Integrating Heritage Context and Modern Design: New Retail Development at Parramatta Road and Fredrick Street:
At Peak Architects we’re excited to have been engaged to for the design of 2 commercial buildings at the prominent junction of Parramatta Road and Fredrick Street. The most predominant of the 2 sites will be a three-storey retail development featuring an integrated 42m² LED advertising screen.
The large advertising screen was an essential requirement of the client brief. The challenge of this project was to design a modern building with the integrated screen that would also be the gateway to the conservation area backdrop (along Fredrick Street).
The ground floor's brick facade aligns with the area's conservation context, respectfully acknowledging the historical nature of this gateway location. This material choice aids in blending the new structure with the surrounding built environment.
To address the adjacent two-storey retail shops, the third floor is set back, establishing a visual transition that maintains the streetscape's existing character. This subtle adjustment mitigates the potential visual impact of the additional height, ensuring the new development harmonizes with its lower-rise neighbours.
The design is a considered response to the challenge of embedding contemporary elements within a heritage-sensitive environment, balancing modern requirements with historical preservation.
This is one of two site that Peak Architects will be designing – 164 Fredrick Street, a warehouse has been designed as a more subdued backdrop to 502 Parramatta Rd.
