Buyers following the journey of developer Aniko Group are set to be offered something different in the prominent developer's portfolio.

Aniko, who have been responsible of the extensive residential development on Hope Island over the last few years, are branching out, but sticking with island life.

Their latest project to launch is Orama, on the in-demand Chevron Island, which has seen a boom in development in the last few years since the establishment of the Home of the Arts (HOTA) precinct.

Orama will rise 21 levels from 12-16 Weemala Street, conveniently located just off Thomas Drive, the retail, food and cafe which dissects the island. The site, put together by GV Property Group, is also located on the sought-after eastern side of Chevron Island, which makes it just a short 950 metre walk over the bridge to the heart of Surfers Paradise.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=111898 project_image_fid=209174]

There will be 102 apartments in the tower, six units per floor on the lower levels comprising two-bed, two-bath units with a study, and most with two car parks. Prices start from $795,000.

&nbsp;

On the higher levels there are three-bedroom skyhomes and two penthouses.

Plus Architecture has designed the tower, noting in their submission that they&nbsp;always design with the intent to produce buildings that are not only beautiful, but considered, functional and lasting.

A statement of Aniko's efficiency in the development space, they've taken just 10 months to go from site acquisition to project launch, having secured the sqm site in February. They got the green light from the Gold Coast City Council in October, and are expecting to start construction in the first half of next year.

Aniko Managing Director George Mastrocostas said they were extremely happy to have council approval behind them, as they now look to the next phase of delivering Aniko’s signature dose of luxury to Chevron Island

“With all approvals now in place, we are looking forward to carrying the next luxury offering into Chevron Island, which will be competitively priced against other off the plan stock in the area,” Mastrocostas said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=111898 project_image_fid=209175]

&nbsp;

While still delivering their projects on Hope Island, Aniko looked away from the popular pocket to bring something new to their portfolio.

“This pocket of the Gold Coast has a unique character that you can’t replicate elsewhere – its exclusive, its vibrant and its quickly becoming one of the most sought after residential enclaves on the coast,” Mastrocostas said.

“Orama is just a short walk to Surfers Paradise, the beach, the Gold Coast’s cultural heart and all the amenities the central Gold Coast has to offer.”

Mastrocostas said the apartment development would appeal to a wide buyer demographic, from discerning owner occupiers through to long-term investors when it launches to the market in the coming months.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=111898 project_image_fid=209176]

“This project will cater to a broad market of buyers, from the interstate migrants to local downsizers or luxury upgrader, its idyllic layout makes it the ultimate location for households both big and small."

The rooftop of Orama will feature a sprawling rooftop recreation area overlooking the Surfers Paradise skyline.

The full 21st level will home a&nbsp;lap pool and spa with 180 degree views across the ocean, a gym with a sauna and a yoga space, and a business lounge with private offices, booths, and a boardroom.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=111898]

Joel Robinson

Aniko launch Orama apartments on Chevron Island

The Brisbane-based developer Frank Developments is a step closer to making its mark on the Gold Coast.

Frank Developments, led by Director Frank Licastro, has been given the nod by the local council to developer MIRA, one of the most high-end projects on Garfield Terrace, comprising just 11 two-level apartments, which are being pitched as "vertical beach homes". The 25-level tower will be the first of it's kind for the Gold Coast.

“A double-level floor plan is traditionally reserved for the penthouse purchaser," Licastro says.

"At MIRA, every apartment is dual-level, meaning every resident will experience the penthouse way of life – private, elevated and life enhancing."

<img alt="MIRA Garfield" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e83ba25-59fd-4cbe-a16c-aae7d8097983" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-23%20at%209.18.18%20pm.png?VersionId=Ylf47V0r0fFwu8.kCwwApSfgvpo_nkzk" />

There's already been interest from locals, interstate, and even internationally, from those who Licastro says are&nbsp;“prioritising quality over quantity”.

“MIRA is curated with connection in mind," Licastro adds.

"This one of a kind design offers peace, connection to place and like minded people unlike larger, less intimate high rises.”&nbsp;

MIRA, which neighbours the revamped Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club, will replace an ageing three-storey walk up on a 607 sqm site to become the Gold Coast’s most sophisticated, slender beachfront development to date.&nbsp;

Development dense Northcliffe has attracted some of Australia’s biggest industry names.

The strip has attracted a wave of tower applications bringing a whole new luxury feel to the area, now rivalling Hedges Avenue, aka the Gold Coast's original Millionaires Row for demand.

