UTS | STUDIO 6 | FINAL SEMESTER

PROJECT STATEMENT:

Our project in Waterloo, Sydney, envisions a social condenser that seamlessly integrates with the urban fabric by honoring the area’s rich heritage and ensuring continuity in its evolution. Rooted in a deep respect for the historical context, our design draws inspiration from Waterloo’s industrial past and vibrant community spirit. We aim to preserve and celebrate the existing heritage elements, blending them with contemporary design solutions that address current social needs. By maintaining the architectural continuity, we connect the past with the present, creating spaces that are not only functional but also imbued with a sense of history and identity.

Our approach emphasizes adaptive reuse, where existing structures are reimagined to serve new purposes while retaining their historical significance. This continuity fosters a sense of belonging and memory, crucial for a rapidly transforming urban area like Waterloo. We aim to integrate heritage, history and the contemporary surroundings in our response to the site, this was examined through lifting the ground plane to roof level, looking at a new sub zero, gathering materiality and gaining insight and intel into existing roof profiles to introduce into out adaptive reuse of the space. The social condenser will act as a catalyst for community interaction, cultural exchange, and social equity, all while maintaining a dialogue between the old and the new. In doing so, our project will reinforce Waterloo’s identity, ensuring that its heritage is not only preserved but also evolves in a way that enriches the lives of its residents.