Homes in Western Sydney are showing off a design that could soon be everywhere

The first seven homes based on NSW’s new ‘Pattern Book’ for residential housing have broken ground in Sydney’s west.

Years in the making, the Pattern Book is an attempt by the NSW Government to create a faster pathway for the approval of low and medium density housing by offering 17 designs that have already been vetted by the state’s planning authority.

The Pattern Book, which was officially launched just six months ago, will see the first homes come to life at Edmondson Park, in Sydney’s west, as the government looks to back its own plan by being the first developer to build one of the designs.

Landcom, a NSW government land and property development company, is the official developer of the project. The government plans to sell six of the completed terraced houses in this project, while retaining one as a ‘demonstration home’ that can be used as a real-world example for potential builders to view.

This specific terrace design was created by The Other Architects and allows for three homes on one plot or up to seven terraced homes on a greenfield site. The design configures each terrace into a series of flexible rooms that can be rearranged and adapted to different households and preferences. Where budget and location permit, it could also be a two-storey home with an additional floor to the rear.

A new book – an old idea

Featuring designs drawn from a public competition and commissioned by international architectural practices, the book draws inspiration from the past to create housing plans that can be easily adapted to different locations across the state.

A similar guide can be thanked for such iconic and ubiquitous structures as the Victorian terraces and Art Deco flats that dot Sydney’s established neighbourhoods.

To boost uptake of the Pattern Book, the NSW Government made the designs available for the low price of $1 for the first six months, before increasing the cost to $1000.

That deadline is fast approaching and the price will be multiplied a thousandfold on February 1, 2026.

According to the government, more than 21,000 patterns have been purchased in the first six months of the Pattern Book’s release, while eight other Pattern Book projects are ready to start construction in Sydney’s suburbs of Gymea, Cronulla, Engadine, Chipping Norton, Carlton and Baulkham Hills, and in Wollongong’s Corrimal, with more being submitted through the planning system.

Projects based on Pattern Book designs can apply for development approval through the state’s Complying Development pathway, potentially allowing construction to begin within ten days of application submission.

The NSW Government plans to roll out more demonstration homes across the state, with one potential site in Sydney Olympic Park.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully praised the first construction of this ambitious project, just the first of many he expects to see across the state.

“We hope to see these great designs popping up on streets and suburbs across the state.

Landcom CEO Alex Wendler added that he believed “demonstrating the potential of the Pattern Book designs” would help bring more of these designs to life.

The homes in Edmonson Park are expected to be completed in early 2027.

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