Join us on Sunday 22 March when @home visits Pink House | Green House in Surry Hills. Designed by Nick Bell Architects the home is a transformation of a dilapidated 1860s Surry Hills terrace into a light-filled, resilient family home - where design intelligence, not floor area, is key to urban living.
The terrace, is part of a conservation row in the heart of Sydney. Measuring just 3.8 metres at its frontage and sitting on 91 square metres of land, it is a case study in what considered design can achieve on a constrained inner-city site.
Before work began, it was dark, claustrophobic, and had been unsympathetically altered over decades. Today, it delivers 120 square metres of thoughtfully resolved internal floor area for Bell and his two adult daughters - a home that flexes between quiet retreat and vibrant family hub.
The design incorporates a number of strategies to solve one of the biggest issues in terrace housing - accessing daylight. For a mid-terrace dwelling flanked by party walls, natural light is a precious commodity. Bell deployed a layered strategy: generous north-facing glazing to every level, skylights that funnel light into the stair core, a first-floor void that drops light into the ground floor below, and open balustrades that allow light to permeate the full height of the home. A reinstated highlight window to the front facade supplements with indirect southern light. The result is a home that feels larger and brighter than the footprint suggests.
Every square metre in the house has been put to work, through precision in the planning, reducing circulation to the mininum, and clever use of joinery to maximise storage space and conceal services.
"Every square metre is precious and can be made to work," says Bell. "Minimalist design ensures unnecessary elements are eliminated - and good joinery and storage design is critical to leaving the spaces clean, uninterrupted, and generous in feel."
Bells alterations and additions have resulted in a fully electric, heathy and biophilic home. Gas has been removed entirely. The home is solar-powered and all-electric, with an EV charger in the garage. High insulation levels and low-energy lighting keep running costs to a minimum. A heat recovery ventilation system - particularly important for a mid-terrace property with limited opportunity for natural cross-ventilation - continuously circulates fresh, tempered air through the home, extracting from bathrooms and laundry and introducing fresh air into living and sleeping spaces.
Biophilic design plays a strong role. A Semper Green Wall clads the north-facing rear facade, providing cooling and insulation while softening the architecture. A planted garage roof and indoor greenery extend this connection to nature. Upcycled and recycled demolition materials were used in the landscape: old floor joists became a timber bridge and wall cladding, with original bricks retained for paving.
Don't miss out on your opportunity to visit and learn more about the design, CLICK HERE to book now.
ABOUT NICK BELL ARCHITECTS
Nick Bell Architects is a boutique architecture and design practice based in Redfern that was founded in 2008.
Nick Bell is a UK-qualified architect, registered in New South Wales, with a diverse professional background that spans work experience in London, Frankfurt, Moscow and Sydney.
His practice undertakes residential projects, from bespoke new homes through to alterations and additions that reflect an instinctively modern architectural language tempered with warmth, environmental responsibility and an intuitive understanding of client needs.
TOUR DETAILS
Location: Surry Hills, NSW
Please note that the address and meeting point will only be forwarded to ticket holders in the days immediately before the tour.
Time: 11.00am - 12.00pm
Date: Sunday 22 March 2026
Tickets: $40 (Early Bird - ends 15 March) / $45 (Public) / $35 (AAA Members)
Note: Company Members are entitled to free tickets (limited numbers) contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Numbers are limited. Book your place on the tour, CLICK HERE.
Please note:
- Concession ticket holders should present their ID on the tour day.
- Please do not attend the tour if you are feeling unwell.
- Article: Vanessa Couzens
- Images: Pink House | Green House, in Surry Hills designed by Nick Bell Architects
- Images Sourse: Nick Bell Architects