“Coastal site scarcity will see engineering prowess progress savvy, slender towers like MIRA," Licastro says.

"Designing slim and tall is an innovative way to achieve development capacity within strategic city centres with few large parcels of land remaining."

Project architect Ferro Chow’s co-director Marco Ferro said, architecturally, they become landmarks.

“Minimising building mass and footprint to retain view corridors, MIRA’s impact on the skyline will be significantly less than conventional neighbouring developments," Ferro says.

<img alt="MIRA Gold Coast" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5cf6499-995d-42ff-9cba-ea91741537ab" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-23%20at%209.18.13%20pm.png?VersionId=QSs8MTn30aaY4FmY_sQwDmXub8F9DY1l" />

"We believe this unique design will become an iconic address”.

Ferro praised the Gold Coast city planners and council for acknowledging innovation.

“MIRA is a bold interpretation of what is possible within the requirements of the Surfers Paradise zoning envelope.”

Each apartment, accessed by private lift, will have four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, and two or three parking spaces. All have panoramic views north and south.

Residents will have access to a full suite of private amenity, including a&nbsp;gym with sauna, steam rooms, a barbeque area, outdoor showers, and beach lockers.

Level one follows the same open plan brief, incorporating private dining which overlooks a 180 degree resort style pool which wraps around a sun lounge podium.

Construction on MIRA will commence at some point during 2023.&nbsp;

Frank Developments has a solid track record of delivering luxury projects in Brisbane.

Their most impressive project has been Maison in New Farm, where off the plan buyers from just a few years ago are almost doubling their money now the project is complete.

“A double-level floor plan is traditionally reserved for the penthouse purchaser," Licastro says.



Double-storey apartments set for Surfers Paradise beachfront as MIRA gets approval

Plans have been submitted by the local Gold Coast apartment developer Aniko Group for their massive $1.5 billion landmark project in Mermaid Beach.

The four-tower development on over 1.1 hectares on the corner of Gold Coast Highway and Seaside Avenue, will see 973 apartments delivered, as well as a luxury hotel, offices, and a good, beverage and retail precinct.

The four towers, which are designed by award-winning firm Plus Architecture, will rise 25, 30, 40 and 53 levels, with a mix of&nbsp;one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as an exclusive collection of three-bedroom-plus-study sky homes, sub-penthouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Aniko Mermaid" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="850375c8-2872-43f8-a51a-5e76435442fe" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-24%20at%207.44.57%20am.png?VersionId=GvNgDUPxayzQEGtjl1kvrb0btNlmcrZK" />

The apartments will range in size from 60 sqm for the one-bed units to over 500 sqm for the penthouses. Plus have designed the apartments&nbsp;to appeal to a broad range of buyers from sea changers, owner-occupier lifestyle seekers, downsizers, investors, and lock-and-leave holiday homeowners.

Residents will have access to&nbsp;extensive amenity on an expansive recreation podium. The podium will service all four towers, offering a central resort-style lagoon pool, separate lap pool, sauna, steam room and a large gym.

<img alt="Aniko Mermaid" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9b53a9ca-d0f7-442b-a65d-a26bdacece9c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-23%20at%202.51.34%20pm.png?VersionId=Wq.MIwjVSdiF6jwZ80QoRsPd2A25CWsY" />

The recreation podium will also provide extensive recreational amenities for residents and hotel guests including a bowling alley, a teen arcade, a Treasure Island kids’ play area with a Lazy River kids’ lagoon, and a multi-use court that will accommodate half-court basketball, volleyball and pickleball.

A residents’ lounge, with work-from-home facilities, will be complemented by breakout seating areas throughout, including a dedicated firepit.

<img alt="Aniko Mermaid" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="070ab984-78b0-4b5a-81d3-987c3ca53340" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-24%20at%207.46.03%20am.png?VersionId=srlprIkq0ZIX1zvOg22Ma0ZBPF5wo6aw" />

The ground floor will offer fine dining that utilises more than 100 metres&nbsp;of waterfront presence to the west of the property facing Pacific Fair.

Aniko Group Managing Director George Mastrocostas said they're hoping to launch the first stage of the project in late 2023, pending approvals, with the first residents to be welcomed by 2025.

The project will be delivered in four stages over the next six years. The first stage will comprise the 30-level tower with 175 one, two and three-bedroom units on offer.

