139-153 Sussex Street, Sydney

139-153 Sussex Street is a historic warehouse in Sydney's business district with a single-story facade facing the street. The structure expands to three full levels at the rear, reflecting the building approach needed to store goods within limited urban space.

Built in 1850, the structure served as a warehouse for goods connected to coastal trade via the nearby wharves at Darling Harbour. A major renovation in 1985 preserved the original street facade while modernizing interiors, transforming it into a hotel.

The building displays 19th-century construction features with rendered brickwork and iron roof elements that reflect the building methods favored by Sydney merchants developing the warehouse district.

The building is accessible today as a hotel and sits close to the harbor and main business streets in central Sydney. The blend of historic exterior and modern interior makes it a useful stop while exploring the city's heritage areas on foot.

The building was designed to work within Sydney's existing lot lines and street boundaries, showing the challenge of building in a rapidly growing city. This produced its unconventional form with a low street facade and taller rear section, a real example of 19th-century practical urban problem-solving.