What Sydney’s New 30 m² Apartments Tell Us About the Future of Compact Living

By Adam Murphy, Principal Building Designer, ANS Design

Sydney’s housing challenges are encouraging architects, building designers, developers and planning authorities to reconsider a long-held assumption: that a comfortable home must necessarily be a large home.

One of the clearest recent examples is the approved redevelopment of Precinct 75 at St Peters in Sydney’s Inner West. The former Taubmans Paint Factory site is being transformed into a mixed-use precinct containing build-to-rent apartments, affordable housing and commercial uses.

The amended development approval allows for 471 dwellings, including a new compact studio-apartment type measuring approximately 30 square metres. The smallest apartments use integrated kitchen and laundry joinery, built-in furniture and dedicated storage to make better use of their limited floor area.

The project has attracted attention because these apartments are smaller than the conventional apartment sizes commonly seen in NSW. However, the more important discussion is not simply whether 30 square metres is enough. It is what good design must achieve when every square metre matters.

For Adam Murphy, Principal Building Designer at ANS Design, the project raises ideas that extend beyond major apartment developments. Similar principles can be applied to secondary dwellings, compact new homes and residential additions throughout Sydney and NSW.

The St Peters project: a new compact-living model

The NSW Planning Portal identifies Precinct 75 at 73 Mary Street, St Peters, as a State Significant Development involving build-to-rent apartments, affordable housing and commercial space. Its approved amendment increased the number of dwellings from 205 to 471.

Within the development, the smallest apartments are approximately 30 square metres. These compact homes have reportedly been designed around the way residents will use furniture and complete everyday activities, rather than beginning with a conventional apartment layout and simply making each room smaller.

Integrated kitchen and laundry joinery, adaptable furniture and storage for household items and bicycles are intended to reduce clutter and allow the available space to perform several functions. Residents will also have access to shared amenities, including landscaped terraces, dining spaces and recreational facilities.

This relationship between private and shared space is important. A 30 m² apartment within a large build-to-rent development is supported by facilities that would not ordinarily be available in a detached secondary dwelling. The apartment model should therefore not be copied directly without considering its wider context.

Nevertheless, its central design lesson is highly relevant: compact housing must be designed from the inside out, based on how people genuinely live.

The St Peters project also reflects the growing demand for carefully planned housing across Sydney’s Inner West and established residential suburbs.

Further information is available through the Precinct 75 determination on the NSW Planning Portal and the compact apartment design reported by ArchitectureAU.

Smaller does not automatically mean smarter

Reducing the floor area of a dwelling may reduce the amount of land and building material required, but size alone does not guarantee affordability, sustainability or liveability.

A poorly planned small home can feel more restrictive than a larger home because circulation space, storage and furniture have not been properly resolved. Doors may clash, bedrooms may be difficult to furnish, kitchens may lack practical bench space and residents may have nowhere to store cleaning equipment, linen, luggage or outdoor items.

A successful compact dwelling must therefore work harder than a conventional home.

Good compact design considers:

• how a person moves through the dwelling;
• where furniture will be positioned;
• whether rooms can support more than one activity;
• how natural light and ventilation enter the home;
• where everyday belongings will be stored;
• how indoor and outdoor areas connect;
• whether acoustic and visual privacy can be maintained;
• how services and wet areas can be arranged efficiently; and
• whether the dwelling can adapt as the resident’s circumstances change.

The aim is not to fit the greatest number of rooms into the smallest possible footprint. It is to remove wasted space while protecting comfort, privacy, usability and dignity.

What can secondary dwellings learn from compact apartments?

A secondary dwelling, commonly known as a granny flat, is a self-contained home located within, attached to or separate from a principal dwelling on the same property.

Under the NSW planning framework, secondary dwellings are permitted in several residential zones. Depending on the land, proposed design and applicable development standards, approval may be available through a Development Application or a Complying Development Certificate.

Secondary dwellings are generally compact by nature, with a maximum floor area of 60 m² commonly applying under the Housing SEPP. This makes intelligent planning particularly important.

ANS Design provides professional secondary-dwelling and granny-flat design services for projects across Sydney and NSW.

