high-density urban context.

Rather than standing apart from its context, Bundarra strengthens it, contributing to the ongoing evolution of Surry Hills as a hub for design-led and creative industries.