Heritage Home Design in Concord. Another Approval to Start the Year Strong!
- albinavanjour
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Following our success at the 2025 National Design Awards in Queensland, where we were fortunate to take out a win in the Heritage category, we were also quietly working through another heritage application for a heritage-listed home in Concord. This project had been progressing steadily throughout 2025, largely behind the scenes.
While the award win was a great milestone for our practice as a building designer based in Sydney, it also brought a bit of added pressure. Expectations were higher, and we were keen to make sure this heritage project reflected the same level of care and attention we bring to all of our heritage home building design across Sydney and NSW.
What made this approval particularly meaningful was the fact that it marked the third home in the same street where we’ve been asked to design a substantial rear addition to a heritage-listed property. That kind of repeat work doesn’t happen by chance. It reflects a level of trust built over time with homeowners, neighbours, and council, and a clear understanding of how heritage extensions in Concord need to be approached.
See the other two projects of the same street here:
Approval of Heritage Home Design in Concord That Took Time and Care
Heritage approvals are rarely quick or straightforward, especially in established Inner West suburbs like Concord. Each application requires careful consideration of the existing home, the streetscape, and the broader heritage controls that apply.
So when we received confirmation late last week that the application had been approved, it was a genuine relief. Homes like this are often 100–150 years old, and working on them comes with a real sense of responsibility. As a residential building designer in NSW, getting the balance right between preservation and modern living , is something we take seriously.
The Team Behind a Successful Heritage Extension
Projects like this are always a team effort. Behind every approval is a group of experienced consultants working through the technical and planning details to satisfy council requirements.
A big thank you to the consultants involved on this project:
Engineering Studio - stormwater engineering
Blues Brother Arborist - arborist advice and reporting
PMA Heritage - heritage consulting
Their input played a key role in delivering a well-resolved proposal that supports both the existing home and the new addition.
Designing Heritage Homes for Modern Living
Heritage work is challenging and rightly so. Councils have an important role in protecting homes that form part of Sydney’s architectural history.
Designing successful heritage renovations in Sydney requires patience, experience, and a good understanding of how heritage controls are applied in practice.
At the same time, these homes still need to function for modern family life. Our role as a heritage building designer working across Sydney is to introduce thoughtful rear additions that improve layout, light, and livability, without taking away from the character that made the home special in the first place.
A Positive Start to the Year
Receiving this approval is a solid way to kick off the year and a good reminder of why we enjoy working in the heritage space. Projects like this take time, but when handled carefully, they deliver long-term value for both homeowners and the wider streetscape.
Another award winning heritage project designed by Distinct Innovations in the same suburb Concord NSW, recently sold and set a sales record in the area. See that project here:
More to come as this heritage extension project in Concord moves into the next stage.
If you have a heritage property and would like to discuss what we could achieve for you contact us today!