“We believe the proposed plan will provide a unique and highly curated experience for both residents and workers of the development and the local community beyond,"&nbsp;Mastrocostas said.

<img alt="Aniko Mermaid" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="db1d5340-14b9-4c4a-8267-eb754f2f236c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-24%20at%207.45.34%20am.png?VersionId=xiqcXMzDItbWrrBdMmbsUDJD1DrNErhh" />

“With the support of GCCC, we intend to reinvigorate the existing Pacific Fair Drive with retail, food and beverage tenancies which will invite and encourage pedestrian movement along our site and towards the canal edge.

“With these lifestyle and connectivity considerations key components of the master plan, this project will certainly be a game-changer for Mermaid Beach as residents and visitors can live, work, eat and play all within the same vicinity."

The mixed-use development will also include more than 10,000sqm of commercial A-grade office space, leveraging off the site’s prime position along the Gold Coast light rail while bolstering supply in a tightening Gold Coast office market.

“The inclusion of a commercial component to the project will create a local hub for a range of businesses and services located within walking distance to accessible public transport,” Mastrocostas added.

The four towers, which are designed by award-winning firm Plus Architecture, will rise 25, 30, 40 and 53 levels

Aniko lodge plans for $1.5 billion Mermaid Beach development

A private Singaporean developer is seeking to create the newest tower in the evolution of St Leonards in North Sydney.

Plans have been filed for a 39-level, mixed-use tower by&nbsp;Elegant Private, which is directed by the China-born Zirong Zhao.

Zhao has previously sought to develop student accomodation in Sydney's Haymarket. Elegant Private is a subsidy of the Singapore-based commercial property developer Grantal Enterprise.

The plans for the $123 million tower at 100 Christie Street, just across the road from the St Leonards train station and adjoining Christie Street Reserve, include over 5,700 sqm of commercial space in the five-level podium, set above ground floor retail and a six-level basement which will hold 112 resident parking spaces.&nbsp;

<img alt="Christie St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4ca46635-0dae-4fec-9fa6-812a8272d130" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%201.20.55%20pm.png?VersionId=4gRKAFTgE2LiIweaWl0Jnqk5I.g.xMKK" />

The residential section of the building will start from level seven, above the landscaped level six outdoor communal area which will feature an extensive variety of resident facilities, from an outdoor cinema to yoga lawns.

A mix of 186 one, two and three-bedroom apartments will be spread over the next 32 levels, with an average of six apartments per floor.

Levels 37 and 38 will home four two-level penthouse apartments, each with five bedrooms, a soaring void over the ground level living area and a butler's pantry.

PTW Architects have designed the tower. Director Simon Parsons, who signed off on the design statement lodged with the North Sydney Council, suggested in the submission that the proposal presents a high-quality mixed-use development in a liveable and connected precinct, to utilise the nearby amenity of St Leonards and Metro Stations and future St Leonards Plaza.

<img alt="Christie " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a29dd4bf-88d3-45a0-9466-0b95716dfb73" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%201.21.00%20pm.png?VersionId=Xs.kokTraxmKLNKK5rABtG895lisBZFo" />

"The proposed development consists of a tower and podium form, which is in line with the desired future character of the street and surrounding buildings," PTW wrote in their statement.

PTW also suggested the mix, weighted toward two-bedroom apartments, provides&nbsp;great housing choices to the community, but also responds appropriately to the market demand in the St Leonards area.&nbsp;

<img alt="Christie " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a52b5d72-64c8-41ba-8ab6-1e7b7610a6ca" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%202.24.13%20pm.png?VersionId=zLOoAivTjFsTuzPf7sORzS6_25ilO5nK" />

The site is divided into two distinct components. On the southern part of the site is a 12-level commercial tower, and to the north is Christie Street Reserve.

As&nbsp;part of a voluntary planning agreement, Christie Street Reserve and Sergeants Lane will be upgraded to a design by RPS landscape architects.

PTW note that the tower and the upgrade of the landscaped areas will combine to create a major piece of urban design that will transform a key hub within the heart of St Leonards.&nbsp;

"The design proposes to transform the public domain by facilitating movement, activating retail frontages, enhancing sight lines and amenities and an overall better connection to Christie Street reserve and the wider community."

