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Sydney Architect Lawrence Nield was honoured with the Australian Institute of Architects prestigious Gold Medal in Adelaide last night.
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" width="300" src="/images/stories/lawrenceneild.jpg">Neild (pictured left) – who was the head of master planning for the Sydney 2000 Olympics – has worked on projects in New Zealand, Greece, China, Vietnam, France, Italy and the UK.
He is well known for his design of sports centres, hospitals and educational buildings, his academic work at both the University of Sydney and the University of NSW as well as his broad writings on urban design.
His newest award will join a Sir Zelman Cowan Award for Public Buildings, which he won in 1997 for the University of the Sunshine Coast Library, a Sulman Award and an RIBA Award. Nield retired from Sydney firm BVN Architecture several years ago but is rarely far from the industry.
The AIA’s national presidential Brian Zulaikha says: “Lawrence’s local work uses a broad and principled approach to architecture that reveals an uncommon understanding of our history, the arts and other intellectual achievements”.
The AIA also awarded former Sydney lord mayor and long-time urban design activist Lucy Turnbull with the President’s Award for her contribution to the advancement of architecture.
<img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" width="300" src="/images/stories/lucyturnbull.jpg">
“It gives me much pride, both professionally and personally, to be able to recognise Lucy’s contribution to the Institute, but also to architecture and design more generally,” says Zulaikha.
Turnbull (pictured right) wrote the book Sydney - Biography of a City and in 2008 was Commissioner of the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Among her many board positions, she is deputy chairwoman of the Committee for Sydney, was appointed to the Cities Expert Panel, and in January last year she was appointed officer of the Order of Australia.
The Best Emerging Architect Award was presented to Western’s Australia’s Kelly Rattigan, while Robert Adams from the City of Melbourne won the Leadership in Sustainability Award.
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Lawrence Nield and Lucy Turnbull honoured at Australian Institute of Architects awards

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Port Coogee, the planned coastal community south of Perth, is one of Australia’s largest coastal renewal projects. And now the project set on 86 hectares of industrial wasteland has won recognition from the 2012 Urban Development Institutes of Australia (UDIA) National Awards for Excellence.
Australand landed the Best Residential Development along with the gong for Environmental Excellence for its Port Coogee Marina development, 23 kilometres south of the Perth CBD. The planned coastal community is one of Australia’s largest coastal renewal projects and set on 86 hectares of industrial wasteland.
Australand general manager Tony Perrin says the developer has been working hard to deliver what it promised the public with this sometimes controversial $2 billion project.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee1.jpg">
“We have attach a great deal of value to the environmental award because there was so much negative spin put on the site and what we planned for it particularly with the marina, which some sections of the public did not want,” he says
The ecological issues ranged from protecting seagrass beds through to ground water contamination and reducing toxins that hit the ocean.
“We managed and executed it responsibly, and the award is an affirmation of that,” Perrin says.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee2.jpg">
The marina will accommodate about 300 powerboats and sailing boats to a maximum of 20 metres. The first 60 boat pens were snapped up last year, and another 95 pens will be released this year.
The project will eventually have a residential community of about 5,000 people moving into it over the next 10 years. Since December 2006 more than 350 blocks of land have been sold from a starting price of $425,000. About 80 houses have been built, with another 45 underway. As demand increases 1,000 apartments will be built, and a large retail village with cafes and restaurants will be central to the site. It is tipped the project will create about 1,200 jobs locally.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee3.jpg">
The WA government first offered the site for redevelopment 18 years ago. Australand became involved 15 years ago. The zoning process swallowed the first decade, and the past five years has been dedicated to active development.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee4.jpg">
“It is incredibly encouraging to win the UDIA’s Best Residential Development nationally in such an early stage of the project. We perceive there is still a lot of work to be done to get the vision that we set out to create. I feel that the commercial areas in the centre of the project will represent that vision in years to come. The award is a recognition of the planning and the roundedness of the project, landscaping, streetscapes, roads and parks and the unique environments that exist in the project which integrates beach’s with parks and micro environments,” Perrin says.
Hardy plants and endemic species will landscape the site, and the streetscape, from lighting to lookout features and materials used, has been influenced by the industrial and marine history of the land. The partly exposed shipwreck of the Omeo has inspired the public art that will be part of the community.
 
