Located in Kings Cross, the landmark 1939 building—Sydney’s first purpose-built theatre—has been reimagined as a dynamic mixed-use development that honours its theatrical heritage while embracing contemporary needs. One of the most iconic Art Deco Architecture buildings in Australia, the reimagined Minerva carefully restores the existing architecture and elevates amenity with three new architectural insertions.

“At the time it was built, the Minerva was trying to bring European traditions of theatre to Sydney, which was about more than just the play – it was about getting out in the city and creating engagement with the community,” says Woods Bagot Principal Tracey Wiles. “That spirit of cultural connection drove our vision for its revival.”

“It was only a theatre for nine years, then a cinema, then an office – and then it laid dormant for quite some time,” Wiles explains. “We were obsessed with the idea of the building’s character and origin story and wanted to take this part of the city and embody its soul.”

The development thoughtfully divides the historic structure into distinct zones: the original theatre houses a café, lobby, balcony bar and a contemporary interpretation of a Parisian cabaret, while the fly tower accommodates unique hotel rooms.

These form the discrete laneway entrance to the hotel, with additional rooms gently resting above the historic theatre. Penthouse apartments captilise on the expansive city views. Heritage details are underpinned by elevated, sensuous materiality, threaded through with evocative storytelling and a flair for the dramatic inspired by the goddess Minerva. 

“Minerva is grounded in principles around the care for place, for the future, for the environment and social needs,” notes Wiles. “Our goal was to create something with a new soul that could be felt and recognised, while honouring the building’s rich history.”

Woods Bagot Principal Ian Lomas says, “Minerva demonstrates how we can take buildings with their wonderful strangeness and make something really special. This was an opportunity to challenge what was happening across Sydney, where heritage buildings were often seen as problems to be demolished rather than revitalised.”

Wiles and Lomas focused on “celebrating rather than undermining” the building’s heritage. New interventions are deliberately distinct, treating additions like theatrical scenery that complement rather than compete with the original architecture. Materials were carefully selected to honour the building’s history—including locally-produced glass bricks and collaborations with Aboriginal ceramic artists—creating a dialogue between past and present.

The project reactivates Sydney’s lost laneway culture, creating vibrant public spaces that operate from early morning until late night. Existing heritage details are restored whilst the new insertions or bar, balcony bar and seating use traditional materiality, Deco scale and proportion with a contemporary interpretation.

The Minerva’s transformation reflects a broader vision for cultural preservation that acknowledges not just a building’s original purpose, but its evolving story.

“With heritage, it’s not just about how it was originally—it’s about all the stories that have been there,” says Wiles. “We wanted to keep all the different uses of the building legible.”

“Minerva is the embodiment of a thousand works; always familiar, always changing. Playful and surreal, this project is brimming with the magical alchemy between story and experience.”

World Architecture Festival (WAF) is the largest live awards event for architects and designers. Held annually, it is the only awards program where all finalists present their projects live to a panel of judges at the festival in Singapore. Woods Bagot has also taken out the top award for WAF’s “Future Project: Education” category for the redevelopment of the University of Tasmania Forestry Building.  

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Adrien Moffatt
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