LOCALSTUDIO

Stanmore, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Director

Completed in 2020, The Sydney Retreat is a not-for-profit residential facility for recovery from alcohol and drug dependency. Founded by a group of professionals with lived experience and deep understanding of addiction, the Retreat offers a non-clinical, mutual-help approach to recovery — fostering community, education, and reflection in a supportive environment.

The project occupies one of four heritage-listed Victorian villas dating from the 1880s, along with a former workshop structure at the rear. The design sought to preserve and restore the original house, maintaining its gracious front rooms and adapting the altered rear wing with sensitivity and restraint. Later, unsympathetic additions were removed to reveal the building’s character and create opportunities for connection and light.

The existing masonry shell of the workshop was retained, and a contemporary two-storey addition was introduced within its footprint — distinct in form and material, yet respectful in scale and setting. Together, the heritage villa and new building frame a north-facing courtyard that serves as the social and spatial heart of the Retreat.

The result is a layered composition of old and new — a place of calm and dignity where architecture supports recovery through light, openness, and shared experience.

Stanmore, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Director

BTB Architecture Studio engaged to design alterations and additions to an existing semi-detached dwelling in Stanmore.

The project reworks the ground floor to create a new kitchen and laundry, and includes bathroom renovations and an extension to the existing dormer window. The design opens the interior to light and garden views, improving spatial flow and natural ventilation while retaining the character of the original dwelling.

For a professional couple and extended family, the home is carefully adapted to support contemporary family life — balancing practicality with warmth, and renewal with continuity.

Marrickville, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Director

BTB Architecture Studio was engaged by Inner West Council to prepare a Concept Design for the upgrade of the Herb Greedy Community Hall in Marrickville. Centrally located on Petersham Road, the Hall is a valued community asset and gathering place. The proposed works include upgrades to the existing amenities and kitchen, a new unisex accessible toilet, improved storage facilities, and an accessible entry. The project aims to enhance functionality, accessibility, and community use while preserving the Hall’s enduring character and civic significance.

Leichhardt, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Director

BTB Architecture Studio was engaged by Inner West Council to upgrade a 1970s amenities building at Leichhardt Oval — a familiar landmark that has long served the local community. Recognising the value in retaining and reimagining the existing structure, Council commissioned BTB to prepare a Concept Design in late 2018, followed by Developed Design, Tender Documentation and Construction Drawings.

The project delivers 26 female toilet cubicles with associated handwashing facilities, bringing new life and amenity to a building of its time. The design celebrates the simplicity and character of the original, while providing a contemporary and inclusive facility that meets the needs of today’s patrons.

St Peters, NSW

Completed in 2018, this project reimagines a compact inner-city home for a growing family of four. A new kitchen and dining space opens to a sunlit courtyard, creating a fluid connection between inside and out — a place for gathering, cooking, and pause. At the rear, a small studio provides quiet workspace for two, supporting family life and work in close proximity.

Working within modest means, the design celebrates simplicity, material honesty, and careful use of space. Light, proportion, and connection guide every decision — making the most of the existing home and its urban setting.

Housing | Lake Cargelligo, NSW

Local Studio collaborated with the NSW Government Architect’s Office to design adaptable housing for the NSW Teacher Housing Authority in Lake Cargelligo, NSW. Conceived with flexibility and community in mind, the two adjoining dwellings can transform to meet changing needs — functioning as two two-bedroom homes, or as one three-bedroom and one one-bedroom home. The design offers a responsive and sustainable model for regional housing, shaped with care for place and purpose.

Petersham, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Director

Completed in 2020, this project involved the upgrade of the historic Petersham Park Grandstand for Inner West Council. BTB Architecture Studio was engaged to amend and coordinate tender documentation and to provide partial contract administration services.

Originally designed by Welsh + Major Architects, the project required substantial amendments to respond to stakeholder-driven changes. The works included upgrades to the clubhouse, change rooms, grandstand seating, and improvements to accessibility and BCA compliance, ensuring the facility continues to serve the community into the future.

Ivanhoe, NSW

Local Studio was engaged to prepare Development Application and Tender Documentation for the Ivanhoe HealthOne Redevelopment, working in close collaboration with the NSW Government Architect’s Office. The project brings together a range of community health services within a single, accessible facility, designed to support integrated care and strengthen connections between patients, practitioners, and the wider community. Thoughtfully detailed and purpose-driven, the design reflects a commitment to functionality, wellbeing, and place.

Dover Heights, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Director

BTB Architecture Studio was engaged to design a contemporary dual occupancy in Dover Heights, replacing an existing dwelling with two thoughtfully composed homes for intergenerational living.

Positioned on a steeply sloping site overlooking Rose Bay Secondary College, the design steps with the natural terrain, creating a sculpted built form of three levels above a basement garage. Curved facades, recessed terraces and layered materials soften the building’s mass, creating a refined rhythm within the streetscape.

Each residence enjoys generous natural light, cross ventilation and private outdoor spaces, carefully arranged to capture coastal breezes and long views. A restrained material palette of brick, concrete and metal grounds the architecture in its coastal setting, while integrated planting brings texture and softness to the façade.

The result is a calm, contemporary addition to Dover Heights — an example of thoughtful density that balances family life, longevity and a strong connection to place.

Camperdown, NSW

Local Studio was engaged to prepare Development Application and Tender Documentation for the Camperdown Park Amenities Building, part of broader park upgrade works completed in 2016. Working in collaboration with the NSW Government Architect’s Office, the project aimed to provide a functional, robust, and welcoming public facility that complements the park’s landscape and enhances the visitor experience. Thoughtfully detailed and contextually responsive, the design supports community use while contributing to the park’s enduring character.

Canberra, ACT

Local Studio was engaged to design alterations and additions to an existing townhouse in Canberra. The proposal introduces a series of single-storey pavilions that open to the garden, making the most of a generous backyard and enhancing light, connection, and flexibility within the home.

Leichhardt, NSW

BTB Architecture Studio Project — Jason Border, Project Architect

Local Studio was engaged to design alterations and additions to an existing home in Leichhardt. The project explores ideas of compact living, sustainability, and economy within the constraints of a tight corner site, creating a modest yet refined dwelling shaped by light, materiality, and purpose.