McCarthy Maisonettes comprises 24 studio apartments, individually designed and fitted out to meet housing need not normally met in standard houses and apartments. To be successful they needed to meet or exceed the performance levels of current apartments while being a half to one third of the size. The busy Parramatta Road made for tight restrictive access which was achieved by using the narrow rear lane. Other difficulties were posed by the adjoining live music venue, boundary-to-boundary construction, groundwater and unstable landfill providing many challenges. The building achieves maximum sun in winter for warmth and cross ventilation in summer aiding in the creation of cooler temperatures. The added problem of the south-facing front to Parramatta Road and its inherent traffic noise is well masked by the heavy-duty windows that have been used. Between the two buildings is an internal courtyard which increases solar gain. The majority of the studios face north, many with balconies, while the studios facing south are fitted with double-glazed windows which aid in their thermal performance.