<h2>100 Christie Fast Facts</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Commercial/Retail GFA: 5,708 sqm</li>
	<li>Residential GFA: 18,466 sqm</li>
	<li>Total GFA: 24,174 sqm</li>
	<li>Apartment Mix - Total 184 units</li>
	<li>12 One Bed units (6%)</li>
	<li>132 Two Bed units (72%)</li>
	<li>36 Three Bed units (20%)</li>
	<li>4 Penthouse units (2%)</li>
	<li>DDA Units - 37 Adaptable units (20%)</li>
	<li>37 Silver units (20%)</li>
	<li>A communal open space on level six&nbsp;provides for a range of activities for the residents, which include;
	<ul>
		<li>Outdoor kitchen and dining areas.</li>
		<li>Outdoor cinema</li>
		<li>Outdoor golf simulator</li>
		<li>Outdoor office and seating areas</li>
		<li>Outdoor lounge areas</li>
		<li>Yoga lawns</li>
		<li>Playgrounds</li>
		<li>Off leash dog areas</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

A mix of 186 one, two and three-bedroom apartments will be spread over the next 39-level tower, an average of six apartments per floor

First look: New mixed-use tower planned for St Leonards

ASX-listed developer Mirvac has revealed its $350 million luxury residential tower, Trielle, the tallest building to be introduced to their multi-award-winning Yarra’s Edge community in Melbourne.

Formerly referred to as Tower 9, the 45-level tower will be the jewel in the crown of the vibrant precinct, commanding an unrepeatable waterfront position on the Collins Street axis of Melbourne, just 12.5 metres from the Yarra River.

Trielle will feature the most abundant amenity offered to date.

Residents will have access to a library and work pods, the Saletta Business Lounge, a piano bar with self-playing piano, a&nbsp;wine cellar, games room and cocktail bar, theatre, and a golf simulator.

There's also the Oasis Retreat, complete with&nbsp;urban rainforest gardens, a Scandinavian-inspired wellness centre, 25-metre pool, magnesium pool, spa, sauna, cold-pailing and treatment rooms.

<img alt="Trielle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="40b1ab35-52e2-4acf-b3e2-35e25ebe09cf" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%2012.05.30%20pm.png?VersionId=2syZpjAGjF.aSJ4e0r51kb5_aubXLj2m" />

Mirvac’s announcement follows planning amendment approval received earlier this year, with Mirvac’s General Manager, Residential Development Victoria, Elysa Anderson, saying the upcoming launch in 2023 of Trielle demonstrated prospective purchasers’ ongoing appetite for premium, lifestyle-focused apartments.

“Market vacancy across the east coast residential market has fallen to around 1.5%, new apartment starts are at lowest levels seen since 20122 , and with the recent increase of permanent migration caps, we are seeing an acceleration in population growth, Anderson says.

"Discerning buyers are acting decisively in the tightening market to secure quality, larger apartments setting themselves up for future growth.

“In particular we are seeing demand from customers that are wanting to downsize – especially when presented with a compelling value proposition like Trielle, in a location with so much going for it.”

Anderson said Trielle will likely appeal to a broad owner-occupier demographic, most predominantly the right-sizer buyers looking for a new lifestyle offering, close to the city, with unrivalled amenity. Anderson is anticipating out-of-towners looking for a city base, and experienced apartment dwellers looking to upgrade, to make up a good portion of demand.

<img alt="Trielle 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="81af8803-29d9-4a03-8fb5-76038b78bec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%2012.05.40%20pm.png?VersionId=U45uaf2yXJ6SrSLiVatI7Z4TAFMua5L0" />

“Our highly anticipated Trielle tower will deliver a legacy project to our vibrant waterfront precinct and draws on our 50 years of experience to offer a new level of prestige and sophistication in apartment living in a location like nothing else in Melbourne,” Anderson added.

With architecture and interiors by Mirvac’s award-winning in-house design team, Mirvac Design,&nbsp;Trielle tower will combine its exclusive location and north-facing riverfront orientation, with 191 apartments, a nine-level podium, ground-level retail space and above-ground parking.

The all-electric tower has also been designed to go beyond current sustainable building codes and will evolve under construction, with a centralised electric heat pump hot water system, rainwater and stormwater storage and reuse and induction cooktops as standard.

Mirvac Design Director, Michael Wiener, said the tower was “jewel-like” in appearance, faceted like a gem, with an angular glazed façade to reflect light and “shine like a diamond.

“Trielle offers riverside rarity and timeless luxury with impeccable craftmanship,” Wiener said.

“The design hinges on the waterfront aspect of Trielle, its view of the city and its commanding presence on the city’s skyline. There is no other site like it in Melbourne that brings together the city, the river and the sky in such a striking way.

