Balancing Heritage and Contemporary Design: A Conversation with Carlo Russo

What does it mean to live in a heritage home today? And how do we design for modern living without losing the character that gives these places their charm?

In this episode of the Home & Finance podcast, I sat down with heritage architect Carlo Russo, Director of Crush Architecture, whose work across Sydney’s Inner West and eastern suburbs explores exactly that. Our conversation unpacks how heritage and contemporary design can coexist and why thoughtful collaboration, storytelling, and interpretation are at the heart of meaningful architecture.

One of the most striking takeaways from this conversation was Carlo's challenge to the idea of heritage as something frozen in time:

"The biggest misconception is treating heritage like a relic, something to preserve in stasis, as though placing it on life support."

Instead, Carlo advocates for a living, evolving approach to heritage. For him, good design doesn't mimic the past; it responds to it. It respects history while creating space for new stories to unfold.

"Our job as designers isn't to replicate the past. It's to write the next chapter one that reflects the people who live there now, without erasing where the story began."

For Carlo, heritage conservation isn’t about imitation or preservation in stasis. It’s about interpretation, adding a new chapter to a building’s story.

“To me, design should respect the site and reflect the people who live there today. That’s where real architectural value comes from, not copying the past, but responding to it.”

One of Carlo’s standout projects, Chattywood, illustrates this idea beautifully. Inspired by a traditional bungalow in Chatswood, the rear extension reinterprets classical features into a contemporary language, a respectful gesture, yet confident of its time.

You can view more of Carlo’s projects at Crush Architecture.

As a heritage consultant, I often collaborate with Carlo in preparing Heritage Impact Statements. For Carlo and for us as a team for our clients, these documents and early collaboration are essential.

“You can’t design in a heritage context without understanding its history. The Heritage Impact Statement isn’t just a compliance document; it’s a foundation for good design.”

Design missteps often come from not understanding the significance of a site or conservation area. That’s why we work together from the earliest stages, interpreting planning controls, understanding historical context, and advising on design opportunities that maintain significance while improving usability.

When integrating contemporary elements into heritage buildings, the biggest challenge isn’t planning their compatibility.

“Compatibility doesn’t mean imitation,” Carlo says. “It means coherence, a design that speaks the same language, but adds a new voice.”

It’s a careful balance: using materials that work technically and aesthetically with the original fabric, while avoiding pastiche or false history.

For anyone planning to renovate or extend a heritage home, Carlo offers this advice:

“Don’t start with solutions. Start with understanding the challenges in your space. Then work with someone who knows how to respect the heritage, and how to bring out its full potential.”

This conversation with Carlo is a reminder that heritage buildings don’t need to be frozen in time. With the right design approach and the right team they can evolve into spaces that support contemporary living while honouring the stories that came before.

Listen to the full podcast episode:
Reimagining Heritage: Design, Identity, and Interpretation with Architect Carlo
 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335496/episodes/17579512

Explore Carlo Russo’s work at Crush Architecture

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