Kings Cross
107 Darlinghurst Road
Kings Cross
Client Private
Year 2025
Scope Public Architecture, Multi Residential, Commercial, DA, Documentation, Construction
Team Peter McGregor, Damien Madell, Finn Holle
This project for a revitalised and upgraded backpacker hostel, sits on a most complex site. There are five amalgamated lots that sit under, beside and above the Transport NSW easement, for the main pedestrian entry to Kings Cross station. This 1970s public concourse is entrapped and wrapped by the three dimensional easements of our site, with the lower ground floor and basement being under the concourse, the retail and station lobby beside the concourse, and the main body of the building sitting over the concourse. (This tightly entwined three dimensional matrix could be read as a metaphor for Saffron’s well documented, intimate and entwined relationship with the state government at the time). The Hostel, which has limited street address, has been opened up with a light court carved into it’s centre and a new address and elevation to Earl Street at the rear.
The project transforms what is currently a dowdy, drab and worn-out complex into something much lighter and outward looking. The last shop along the concourse has been removed to reveal a view down Earl Street at the rear. This new opening also allows direct north sun to shine into the concourse space. There is now “light at the end of the tunnel”. Adjacent to this new window is a new Station lobby, created for the many travellers arriving directly from the airport via train. The Station Lobby looks directly down to Earl Street and the new lower lobby below.
The project transforms this end of Earl Street. What is currently an almost opaque building with only services to the street, is transformed with 2 layers of glazed lobby area and a remodelled elevation that allows views from every floor down to the street. What is a rundown slightly grim dead end becomes a small pedestrian square and forecourt like space, to the new Earl Street Entry.
The Darlinghurst Road Elevation is retained and remodelled. The facade is clad largely in glazed bricks, inspired by the brick fabric of Darlinghurst Rd and the glazed tiles of our neighbour Omnia designed by durbachblockjaggers
The rich viscous colour of the glazed bricks in both the Darlinghurst Road facade and the Earl Street facade had to be “Saffron”, to remember the original owner, “Colourful” Sydney crime boss Abe Saffron. We have specified the Euroa Clay Bricks, which have the richest most viscous glazing.
The colour of Saffron, a lovely rich orange vermilion hue is subtly different to the orange tiles of KX station, which we also hope to reveal on the southern wall of the concourse space. Thanks also to Dominioni from whom we were able to steal the window formation.
Darlinghurst Road Built Form
On Darlinghurst Road the elevation has been revised and remodelled (as requested by council) with a 3 level street wall, above the awning and the 5th level setback 3 metres. The facade is made up of glazed bricks in stack bond, which respond to, on the southside, the tiled plinth of the adjacent Omnia building and on the north, the traditional face brickwork of the historic Darlinghurst Road buildings. The windows have been designed with angled reveals to better enable views up and down the street.
Balustrades add privacy to the lower glazing.
Railway Concourse
At the street level, the Station Entry Concourse has been redesigned to incorporate a full height opening to Earl Street, so as to bring light in, and enable views out, from the concourse to Earl Street on the north. This is made possible by simply removing the last retail space and replacing it with clear glazing, which also incorporates a new lobby to the hostel off the concourse. From Autumn to Spring and through winter, direct sunlight will come into the concourse and lobby space, dramatically improving the experience of passage, to and from the station.
A new Hostel lobby off this concourse, provides added convenience for the Hostel guests and further activation of the railway concourse. A void incorporated into the new lobby, foster views down to the new (all hours), Earl Street lobby and to the street beyond. (The current entry to the Hostel off Darlinghurst Road, has been upgraded to fire egress only).
Railway Entry Concourse
The images below are sketches that show the potential transformation of the railway concourse with this new opening to Earl Street.
Also shown is the orange wall along the south side of the entry concourse, with orange tiles and signage, that relate to the “heritage’ signage and tiles of Kings Cross station below. This is a great “branding” opportunity for Sydney Trains to look into. View
Earl Street Current Condition
The current facade, as shown below, presents to the street as a blank wall, with a small services opening.