The compact St Peters apartments demonstrate several ideas that can translate effectively to small secondary-dwelling design under 45 m².

1. Design around furniture from the beginning

A floor plan should be tested using realistic furniture sizes, not empty rooms.

The placement of beds, lounges, dining tables, televisions and storage units affects circulation and determines whether a room will function comfortably. A bedroom may satisfy a basic dimension but still be impractical if wardrobes restrict access around the bed.

Starting with furniture also helps identify opportunities for built-in seating, wall-mounted desks, integrated dining areas and storage that uses the full height of a wall.

2. Reduce unnecessary circulation

Long hallways can consume a substantial proportion of a small dwelling without providing useful living space.

A carefully organised layout can connect the entrance, living area, bedrooms and bathroom without excessive corridors. This does not mean eliminating separation altogether. Thoughtful planning must still provide privacy, particularly between bedrooms, bathrooms and living areas.

3. Group kitchens, bathrooms and laundries efficiently

Locating wet areas close together can simplify plumbing, reduce construction complexity and free more of the floor plan for habitable space.

This needs to be balanced with ventilation, accessibility, acoustic privacy and the relationship of each room to outdoor areas and existing services.

4. Make storage part of the architecture

Storage should not be treated as something to add after the floor plan is complete.

Full-height cupboards, integrated laundry storage, overhead kitchen cabinets, linen cupboards, bench seating with storage and purpose-designed spaces for larger household items can make a compact home significantly easier to live in.

Storage must also remain accessible. Deep cupboards or overhead storage may increase theoretical capacity without being practical for an older resident or a person with limited mobility.

5. Connect living spaces to the outdoors

A well-positioned deck, patio, courtyard or landscaped area can visually and functionally extend a compact living room.

Large openings, consistent floor levels and a clear relationship between the kitchen, living area and private open space can make a small home feel brighter and more generous. Privacy screening, solar orientation, weather protection and drainage must all be considered as part of that connection.

Compact homes and ageing in place

Secondary dwellings are frequently considered as accommodation for parents or other family members who want independence while remaining close to support.

A smaller home may be easier to maintain, more economical to heat and cool, and simpler to move through. However, a dwelling intended for ageing in place should not be reduced to the smallest technically possible footprint.

Accessibility requires space.

Depending on the needs of the resident, an adaptable compact home may benefit from:

• a step-free entrance;
• wider doorways and clear circulation routes;
• a bathroom with an accessible or adaptable shower;
• space beside the bed;
• lever-style door and tap hardware;
• slip-resistant surfaces;
• good natural and artificial lighting;
• carefully located switches, handles and storage;
• provision for future grabrails; and
• a direct, weather-protected route to the principal dwelling or street.

These features need to be considered early. Attempting to add them after construction can be difficult and expensive.

There is also an important distinction between designing a compact home for an active single resident and designing one for a person who may later use a walking frame, wheelchair or mobility aid. The same floor plan will not automatically suit both.

The most successful ageing-in-place design provides enough space for present needs while allowing the dwelling to respond to foreseeable future changes.

Could smaller homes improve housing affordability?

Compact housing can contribute to greater housing choice, but it should not be described as a complete solution to housing affordability.

A smaller dwelling may require fewer construction materials and may be capable of being offered at a lower price or rent than a larger home in the same location. Secondary dwellings can also make use of existing residential land and infrastructure without requiring the subdivision of a property.

For homeowners, a well-designed secondary dwelling may provide:

• accommodation for ageing parents;
• an independent home for an adult child;
• space for extended family;
• potential rental income;
• a home office or flexible living area; or
• accommodation that can change purpose over time.

However, a smaller floor area does not guarantee an affordable outcome. Land value, approval costs, building quality, services, finance and market rent all affect the final cost.

It is also important not to confuse compact market housing with formally designated affordable housing. A home may be less expensive than a larger alternative while still remaining unaffordable to many households.

Compact housing should therefore be viewed as one part of a broader response that includes diverse housing types, suitable locations, infrastructure, public transport and genuine affordability measures.