 
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Australand’s controversial Port Coogee project wins top development gong at UDIA awards

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Tucked away in a special little corner of Queensland is a luxurious utopia with beautiful houses, native animals roaming freely and a prized level of environmental sustainability.
It is a rich man’s hideaway where strict design codes and by-laws ensure it remains an Australian paradise by the sea.
Sunrise at 1770 is near the exclusive Agnes Water between Bundaberg and Gladstone. It takes more than five hours to drive from Brisbane.
Remote by design, the project aimed to become the nation’s premier ecologically sustainable community.
In 2007 and 2008 the UDIA voted it the Best Sustainable Development in Queensland and then Australia. In 2009 at FIABCI’s Prix d’Excellence World Awards it was the first runner-up in the environmental category.
Twenty-five houses have been built in the community, which will allow a maximum of 172 homes on the site, which is surrounded by protected wetlands, beaches and reserves. One of its finest houses has been listed for sale with $2.95 million hopes.
The contemporary Springs Road house, which is owned by property investors Mark and Janene Hulst, was named both Queensland Home of the Year (2002) and Custom Home of the Year.
Noosa designer Steven Kidd of Kidd+co Designers designed this and several other glamorous houses at Sunrise.
“We had a great brief and we did a few houses in a row, which makes a nice vision. Mark’s house has a beautiful internal garden in a wonderfully unique environment. We decided to keep the existing vegetation and turn the house inside out,” Kidd says.
‘The balconies hang off the house. The design concept works with circulation areas plus breakout spaces. It is a timber-framed house with exceptional timberwork inside that was crafted by the builder Mike Murray.”
Given the house is positioned at a 45-degree angle, two faces take in views of the Coral Sea and the famous Springs Beach surf break.
Clean lines create a tree house style of living where sections of space with cantilevered balconies act as a floating canvass with a pristine bushland or the sea as a frame. It is minimalism without forsaking any cosy comforts, since the house is technically savvy and equipped with rain sensors on the atrium windows, an external rooftop sprinkler system for fire control, under-garage water tanks, auto sensor bathroom lighting and in a nod to summertime necessities, climate-controlled wine storage behind the kitchen.
“We built it together and love living at Sunrise. It was a great challenge so we are looking to buy another block of land here and do it all again,” says Mark Hulst.
Sunrise at 1770 has raised boardwalks to two beach clubs with three pools, barbecue pavilions and tennis courts.
To buy into Sunrise, where the Smorgan family owns property alongside bankers, a film producer and a couple surfing identities, is to buy into a body corporate with a green future. The primary water supply comes from rainwater tanks and wastewater is used to supply toilets, a communal car wash and firefighting.
A “dark sky” policy prevails so turtles use their rookeries. Non-native pets are verboten, so local wildlife and Godzilla, the resident two-metre-long goanna, can roam unmolested.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom Hulst house is listed for sale through Gordon Christian at Harcourts Agnes Water.
 
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Sustainable Agnes Water award winner listed on Queensland’s Discovery Coast

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Restaurateurs Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan are immersed in the final renovations of the old Prunier’s building in Woollahra’s lovely Chiswick Gardens before its March 7 reopening.
<img src="/images/stories/moranwork6.jpg">
Moran recently tweeted that operation Chiswick will have a ceiling-to-floor white-tiled Parisian bistro-style bar plus a wood-fired oven.
<img src="/images/stories/moranwork5.jpg">
A kitchen garden, with a dedicated gardener, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chiswickrestaurant.com.au/the-garden/recipes">will produce seasonal goodies</a> for the “sharing” menu. Apparently the radishes (pictured above) and cucumbers are doing well.
<img src="/images/stories/moranwork3.jpg">
Art director Vince Frost, who created chic packaging for Donna Hay and Ceramica di Manfredi and produced a beautiful book for Damien Pignolet, is also working to create the restaurant theme. The wine list is designed by ARIA sommelier Matthew Dunne with diners enjoying views over the council garden on Ocean Street. 
The space is believed to have been part of the stables of an old house called Chiswick, which occupied the land. Woollahra Council bought it from a Mrs L.F.Holmes in 1938 for seven thousand pounds.
From 1953 the restaurant was called The Kiosk. In 1970 it was Dimitris, and Pruniers moved there in late 1972 from the Al Corso, in Double Bay, where it had opened in 1947.
<img src="/images/stories/moranwork4.jpg">
Chris Grinham from Humphrey and Edwards Design worked with Moran and Sullivan  on the restaurant’s design and interiors.
<img src="/images/stories/moranwork7.jpg">
The restaurant is set to open March 7.
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Celebrity chefs Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan have a taste for design with restaurant and kitchen garden in Woollahra

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Jewel – the Gold Coast’s most ambitious property development to be given the nod – is searching for a prestigious hotel operator for the $950 million three-tower project.
A short-list of operators is shrouded in mystery, but the preferred operator should be known by March.
<img src="/images/stories/jewel1.jpg">
 
