Architect George’s Steel and Timber Veil Transforms a Dense Surry Hills Federation Home.

In Sydney’s densely packed Surry Hills, where every square metre counts and natural light is precious, emerging practice Architect George has delivered something pretty special. Their House in Surry Hills II project transforms an early 1900s Federation semi-detached building into a contemporary family home that feels remarkably generous despite its compact 90-square-metre site.

The young Sydney-based practice clearly understands both heritage sensibilities and modern family living. Here they’ve created a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home across three levels that totals just 135 square metres—roughly half the size of the average new Australian family home. Yet step inside, and the space feels anything but cramped.

Minimal Interventions for Maximum Effect: Apartment in Double Bay by Architect George.

Nestled within heritage-listed gardens in Sydney’s Double Bay, this late 70s, early 80s apartment for clients who have owned it since inception has retained much of its original character.

The transformation centred on one crucial brief from the young family of four: bringing light into their urban home. The original Federation structure, despite facing due north at the rear, suffered from poor natural light access. Architect George’s response was both bold and sensitive—they stripped away dilapidated rear additions and created an expansive connection to the north-facing garden through floor-to-ceiling glazing on both levels.

“We explored a quite expansive connection to the north facing garden, with floor to ceiling glazing on both levels,” explains the practice. “Along with this we created lightwells and opportunities for bringing light from above into many rooms of the home.”

A steel and timber ‘veil’ wraps around the new addition’s edges, offering urban privacy while managing natural light’s interplay throughout the day. The integration of courtyards and internal lightwells provides both illumination and air circulation, expanding the sense of space while maintaining that crucial indoor-outdoor connection.

The material palette reflects the clients’ desire for an “honest, architectural, and robust family home.” Architect George focused on a pared-back approach showcasing concrete, walnut timber, natural stone, and finely detailed steel elements. This minimalist philosophy extends to the furnishing choices, where carefully selected pieces enhance rather than overwhelm the spaces.

Perhaps most ingenious is the 600-millimetre-deep rear balcony, designed not for occupation but as a visual extension of the first-floor bedroom suite. This space houses garden planters for climbing vines, creating natural texture for the rear façade while providing sun protection for the sliding doors below.

Architect George’s approach demonstrates how good design can create spacious, light-filled family homes even on the most constrained urban sites. It’s the sort of work that suggests a very bright future for this promising practice.

This Architectural Gem in Sydney's Paddington Transforms the Street.

There’s an ease to this newly-built Paddington house that masks its economy. Single gestures generate multiple outcomes, nothing is wasted, and much is achieved with little.

[Images courtesy of Architect George. Photography by Hamish McIntosh.]