<img alt="Trielle 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="261078d6-8cdb-4492-ba95-2d352e542a33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%2012.05.35%20pm.png?VersionId=0VtW2DjRaG0Dr1XsWh32EOpPNcgKEV4x" />

“Trielle will create breathtaking moments for residents, evoking a response of pride of ownership. Residents will be proud that they are a part of something truly beautiful and unique.”

Trielle’s landscape design will flow from the promenade and through the building, creating an ‘urban forest’ at Yarra’s Edge, that is continued throughout the building’s common areas.

“Trielle’s amenity is focused on making time for wellness,” Mr Wiener said. “The level of luxury and amenity is unprecedented, with a particular focus on celebrating life’s most precious commodity – time – freeing residents up to make time for what matters most, their health and wellbeing.”

Trielle will join Mirvac’s impressive Victorian apartments portfolio, which encompasses Voyager at Yarra’s Edge, The Eastbourne’s luxury residences in East Melbourne, and the recently topped-out Forme at Apartments of Tullamore in Doncaster.

Yarra’s Edge is a coveted 14.5-hectare inner-city waterfront community located on the north-facing bank of the Yarra River that has been developed by Mirvac for more than 20 years.

Now home to over 3,000 residents, Yarra’s Edge is anticipated to include 2,300 dwellings once complete. Designed around wellbeing, Yarra’s Edge already features extensive parkland, state-of-the-art health and fitness facilities at Wharf Club and a marina, with future plans for a boutique retail hub to serve the local community, the broader Fishermans Bend, and Docklands catchment areas.

Expressions of interest are now being registered for Trielle by Mirvac, with the official launch planned for early 2023 and construction anticipated to commence in mid to late 2023.&nbsp;

Formerly referred to as Tower 9, the 45-level tower will be the jewel in the crown of the vibrant precinct, commanding an unrepeatable waterfront position on the Collins Street axis of Melbourne

First look: Mirvac reveal Yarra's Edge tallest tower, Trielle

Leading South East Queensland builder turned developer Graya is continuing to bolster it's Palm Beach, Gold Coast apartment development pipeline.

Having filed <a href="/news/qld/exclusive-first-look-graya-set-for-ripple-palm-beach-apartments">plans for Ripple Palm Beach in August</a>,&nbsp;Graya, led by brothers Rob and Andrew Gray, have lodged plans for Kloud Palm Beach, a collection of just 20 apartments on the sought-after Jefferson Lane dress circle.

The 824 sqm site at 154 Jefferson Lane was put together and sold by local development site amalgamation specialists GV Property Group.

Kloud will rise 10 levels and have a mix of two, three and four-bedroom apartments.

Graya now has four projects planned across Mermaid Beach, Burleigh Heads and Palm Beach. Their other Palm Beach project Ripple is just up the road on the beachfront.

<img alt="d" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8190c8d-08fe-4409-9959-4926ae5c0689" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%209.16.33%20am.png?VersionId=Qz3A5uS7xND4SLPO6CHZrseHtw.Gazbx" />

Graya Managing Director Rob Gray says Palm Beach ticks all the boxes for what the team were looking for.

"When selecting a site, we look closely at all of the fundamentals - demand, future infrastructure investment, and lifestyle," Gray says.

"After carefully assessing these criteria, it was a no-brainer when selecting Palm Beach as the ideal location for our next multi-residential development.

"Palm Beach has evolved to be the lifestyle capital of the Gold Coast, with some of the coasts best cafes, bars and restaurants in the precinct, and of course, easy access to one of Queensland's best beaches."

<img alt="d" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="30fdb7ce-d97d-4757-b079-dc14bf6e6069" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%208.13.34%20am.png?VersionId=sN1Gng1i4ux20ZVep0gQIfdp4NH_AkJz" />

In the design submission lodged with the Gold Coast City Council, Graya's inhouse design team said&nbsp;Kloud is a concept that formed from exploration of the coastal lifestyle and its daily patterns and routines.

"Waking with the sunrise, an early morning surf and grabbing a coffee from the local. These patterns are fluid but define a strong rhythm unique to coastal living.&nbsp;

The apartments are primarily oriented towards the coastline, offering sweeping views and visually extending the outdoor spaces.

A communal swimming pool is located on the ground level.

