473–479 Victoria Street.

Sometimes the most sustainable building is the one that already exists.

The project team set out to explore how an underutilised commercial building could be repositioned for a new generation of residential use while making the most of the structure that was already there.

A key question emerged early in the project: could the existing building support additional levels and a new future, or would the scale of intervention ultimately favour complete redevelopment? The answer required a detailed understanding of the capacities, limitations and opportunities hidden within the existing structure.

SFE became closely involved in evaluating how the retained building might accommodate vertical expansion, adaptive reuse and contemporary residential requirements.

Concept development included investigation of lightweight mass-timber construction, structural strengthening strategies and methods of integrating new building systems with the existing concrete frame. Throughout the process, multiple pathways have continued to be explored, balancing structural constraints, project objectives, development potential and long-term viability.

Rather than beginning with an assumption that demolition or retention was the correct answer, the project has focused on understanding the existing asset and testing what opportunities may be unlocked through careful engineering.

The project remains in the design phase, but it already demonstrates one of the most important principles of working with existing buildings: meaningful opportunities often emerge only after the existing structure has been properly understood.

Whether the final outcome involves vertical expansion, adaptive reuse, significant strengthening or a different pathway altogether, the investigation process is helping the project team make informed decisions based on evidence rather than assumption.

The project highlights the role structural engineering can play in identifying future possibilities before major decisions are made.