Although the Gold Coast is well supplied with luxury hotels, it is yet to attract the ultra-luxe brands such as Aman, Peninsula and Shangri-La hotels.
Gold Coast developer RDG, which is backed by the Chinese property giant Ridong Group, has moved into gear to get the plan underway.
“We have the DA approved and are currently negotiating some of the finer points with the council. Our main focus now is to secure a hotel operator,” says RDG chief executive Steven Haggart.
Jewel will be on the corner of Wharf and Old Burleigh roads, Surfers Paradise.
It will have a six-star hotel with all of the attendant restaurants, bars, pools, gyms and all of the shopping expected of such an operation. There will also be two residential towers, one of of 35 levels and one of 45 levels.
<img src="/images/stories/jewel2.jpg">
It will also have a spa, beach club, ballroom and a two-level recording studio, which was inspired by the Setai Hotel in South Beach, Miami, where Lenny Kravitz has branded the property.
According to Haggart, contracts for off-the-plan apartment sales will be ready by November this year.
“We want to be able to take the apartments to market by the end of this year,” he says.
For such a premium plan, the apartments are modestly priced, starting at about $800,000 for a two-bedroom unit.
“Jewel will be like an island with its own beachfront and without being surrounded by KFCs. We are pricing it realistically for the local and international markets and providing excellent quality,” says Haggart.
About half of the units are tipped to be sold offshore while 30% are marked for interstate ownership and the remaining 20% for local Queenslanders.
RDG expects to announce the builder for the project later this year, with demolition tipped to start in March 2013 and completion slated for summer 2015-16.
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Jewel, set for Surfers Paradise skyline, seeks hotel operator looking for a Gold Coast gem

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Rydges Hotel Group is set to spend $11 million to create an entire level of New York-inspired dining at its South Bank hotel in Brisbane. 
<img src="/images/stories/rydges1.jpg">
Designed by Base Architects in collaboration with LA interior designer Tracy Beckham, the 2,887-square-metre space will have an elevated dining area, a lounge plus poolside bar and eatery. It will be named in honour of the Roman god of indulgence, Bacchus. The Grey and Glenelg street frontages is set to get one of the design industry’s newest must haves: a vertical garden.
<img src="/images/stories/rydges2.jpg">
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Rydges gets a taste for Big Apple-style dining in Brisbane South Bank hotel

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Queensland architect DBI Design has won the coveted World’s Leading Hotel Award for its Etihad Towers project in Abu Dhabi at the World Travel Awards in Doha.
The Brisbane-based outfit was up against some the world’s leading architects including France’s Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who transformed two Art Deco Paris offices – originally designed by the distinguished 1930s architect Charles Letrosne – into the Mandarin Oriental Paris. Wilmotte is well known for his redesign of several wings and galleries of the Louvre Museum.
<img src="/images/stories/dbi2.jpg"> 
Other finalists were Jestico + Whiles for the W Hotel London, New York’s Skidmore, Owings and Merrill for The Park Hyderabad, Allan Murray Architects for Hotel Missoni Edinburgh, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the American firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates for the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong.
<img src="/images/stories/dbi5.jpg">
DBI managing director Warren Coyle says he is delighted that Etihad Towers claimed the prize against such imposing competition.
Etihad Towers is a US$1 billion (A$962 million), five-tower project in Abu Dhabi’s exclusive beachside area of Al Ras Al Akhdar near the Corniche. It has three residential towers with 800 apartments, 200 serviced apartments, a 400-room Jumeirah hotel, 12 restaurants, retail space and a convention centre. Worked started in 2006 for His Highness Sheikh Suroor Bin Mohammed Al Mahyan.
<img src="/images/stories/dbi3.jpg"> 
“It is a very sculptural form, and the owner really liked that iconic style. He wanted a landmark and a statement to Dubai, so we set out to give him one,’” Coyle says. 
DBI was invited to enter the international design competition after one of the developers bought an apartment in the Ultra building on Broadbeach, which DBI had designed. 
DBI designed, engineered and fitted out the project mainly from its Brisbane office.
“Designing remotely from Australia was a challenge, and we were the lead consultant so had a great deal of control including structure, air-conditioning, and acoustics which was new to us and very challenging,” Coyle says. 
<img src="/images/stories/dbi4.jpg">
DBI is behind some of Brisbane’s most avant-garde buildings and is working on FKP’s AUD$210 million The Milton. 
“We can design projects that are truly world-leading,” says Coyle. 
The recent prize, which is considered the “Oscars” of the travel industry, has more than 5,000 companies from 162 countries competing in 1,000 categories. 
<img src="/images/stories/dbi6.jpg">
The prize is DBI’s first international award, although the firm has accumulated a swag of local awards. 
“This award so is a nice start for us on the international scene,” Coyle says.
<img src="/images/stories/dbi1.jpg" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial;">
 
