92–94 Wolfe Street — Terrace Renovations

The Project

92 and 94 Wolfe Street are two side-by-side terraces on The Hill in Newcastle, one of the city's oldest and most prominent residential suburbs overlooking Newcastle Harbour. The buildings are original circa-1900 workers' terraces, likely built to house Newcastle's coal miners. They sit on sandstone block foundations with double brick walls and timber floors.

Noel purchased the properties in 2016 and 2019 with the ambition of undertaking a major renovation later in life. That time has arrived. In 2026–27, Yaxley Studio will be delivering the full redevelopment of both terraces as future family homes.

The Challenge

The terraces sit within The Hill Heritage Conservation Area and form part of a row of four heritage buildings. The street frontage, roofline, and original brick character are all protected. Council made clear during pre-DA meetings that any modification to the roof on the street side would not be supported, which ruled out a fourth bedroom in the roof space that we had initially proposed. While we disagreed with that interpretation, believing that sensitively designed dormers could enhance rather than diminish the heritage character, we accepted the feedback and proceeded with a three-bedroom scheme.

Council also emphasised the importance of clearly differentiating between old and new construction, a principle we embraced rather than resisted.

Our Approach

The design retains the original terrace facades and rooflines to the street while removing the rear walls to make way for contemporary extensions into the rear yards. From the street, the terraces will appear largely unchanged. From the rear laneway, the new volumes are unapologetically modern.

Each terrace will be four storeys from the lower ground level, three from the street. The basement level opens to the rear courtyard and houses living spaces, a gym, and a sauna. The ground floor contains the kitchen and dining areas. The first floor accommodates two generous bedrooms, each with ensuites. The second floor, within the new rear extension, provides the third bedroom with sweeping views across Newcastle Harbour.

A dark-clad interstitial zone separates the original building from the new extension, housing the stairwell and a skylight that draws light down through the centre of each home. This element articulates the transition between old and new volumes, giving each its own identity while connecting them vertically through the building.

A studio granny flat at the rear of each property is accessed from the laneway, providing flexible accommodation independent from the main residence.

The Outcome

The project is currently in design development. When complete, 92 and 94 Wolfe Street will demonstrate what Yaxley Studio believes good residential architecture should be: a respectful conversation between heritage fabric and contemporary design, where the constraints of heritage protection produce a richer result than a blank canvas ever could. These are homes designed with the kind of care and ambition that only comes from designing for your own family.