Garbage bins are the most active element at this “dead-end” of Earl Street. There are some “incidental” windows higher up in the facade. The area is generally neglected, with little passive surveillance making it a furtive and unsocial space.
The new design transforms this part of the street. The “dead-end” adjacent to the building could be come a small pedestrian square.
New Earl Street Facade and Entry
The new front door to the hostel on Earl Street is one part of a major transformation of this facade and this forgotten dead end street.
This southern end of Earl Street, has the potential to be transformed into a small pedestrian square. The new Hostel entry will provide pedestrian activation and overlooking. Above on level 1, the new Concourse level lobby and rail commuters are also visible. Above Level 1, the opaque rendered brickwork wall has been entirely removed and replaced with glass blocks, which sit on either side and frame a central vertical arrangement of “Saffron” coloured glazed bricks. The glass blocks bring light into each level of the Hostel lobbies. The blocks ensure privacy is maintained to the adjacent residential building. They frame and contain a small clear window enabling a view from every level northwards down to Earl Street. The verticality of the framed glazed bricks, amplifies the fine, slim proportion of the elevation,(and the Earl Street cross section) providing a more engaged elevation along the vista of Earl Street. Their saffron coloured glaze matches the Darlinghurst Road facade, thus connecting both facades and framing the hostel within.
This close up view shows the new double order of glazing that encapsulates the 2 new Hostel lobbies. On the ground floor is the new “all hours” lobby. From Earl Street, one can glimpse into the reception area of the hostel. Above, this entry is the new concourse lobby, where guests are able to look down into Earl Street as they enter or wait for the lift. Beyond and behind them the station concourse is visible, both commuters and the proposed new orange wall.
This dead end street is here transformed into an urbane active pedestrian place. There is a need to liaise with council’s urban design team to detail the transition from a car accessible street, to a pedetrian entry. Bollards maybe required. The idea of a pedestrian square may also suit this transition, as there are no car parking entries at this end of the street.
Saffron Coloured Glazed Bricks
The application of “Saffron” coloured glazed stack bond bricks connects this Earl Street elevation to the Darlinghurst Road elevation. The “Saffron” shade remembers the colourful Kings Cross criminal Abe Saffron. He was the original building owner and developer, who built this byzantine like building, that wraps itself around 3 sides of state government infrastructure, perhaps a metaphor of the political relationships of that time. Relationships that fostered the complex land deals and easements that enabled the current built form of this very building.
Note the Saffron shade of the façade brickwork, is slightly different in ‘hue’ to the proposed Sydney Trains Orange, which could line the southern concourse wall. This Orange has the potential to tap into the heritage qualities of the orange mosaic tiles that line the platform columns below. The Saffron is a made to order glaze.
Overshadowing
Overshadowing The issue of overshadowing, specifically to the courtyards of the Omnia Apartments has been reviewed and addressed. The built form of the upper floors has been rearranged and setback, including with a light court, as necessary, to ensure the requisite minimum of sunlight over 5sqm for 2 hours is obtained for the effected apartments.
Improved Amenity of The Hostel
The design of the backpacker accommodation has generally been rationalised to improve access and amenity to the hostel generally. Amendments include;
a. The lobby on each floor opens onto full height glazed bricks, in which is a window of clar glass, enabling views down to Earl Street from each lobby level. The glazed bricks ensure that pirivacy to the adjacent building is maximised. See Cross Section 2 DWG 20 and plans.
b. The new Earl Street concourse lobby provides a convenient and direct entry for rail commuters, as well as a visual connection to the all hours lobby below. See Section Below and plans.
c. Services including circulation and bathrooms are organised along the north and bunkrooms along the south. See Plans
d. A light court has been carved into the deep plan, to bring natural light and views out, into rooms that previously had no light and no view. See Cross Section 1 Below and plans.
e. The Darlinghurst Road rooms have 3 new windows designed with angled reveals to foster better views up and down the street. See Front Elevations
f. A caretakers residence on the roof top will further manage the common roof areas. See Cross Section 1 Below