&nbsp;<img alt="f" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1a9ca3dc-53eb-4d91-a7ff-8055c9fd2202" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-19%20at%209.16.47%20am.png?VersionId=7NP1IiOboxl1Z_vRwa.6ALLnhOFTrkvc" />

Andrew Gray, Graya's Co-Managing Director, says the&nbsp;Gold Coast is synonymous with beaches, great weather, and a strong sense of community.

"We're looking forward to showcasing our first Gold Coast multi-residential development, Kloud, and everything it offers.

"This luxury development will be designed and built by Graya. We opted for the name Kloud as it reflects our vision to bring sky homes that float above the horizon, with long views along the beach to Burleigh Headland in the North and Currumbin Headland to the South."

&nbsp;

Graya now has four projects planned across Mermaid Beach, Burleigh Heads and Palm Beach.

GRAYA unveil second Gold Coast apartment project

Since the onset of COVID-19, there's simply not been enough apartment stock on the Gold Coast.

The Coast was well placed in the lead up to 2019, but an influx of demand, both locally and interstate when COVID-19 grabbed hold of the local market in mid-2019, demand has heavily outstripped supply.

The lack of stock has seen a new trend emerge. Established stock has been commanding similar prices to off the plan stock. It's a trend that&nbsp;Evan Raptis, the joint managing director of longtime Gold Coast developer Raptis, believes won't change for the next three to five years.

"We’ve never seen the gap close like this on the Gold Coast before," Raptis says.

"The trend has come about because there's not enough finished stock coming to market between Coolangatta and Hope Island.

"Southerners who have relocated to the Gold Coast post-COVID have had to look to resales to get into the market, and that’s pushed up the price of established stock."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106752 project_image_fid=182210]

Two-bed apartments under 100 sqm have been selling in some of Broadbeach's better towers for $1.2 million, which Raptis says is&nbsp;comparable to what developers are taking deposits on for planned and under construction projects.

Broadbeach is where Raptis will be turning their focus to next, while they complete Pearl at Main Beach.

In early 2023 they'll be launching The Sterling at 6-8 George Avenue. Raptis has just gone back to the drawing board however to amend the application, with the aim of wanting to meet market demand earlier than they previously forecasted. The tower has been&nbsp;designed by the prominent architect Koichi Takada, who only has a handful of Gold Coast developments to his name.

Raptis says Broadbeach has&nbsp;evolved heavily since 2007, when he followed in the footsteps of his father Jim, co-founding developer Emandar Group alongside Aniko Group's George Mastrocostas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106752 project_image_fid=169993]

"Broadbeach has seen a lot of regeneration with Star Entertainment Group’s opening of The Dorsett hotel and the light rail now allowing people to travel to Surfers Paradise and Southport via the light rail network, as well as south. The new Langham Hotel has opened up as well which will bring more global travellers to the suburb."

Raptis are currently developing Pearl in Main Beach, and have sold 80 per cent of the two and three-bedroom apartments.

Apartments have been snapped up largely by owner-occupiers, both locals who are looking to downsize from their family home, and interstate couples who are pre-retirement age.

Two sub-penthouses have sold, and Raptis will be releasing more to the booming penthouse market soon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106752 project_image_fid=182207]

Raptis has now reached level 17 of construction of the 29-level building at 3550-3552 Main Beach Parade.

Raptis says Main Beach will feel like Australia's own version of Monaco, with the future $480 million redevelopment of Mariners Cove which will include a new superyacht marina and a Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Despite the country working its way back to normal in the post pandemic world, Raptis says there's still strong&nbsp;interest in the Gold Coast lifestyle and the desire for new premium apartments with premium amenities in desirable locations.

Raptis has considerable faith in the Gold Coast market, suggesting the city is&nbsp;in a better position to manage national price moderations than it has been in previous cycles.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106752 project_image_fid=182214]

"The city’s economy has matured significantly with investment in health and knowledge, film and creative industries, sports and digital industries," Raptis notes.

"The Work from Home movement has enabled professionals to hold national roles and still live on the Gold Coast. You can even have a role in a global team with the international terminal at Coolangatta Airport opening recently."

Raptis says the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics will further promote the Gold Coast lifestyle, with considerable planned infrastructure to transform the wider South East Queensland location.

"The coastal strip will be beamed around-the-world and we’ll see a new wave of global hotel brands wanting to establish themselves here."

Broadbeach is where Raptis will be turning their focus to next, while they complete Pearl at Main Beach.

