On the southern edge of Sydney’s central business district, architect David Langston-Jones has completed a pair of distinctive homes that reflect both the challenges and opportunities of urban infill development. Located in the Redfern neighborhood, these 80-square-metre dwellings occupy a triangular, sloping site subject to strict planning regulations and environmental constraints, including a floodplain that prohibits basements and limits building height to two storeys.

Langston-Jones, who grew up in Hong Kong and began his career in London before emigrating to Australia in 1990, has designed the homes with a focus on maximizing comfort within the tight urban footprint. The floor plan is unconventional: bedrooms and office spaces are positioned at street level in semi-subterranean rooms with windows opening to a rear garden, while living and kitchen areas occupy the upper floor, taking advantage of natural light. The layout responds directly to the site’s two-meter upward slope and minimal excavation allowances.

The design embraces a material honesty inspired by mid-20th century modernists. Concrete blockwork is left exposed without plaster, a corrugated metal ceiling and rubber flooring emphasize utilitarian simplicity, and bright primary colors punctuate the interior, camouflaging irregular geometry. This vivid palette pays homage to Le Corbusier and is complemented by furniture from mid-century designers such as Charlotte Perriand. Langston-Jones also cites architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Norman Foster—his former employer—as key influences in his approach to clarity and construction techniques.

Heating and cooling considerations were central to the design. Drawing on his experience in Queensland and passive-house principles, Langston-Jones incorporated high thermal mass concrete blocks sheltered from direct sunlight by timber cladding with an insulating air gap. Clerestory windows provide ventilation and diffuse light upstairs, enabling the occupants to forgo air conditioning despite Sydney’s typically warm climate.

Construction spanned 18 months and was periodically delayed by unexpected ground conditions and evolving council directives. The final phase involved the creation of a Japanese-style garden designed by landscape architect Shunmyo Masuno, also the head priest of Kenkō-ji Temple in Yokohama. The garden serves as a contemplative visual element rather than an active outdoor space, reflecting the homeowners’ limited interest in gardening.

Despite initial concerns about noise and urban disorder in Redfern, Langston-Jones describes a strong local community linked through neighborhood communication platforms. Offers of shared goods and mutual alerts about authorities demonstrate a sense of camaraderie that has reassured the couple about their choice to settle in the area.

Langston-Jones views his project as part of a broader conversation around thoughtful urban renewal in cities accustomed to low-density sprawl. “I believe it’s the smallest links in the urban fabric that determine how good that fabric eventually becomes,” he said, underscoring the role of inventive use of challenging sites in revitalizing city life.