Architecture studio BVN has retrofitted the 1970s brutalist Sirius building in Sydney, Australia, and extended it with a series of copper-clad pods.

The studio renovated the distinctive, brutalist housing project located near Sydney Harbour, which was designed  in 1979 by Dutch architect Tao Gofers.

BVN won a competition to redesign the building in 2019 following a campaign to save it from demolition. The renovated building contains 75 modern apartments, along with wellness facilities and street-level retails.

The original facade was retained and restored with a new extension distinguished from the original concrete exterior with copper cladding that nods to its modular design.

"Copper cladding distinguishes the additions from the existing building, offering legibility of Sirius' original Brutalist expression, its history and evolution," said BVN principal Phillip Rossington.

"The copper will age favourably over time, harmonising with the building's rugged, signature concrete," he added.

The redevelopment aims to prioritise the building's connections to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Barriers were removed between the site and The Rocks district where it resides. At street level, shops and a through-site pedestrian path decorated with historic artefacts were added.

According to the studio, the retrofit is an example of how architects could look to revitalise existing buildings rather than demolish them.

"Revitalising built infrastructure, instead of resorting to demolition, is crucial for sustainable urban development," said Rossington.

"By preserving and reimagining structures such as Sirius, we honour their history, reduce waste, and create vibrant, memorable spaces that connect past and future generations."

BNV also designed the majority of the interiors. It created a total of 26 apartment types to accommodate modern luxury living, such as split-level apartments and amalgamated apartments.

Warm tones of timber, stone, and metals are used throughout the apartments, contrasting the building's rough exterior.

The timber-lined Phillip Room has been restored as a communal area for residents on the ground floor, which features the restored timber bison artworks by architect Penny Rosier.

"Our approach to the interior design takes cues from the strength of the building's original design," said BVN principal Sally Campbell.

"Materials chosen for longevity complement the concrete and copper, and play on the contrast between raw and polished to create very tactile spaces."

Sirius was sold to JDH Capital for AU$150 million in 2019, following the controversy of the New South Wales Government's decision to refuse its heritage listing in 2017, against the advice of the Heritage Council of New South Wales.

Founded in 1926, BVN now has studios in Sydney, Brisbane, New York and London. Its Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, designed together with Danish studio 3XN, won the best tall building at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's annual awards for 2023.

They are also currently designing the Sydney headquarters of technology company Atlassian with SHoP Architects, which they claim will be the "world's tallest hybrid timber building" when completed.

The photography is by Bryn Donkersloot.

Project credits:

Developer: JDH Capital
Interior design of select areas including penthouse, lobby/mailroom, communal pool and gym: Kelly Hoppen
Builder: Richard Crookes Constructions
Heritage consultants: Urbis
Landscaping: 360 Degrees
Consultants: DEDICO Development Services, SCP Consulting, Traffix, MGAC, Floth, Holmes Fire, Phillip Chun