Why the Gold Coast apartment market is better placed than ever before: Five minutes with Evan Raptis

Prominent Sydney developer Urban Property Group have lodged a new development application for their coastal Little Bay apartment project.

After securing court approval for a concept development application at their 11,612 sqm Jennifer Street block, they've now recently filed the detailed development application to Randwick City Council that comprises of 76 apartments designed by Hill Thalis Architecture at 11 Jennifer Street.

The proposal adopts the courtyard apartment type, which Hill Thalis founding principal Philip Thalis says is puzzlingly rare in Australian cities, despite its suitability to the climate and long architectural traditions of sociability.

"The courtyard garden type has antecedents in many urban cultures around the world," Hill Thalis noted in the design statement submitted to the council.

"As is the case in many examples of this type, the courtyards organise the primary access and address to the various cores, and they are planted with endemic species and dotted with seats.

"The entry (northern) courtyard has framed vistas open to the landscape on the east side, and back to Reservoir Street to the west. The southern courtyard opens to the ESBS."

<img alt="Jennifer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6680aba7-d7d7-4fe7-accb-1fc47a2fe74a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-12-06%20at%202.01.08%20pm.png?VersionId=hvTxc4Al4.oYYgJTqLf9TyzwaxQqp_Vj" />

The proposal is for 76 dwellings in three separate buildings that frame two substantial landscape courtyards. While the pair of northern buildings that front Crown Road are linear, the larger southern building has a U-shaped configuration.

The apartments are distributed over three and part four residential levels above a single level basement car park.

There will be 10 one-bedroom apartments, 38 two-bedders, and 28 three-bed units. 15 of the ground floor garden apartments have direct street or garden access and private gardens. The top floor apartments on both levels two and three have larger floorplans and have extensive terraces.

"The proposed development provides a mix of accommodation to support the needs of a future population, including families given the sizes and mix of apartments," Hill Thalis added.

Urban Property Group went through the Land and Environment Court to obtain approval for 38 apartments and 8 townhouses back in 2019, but have since been back and forth with design proposals for the site.

The Little Bay area on the eastern side of Anzac Parade has seen new urban precincts created over the last two decades, including the redevelopment of the former Prince Henry Hospital site and the early stages of Little Bay Cove to its immediate north.

The Little Bay project is part of UPG's continually growing development pipeline.

In the past month they've submitted applications in Penrith, and a townhouse and apartment project at Edmondson Park both close to train station infrastructure. Those two projects alone add a further 1,100 dwellings to UPG's pipeline.

<a href="/news/nsw/exclusive-first-look-urban-property-group-prepare-over-1100-dwellings-in-penrith-and-edmondson-park-developments">Read more:&nbsp;Exclusive first look: Urban Property Group prepare over 1100 dwellings in Penrith and Edmondson Park developments</a>

The proposal adopts the courtyard apartment type, which Hill Thalis founding principal Philip Thalis says is puzzlingly rare in Australian cities


Exclusive first look: Urban Property Group reveal Little Bay apartments project

First home buyers and investors are driving the demand in the apartment market in Sydney's western suburbs.

That's what Ray White Projects Western Sydney Managing Director Mark Bernberg, who has seen the market go back and forth in 2022, recently told Urban.

He's calling it the "summer of love" for the two buyer camps.

"First home buyers are taking advantage of the generous government incentives, opting either for the government's stamp duty concessions, or choosing to pay a land tax rather than stamp duty all together," Bernberg says, adding that investors are also well and truly back in the market after a hiatus over the last few years.

"Investors are acting on the current rental crisis which is happening Sydney-wide. They're coming into the market in the knowledge that when projects are complete, they'll be seeing considerably stronger yields than they ever have before."

Sydney was the only capital which bucked the trend of quarterly rental growth decline, according to CoreLogic. Sydney recorded a new cyclical peak of 43 per cent over the three months to October, thanks to the strong return of overseas migration.

Demand for first home buyers and investors was obvious in the Castle Hill apartment development Castle Island by KWG (pictured main), where Ray White Projects sold out all of the one-bedders in the project in double-quick time.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112005 project_image_fid=191253]

The demographic Bernberg is seeing less of is downsizers, who were prominent at the start of the year, but are now starting to reconsider their options as the established housing market continues to dip.

"The majority of downsizers are feeling like they missed the boat to sell their current family home for a premium when prices were at an all time high earlier this year," Bernberg suggests.

