How Candalepas Associates designed The Surry apartments
When designing The Surry on Elizabeth Street in Surry Hills, architect Angelo Candalepas said he wanted to create a building which would offer something to the walking Sydneysider.
He wanted to create "an urban building that was made with humans in mind, a building that was able to offer a smile to people as they walked toward the city, and an even bigger smile to them as they walked away."
The Surry was completed in 2019 and is home to just 24 apartments that not only contribute significantly to the streetscape, but also exemplify the principles of environmentally sustainable design.
Working closely with Cadmium Property's Oscar and Camilla Done, Candalepas tackled challenges such as noise and sun exposure head-on, ensuring that the building not only shields its residents but also provides ample natural light and efficient ventilation.
The street-facing facades of The Surry form a rhythmic interplay of recesses and material junctions that create patterns of shadow and light. Concrete and glass blocks form the primary elements of the facade, while smaller elements like ceramic tiles, screens, aluminium framing, and glass were selected to humanise the appearance of the structure.
The striking Elizabeth Street facade, adorned with a glittering tapestry of turquoise and tangerine-coloured ceramic tiles, adds further depth to the architectural design of The Surry.
Ground-level retail spaces inject life onto the streetscape, creating a more dynamic and inviting environment, while internally, The Surry homes private sanctuaries and hidden oases, courtesy of internal courtyards and communal areas, providing social points within the building.