Natural light and ventilation become more important—not less

Small homes can feel comfortable and spacious when they receive good daylight, appropriate winter sun and effective ventilation. Conversely, a poorly oriented compact home may feel dark, enclosed and dependent on artificial lighting and mechanical heating or cooling.

Window placement should be considered together with:

• site orientation;
• overshadowing from the principal dwelling and adjoining buildings;
• privacy between properties;
• summer heat gain;
• prevailing breezes;
• bushfire or acoustic requirements where applicable; and
• the placement of furniture and storage.

More glazing is not automatically better. Windows need to be located where they support the layout, provide useful outlook and allow daylight into the parts of the dwelling where it is most valuable.

Good building-envelope design—including appropriate insulation, glazing and shading—can also help reduce energy use and improve year-round comfort.

Flexible rooms offer better long-term value

Compact homes benefit from rooms that can support several uses without becoming inconvenient.

A second bedroom might operate as a guest room, study, hobby space or room for a future carer. A dining area could incorporate a workstation. A built-in bench could provide seating, storage and a place to work.

Flexibility does not require complicated moving walls or expensive mechanisms. It can be created through sensible room proportions, well-positioned doors, sufficient power points and joinery that supports more than one activity.

The best compact homes do not merely fit a resident’s needs on the day they move in. They provide reasonable options as employment, family arrangements, health and lifestyle change.

Good planning remains essential

The approval of approximately 30 m² apartments at one State Significant Development does not create a general right to build homes of that size elsewhere.

Apartment developments, secondary dwellings and detached houses are assessed under different planning provisions. Controls may relate to zoning, site area, building height, floor space ratio, setbacks, landscaped area, private open space, parking, heritage, flooding, bushfire risk, biodiversity, sewer infrastructure and other site-specific matters.

Depending on the property and proposed design, a secondary dwelling may require a Development Application or qualify for a Complying Development Certificate. Learn more about the ANS Design approval and design process.

The NSW Government explains that, for a new detached or attached secondary dwelling to use the complying-development pathway, the site generally needs an area of at least 450 m². Proposals that do not satisfy every complying-development requirement may still be considered through a council Development Application.

Further information is available from the NSW Government’s secondary-dwelling guidance.

Each property should be assessed individually before design work progresses too far. A site survey, planning review and early consideration of constraints can prevent a compact design from being developed around assumptions that later prove incorrect.

Homeowners considering a compact secondary dwelling can complete the ANS Design secondary-dwelling design checklist to identify their preferred layout, style, accessibility requirements and long-term priorities.

The future is not simply smaller—it is more considered

The St Peters apartments reflect a broader shift in the housing conversation.

Sydney needs a greater variety of homes for different household sizes, life stages, incomes and locations. Compact apartments and secondary dwellings can form part of that variety, particularly for single residents, couples, younger people, downsizers and family members seeking greater independence.

However, the value of compact housing should not be measured only by how many dwellings can fit on a site.

A successful small home must still provide daylight, ventilation, privacy, storage, comfortable circulation and a meaningful connection to the outdoors. If it is intended to support ageing in place, accessibility and future adaptation must be incorporated from the beginning.

Thirty square metres may work within a carefully managed apartment development supported by substantial shared facilities. A secondary dwelling of 45, 50 or 60 m² may provide a different balance of private space, outdoor access and independence. Neither model should be judged by area alone.

The real lesson is that when space is limited, design becomes more important than ever.

About the author

This article has been prepared by Adam Murphy, Principal Building Designer at ANS Design, who has more than 25 years of residential design and approval experience across NSW.

Planning a compact home or secondary dwelling in NSW?

ANS Design provides residential building design services across Sydney, Greater Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and selected regional NSW areas.

ANS Design can assist with initial site and planning reviews, concept development, space-efficient floor planning and the preparation of documentation for the appropriate CDC or DA approval pathway.

Planning a compact home, secondary dwelling or residential addition? Contact Adam Murphy at ANS Design to discuss your property, design objectives and likely approval pathway.

Contact ANS Design to discuss your residential building design project in NSW.

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Adam Murphy
Principal Building Designer
ANS Design

 

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