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Queensland-based DBI Design wins award for Abu Dhabi hotel Etihad Towers

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Millionaire Perth businesswoman Marilyn New is once again attempting to sell off her Esplanade Hotels Group after the holding failed to sell last year.
The portfolio includes the colonial-style 300-room Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle, which is the town’s only 4.5-star hotel where the pool is overlooked by a multi-story car park, and the 101-room Esplanade River Suites serviced apartments in Como.
Perth has long suffered from a lack of hotels, so occupancy remains high and room rates are strong.
Last year the two hotels were listed with CBRE and it was touted that any sale – and they were offered as a package or individually – might well have brought more than the $98 million that the five-star Hyatt Regency sold for in 1996, which was the most recent comparable sale. However, current selling agent Jones Lang LaSalle is calling for expressions of interest and not mentioning price point.
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New deal: Freo's Esplanade Hotels Group on the market once again

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Property investment scion Jo Perrott is set to launch a second $30 million unit trust that will focus on buying prestige residential properties in Australia.
The move comes just two months after Perrott announced the creation of the Allure Properties Diamond Fund, which aims to buy at least six luxury properties in London, the south of France, Colorado, Queenstown and Phuket while the dollar is high and real estate prices are low. The fund spreads its risk across different currencies and economic zones.
“We are responding to the market demands and the decision to launch a domestic fund has been client-led. It will join our international fund,” says Perrott.
Like the international fund, the domestic fund will total $30 million and be a closed fund that is operational for five or six years. Properties will be in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane – possibly Noosa and the Barossa – and worth between $3 million and $6 million each.
The new fund will be launched early next year.
“We have had so much interest, particularly from Melbourne, WA and Sydney as well as from management companies, in this approach to shared investment in luxury real estate. Many clients talked about wanting domestic property with a shorter time span. We expect that by March next year we could be ready to close the international fund,” says Perrot.
While no cash has yet changed hands, Perrott believes there is already enough interest to sell each of the $250,000-a-pop units in the fund and the domestic fund will be similarly priced.
“This is new to Australians, and people need to do their research before committing $250,000. We spend a lot of time with interested parties and our Information Memorandum is a very lengthy document. Already we have about 20 potential buyers in the mix at the moment,” she says.
The Allure Properties Diamond Fund will be a closed fund operating for eight years. During this time each unit holder will be allocated two weeks of vacation time in any of the holdings, which are expected to rent out for up to $20,000 a week. This time allotment can be rolled over into subsequent years, sold or given away. After eight years the fund will be wound up and the proceeds returned to investors.
Perrot hopes to create a new prestige property fund every 18 months.
In the UK this type of unit trust has been a popular alternative to standard residential investment for high-net-worth individuals. One company, Rocksure, has created six funds since 2006 and successfully weathered the GFC and the troubled UK economy.
“The dollar is high and property prices are low. The residences that we have targeted are about 50% discounted on their prices several years ago. We have all the right indicators in place for this to work well,” Perrott says.
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Jo Perrott's Allure contemplates domestic prestige vacation property fund

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Marilynne Paspaley's much-anticipated $70 million luxury Pinctada resort development on WA’s Rottnest Island won’t be proceeding.
The former actress and Pearling family scion has abandoned plans for a resort on the island because of too many “constraints”.
She says outdated bureaucratic processes killed off her vision for the resort.
In June WA Tourism Minister Kim Hames told a parliamentary estimates hearing that Pinctada’s inability to raise finance for the project had thrown it into “limbo”. Paspaley denied this, claiming the time frames imposed were not realistic.
Last year the WA government named Pinctada as preferred developer and its plan would provide the island its first new accommodation since the 1980s.
Paspaley is among the few developers to successfully build hotels in WA in the past 20 years, including Pinctada Cable Beach in Broome, for which she became a registered builder. She also holds The Kimberley Grande and McAlpine House in Broome.
However, the rigid processes in place through the Rottnest Island Act proved too much for the developer, who claims that her plans would not have been commercially viable.
She says she has spent millions of dollars trying to minimise the obstacles associated with her plan for a 120-room resort and spas overlooking Longreach Bay on a site that is the island’s degraded former rainwater catchment.
This is the second attempt to find a developer for the site. In 2009 a consortium led by Broadwater Hotels and Resorts collapsed after two years of negotiations.
The search to find a suitable developer will continue and Karma Resort’s founder John Spence, who is also a Commissioner for WA Tourism, is likely to cast another bid for the pleasure to develop the property.
 
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Marilynne Paspaley abandons plans for Rottnest Island resort Pinctada 

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Andrea Dixon

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