A heritage flour mill is getting a second life as the centrepiece of a distinctly different Sydney community.

HASSELL has designed a unique, mixed-use development that transforms an iconic industrial site in Sydney into a lively new community of homes, shops, cafés and parklands.

Working closely with our client, EG Funds Management, we’re breathing new life into the former Summer Hill Flour Mill in the city’s emerging inner west by retaining and reusing much of the existing buildings – including the mill’s towering grain silos. 

Respecting the practical beauty of the buildings

Across the site, we’ve designed 11 new and adapted apartment blocks, with a total of around 360 apartments, duplexes and terrace houses. 

The concrete, circular wheat silos – without floors or windows – have been converted into premium studios and apartments that retain the remarkable heritage and form of buildings but at the same time redefine the structures and their future.

A master plan for a new ‘village’ 

Our master plan for Summer Hill seamlessly stitches all the elements together, with new landscaping in the open spaces and pedestrian links throughout the site to access a dedicated light rail station. 

The vibrant mix of proposed uses – such as cafes, studios and small retail opportunities – gives the site an authentic ‘village’ atmosphere that complements the existing feel of the suburb. 

Design highlights

_Four silo towers house 56 contemporary apartments over 14 storeys, along with two penthouse apartments with roof terraces with panoramic views.
_Each apartment has been cleverly designed to bring the outside in, with windows positioned to maximise natural light, airflow and views.
_The mill’s malthouse and granary have also been transformed into new residential spaces, and a new triangular structure – the wheatstore – adds a point-of-difference to the mix.

Project Details

Client EG Funds Management

Location Sydney, Australia

Expertise Urban Design

Scale 2.5 ha / 360 units

Status Completed

Year 2016

Imagery Guy Wilkinson