The Abbey winner of three major awards over the past month

A heritage-listed 1920s-built church located just a block from Cronulla’s Shelly Beach transformed into a boutique residential community, has been named winner of three major awards over the past month.

This unique project called ‘The Abbey’ offers seven beautifully appointed coastal-luxe homes – three of which are built within the former church and the Sunday School hall. Sitting adjacent are four contemporary residences that celebrate the site’s special link to its past and coastal position.

The Abbey took home its third award for the month last Thursday – when it was named winner of small-scale infill at The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) NSW Awards for Excellence 2021.

Developed and built by one of Australia’s most accomplished private property and construction groups, Traders In Purple, and designed by AJH+ Architects – with a shared vision to pay legacy to the rich history of this property while creating high-end sophisticated residences that are like private sanctums.

The Judges were impressed with how The Abbey made reuse of its existing building and features, but creatively added new ones in a complementary way, without the feeling of overdevelopment of the site. “Elements of the church design were reflected within in the apartments and basement carpark, linking it all together – creating both an integrated, but unique offering to its occupants. The Abbey is an outstanding example of a small-scale infill development.”

This unparalleled development also won Adaptive Reuse at The Urban Taskforce 2021 Development Excellence Awards and Adaptive Reuse at The Master Builders Association 2021 Excellence in Housing & Pool Awards in November this year.

“With more than 30 years of experience our focus has always been to have a positive and enduring impact on the local communities in which we work. The Abbey was a labour of love, representing our commitment to the highest quality and standards. Preserving this beautiful community asset was our main focus and it’s very special to have the warm sentiments from the local community shared by esteemed industry bodies. The whole team from development and construction are absolutely thrilled with the awards received and it inspires us as we move on to future projects”. Charlie Daoud, Director, Traders In Purple.

Many original features have been retained at ‘The Abbey’, including beautiful stained-glass windows and vaulted soaring ceilings. The interiors feature bespoke joinery and a mix of warm textures including marble, timber, aged brass and stone. The church’s foundation stone – dated 18 April 1924 – has also been preserved. Perhaps best of all, the church bell was restored and can be heard ringing again