This substantial property, located in a heritage conservation area of Lindfield within the Ku-ring-gai Council, required a design that balanced modern family needs with strict heritage controls. There were clear objectives. The clients needed an architect who could deliver a vision that met their family’s requirements and had proven expertise in managing the complexities of heritage-area developments.

Playoust Churcher Architects stood out due to our prior work on a similar home on the same street. The clients were impressed by that project’s style and character, particularly our sensitivity to conservation aesthetics and council compliance. This heritage-focused experience was instrumental in shaping their decision to engage Playoust Churcher for their own home.

Given the home’s heritage overlay, navigating council processes was critical to the project. The clients provided an exceptionally detailed brief outlining the desired lifestyle functionality, spatial adaptability for a growing family, and key design elements they wanted preserved or introduced.

Playoust Churcher’s approach began with a strategic pre-DA submission. This early-stage interaction with Ku-ring-gai Council allowed the architects to present the concept, gauge council feedback, and make informed refinements before progressing. A second pre-DA followed, further aligning the project with council expectations before the formal Development Application (DA) was lodged.

Our thorough understanding of Ku-ring-gai’s heritage planning controls, including visual character retention, scale, materiality, and integration with the streetscape, enabled us to shape a proposal that was architecturally ambitious and sensitive to the regulatory context.

The outcome

The result was a home that met the client’s aspirations and passed through the heritage development process. The concept and design were enthusiastically received by the clients, who described them as “ticking all the boxes” in terms of functionality, aesthetics, and future adaptability.