Chippendale Warehouse Transformed into Architectural Masterpiece
A century-old warehouse reborn as a $19 million inner-city sanctuary, The Pigeon Shed blends gallery-scale drama with family living in a bold architectural reinvention.
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Behind an unassuming brick façade in Chippendale, The Pigeon Shed is a Sydney warehouse that rewrites the rulebook on inner-city renovation. Part gallery, part residential sanctuary, the former atelier that earned its nickname thanks to a colony of wild birds that once called it home is today an architectural anomaly.
Owned by creative director Beau Neilson, the daughter of billionaire arts patron Judith Neilson and fund manager Kerr, the transformed 1914 industrial shell has been an artistic labour of love for the owner of The Vanguard in Newtown, reimagined alongside the team at MCK Architects.
Purchased in 2012 for $3.1 million, Neilson transformed the one-time dilapidated shell over a decade.
Since then, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom Chippendale property has appeared in several architectural publications, such as Habitus, Architizer and The Design Files, celebrated for its unique blend of steel, timber, marble and concrete surfaces coupled with its intelligent use of space.
The savvy reinvention of the compact 324sq m corner block footprint has resulted in 735 sq m of internal and external living space across three levels.
Although selling agent Shannan Whitney of BresicWhitney is not publicly commenting on the price guide, the home is reportedly being shopped around for about $19 million.
The one-time soap factory is being traded in by Neilson for a $20 million waterfront estate she recently bought in Double Bay, according to news reports.
The contemporary home features gallery-sized entertainment zones with dramatic high ceilings, vertical gardens and landscaped courtyards that allow for oodles of natural light and private gatherings inside and out.
The main living level houses a vast gourmet kitchen featuring a dramatically long island bench, a hidden butler’s pantry and an internal courtyard that flows seamlessly to an indoor pool. On the same level, a family room also adjoins a second internal terrace.
A unique copper-clad elevator joins all three floors, including a lower-level lounge room, a library with a secret door to a guest bedroom suite, and a separate study.
The top-level layout has three more bedrooms incorporating the upper-floor primary wing with a full-width street-facing terrace, a designer ensuite and dressing room. Each of the two remaining bedrooms has its own en-suites and shares a grand landscaped side terrace.
Additional features include a built-in solar system, hydronic heating, exposed beams and original brickwork.
Located within a short walk to UTS, Broadway, and Newtown cafes and restaurants and the CBD.
The Pigeon Shed at 42-44 Pine St, Chippendale, interest campaign with Shannan Whitney of BresicWhitney.
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Held for decades by the Jesuit Fathers, the landmark Newport property combines direct sand access, sweeping ocean views and redevelopment potential across a prized 967sqm holding.
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One of Sydney’s most tightly held beachfront estates has emerged on the market, with a landmark Newport holding offering buyers the chance to secure an irreplaceable slice of the Northern Beaches coastline.
Positioned directly on the sand at 11 Calvert Parade, Newport, the 967sqm estate is described as one of the most significant beachfront offerings to hit Sydney’s market in decades.
Set within an exclusive oceanfront enclave, the property pairs sweeping coastal views with direct private beach access and a substantial grassed frontage that appears to spill seamlessly into the shoreline beyond.
From the home, uninterrupted panoramas stretch across Newport Beach towards Bilgola Headland, with Newport Reef sitting prominently within the outlook.
The offering is expected to attract significant interest from buyers seeking a blue-chip weekender, a long-term family estate, or a future architectural statement.
Concept plans by acclaimed Northern Beaches architect Dan Raymond present a vision for a new luxury residence designed to capitalise on the site’s scale and prestige.
The property’s history is equally compelling.
Known as “Howth”, the original weatherboard residence was built circa 1930, with the name derived from the Irish word for “headland”. In later years, the home was held by the Jesuit Fathers and used as a peaceful retreat for clergy.
Today, much of that nostalgic coastal character remains intact.
The primarily single-level home features ocean views from the main living zone, while a wraparound dining room and adjoining sunroom open onto a large entertaining deck overlooking the water.
Accommodation includes a main bedroom with an ensuite, a spacious second bedroom, and an oversized loft-style retreat that could function as additional guest accommodation, a rumpus room, or studio space.
A galley-style kitchen, high ceilings, original timber floorboards and ducted air-conditioning add to the home’s immediate liveability, while a repurposed two-way fireplace offers the opportunity for restoration.
According to the campaign brief, there are only 66 comparable oceanfront properties across Sydney, making opportunities of this scale and position exceptionally rare.
Located moments from Newport village, cafes and surf breaks, the property is also being marketed as the last remaining opportunity of its kind along Newport Beach.
The property at 11 Calvert Parade, Newport, is listed via an expressions-of-interest campaign closing on June 8.
For enquiries, please contact Nik Vuko: 0416029417
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