Mulpha’s Lacebark apartment building in Norwest has won the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) NSW Award for Excellence in Residential Architecture, Multiple Housing, recognising a project that reimagines conventional apartment design through climate-responsive planning and a fresh take on the public realm.
Positioned as a gateway building to Norwest Quarter, a new precinct in Sydney’s Hills Shire, Lacebark is one of nine buildings forming part of an ambitious residential masterplan.
The plan will see more than 3.8 hectares of greenfield land transformed into a carbon-neutral hub for over 2,000 residents.
Designed by Smart Design Studio, Lacebark takes inspiration from the site’s history as a brick manufacturing plant.
The building comprises two slender volumes divided by a naturally lit and ventilated central corridor, which brings daylight and cross-ventilation into all common areas.
At the northern end, circular brick drums reduce the building’s visual bulk while giving it a distinctive architectural identity.
The original masterplan called for a building with its main façades facing east and west.
While this arrangement maximises outlook and amenity for residents, it also creates challenges around managing solar heat gain in summer.
To solve this, the design team carried out a detailed study of solar angles, which shaped the building’s form and struck a balance between environmental performance and resident comfort.
Angled solid walls paired with precisely positioned glazing allow winter sunlight to reach deep into living spaces while shielding interiors from harsh summer sun.
The building’s tower form features bold, angled brick blades that rise vertically along the façades, establishing a strong architectural rhythm that balances sunlight, views and privacy.
These blades converge at the top of the building in a series of interconnected concave roof forms, creating a striking silhouette against the skyline.
Generous balconies with solid brick balustrades add to the building’s sculptural quality.
Their concave profiles offer valuable outdoor space while reinforcing the building’s crafted character. Recessed glazing and a base finished in red porphyry stone bring warmth, texture and a sense of permanence to the street level.
Inside, the architecture draws on the site’s history as a clay brick quarry.
Natural materials feature throughout, particularly in the joinery, complementing the building’s sculptural forms and evoking the feeling of elements carved from clay.
Strategic colour blocking reinforces this theme, highlighting the stacking, carving and massing of solid forms and echoing the layered qualities found in traditional brickwork.
Lacebark stands as an example of zero carbon design, giving back to the environment, society and economy through passive design, advanced technology and self-sufficiency.
Sustainability measures include rooftop solar panels, high-performance glazing, rainwater harvesting and reuse, electric vehicle charging and carshare facilities.
William Smart, founder of Smart Design Studio, said the transformation of Norwest has been extraordinary.
“We worked closely with other consultants to study the greenfield site and imagine a future with density,” said Smart.
“On a very prominent corner, we envisaged Lacebark as a gateway building.
“The sculptural building form was borne from a considered urban response, a thorough environmental analysis and our experience in designing exceptionally highly liveable apartments.”
Mulpha Director of NSW Development Andrew Nichols said the award reflects the project team’s commitment to design excellence from the outset.
“Lacebark demonstrates what can be achieved when sustainability and design quality are embedded in the brief from day one,” said Nichols.
“The decision to remove the podium and adopt a fixed passive solar strategy resulted in a building that responds naturally to the climate while creating a stronger connection to the public realm.”