He is still seeing some activity in the downsizer market, from those who believe the market could scale back another 10 to 15 per cent and they want to sell sooner rather than later.

Bernberg, who helped set up Ray White's new projects division in Western Sydney earlier this year, believes apartments will outperform houses over the next 12 to 18 months.

"The apartment market as an asset class has everything going for it," Bernberg says.

"Apartments are more affordable than houses, yields are considerably better, there's never been more government incentives in place , and migration is starting to climb."

Demand has bounced around in 2022, which, rather than a tale of two halves, has almost been a tale of three thirds.

"We started the year with real positive momentum. Even in the early stages of the RBA's interest rate hikes, we were still seeing good enquiry and transacting well," Bernberg says. There was considerable success particularly at RWPWS's Jordan Springs project Kala, just outside of Penrith.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27460 project_image_fid=195123]

The strong start to the year began to fade however across the board, as it often does heading into winter, but Bernberg said this winter was different to any other.

"We were into the fourth, fifth and sixth interest rate hikes over what is always the quietest time of the year every year, so prospective buyers were holding off committing to a purchase as they waited to see when the RBA would stop lifting rates."

Despite the expectation the RBA will continue to hike rates into early 2023, Bernberg said that as soon as the sun started shining, buyers were back out in force.

"It was almost like a switch was flicked around September where buyers were starting to come back out. They were starting to see an end in sight for the rate rises, and were able to factor that into their spending. They also wanted to lock in their approvals and purchases before rates continued to climb and their borrowing capacity shrunk further."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27460 project_image_fid=195122]

Bernberg says there's a complicated gap at the moment in the off the plan space, which is being driven by the increased cost in construction.

"In a market downturn, developers would often shave a bit off the price of the apartments in their development," Bernberg states. He adds however that developers just can't&nbsp;

"Given the rising costs of labour and materials, they can't offer sweeping discounts or they won't be able to make the project stack up financially.

"Some prospective buyers are getting some joy in negotiating prices. They're looking for what they deem to be a bargain. If there is wiggle room, and they feel like they're able to get a couple of percent off the original asking price of the apartment, then they're happy to transact and everyone's a winner."

Bernberg, who helped set up Ray White's new projects division in Western Sydney earlier this year, believes apartments will outperform houses over the next 12 to 18 months

"Summer of love for first home buyers and investors": Five minutes with Ray White Projects Western Sydney's Mark Bernberg

Following development approval in September, Malaysian property developer MRCB International has launched it's debut Queensland apartment project, 26 Vista.

Named after it's prime location at 26 Vista Street, just one street back from the sought-after Northcliffe Beach, 26 Vista will rise 51 levels and home 280 apartments starting from $600,000. There will also be six three-storey townhouses that front Northcliffe Light Rail Station.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112730 project_image_fid=208885]

There was a conscious effort by local architecture firm DBI Design to focus on sustainability initiatives which are often seen more frequently in Australia's major capital cities and rarely in the Gold Coast apartment market.

Residents will be encouraged to transition to electric powered vehicles with an array of EV charging ports that will future-proof the development, while a proposed EV car share service is said to be the first on-site service of this kind on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112730 project_image_fid=208886]

Other sustainable initiatives include all residences featuring ultra efficient and luxurious V-Zug appliances, as well as apartments designed to benefit from natural heating and cooling so as to reduce air-conditioning usage.

Managing Director at DBI Architects Raith Anderson said 26 Vista is a building that combines subtropical principles, while offering the opportunity to consolidate a rapidly evolving and vibrant part of the City.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112730 project_image_fid=208887]

“The design philosophy revolves around the dichotomy of the site, located at the junction between the curvilinear punctuated nature of the river and the linearity of the coastal strip," Anderson said.

"The cosmopolitan design of the tower reflects this duality - pairing the timeless language of glass and clean lines on the ocean side with the use of forms, masses and textures addressing the river."

The tower covers just 30 percent of the 3,100 sqm site, and is orientated to the east to take advantage of its proximity to the ocean and access to sunlight and ocean breezes, while maximising views towards the river and the hinterland.

26 Vista is offering extensive amenities to residents including an internal wellbeing precinct featuring a spa, gym, outdoor yoga space, pool, sauna and steam room and a residents lounge.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112730 project_image_fid=208898]

A secondary residents lounge will be located beside the level 51 observation deck, surrounded by a rooftop garden.

“The recreational level allows for the transition from podium to tower creating a deep eave, visually reinforcing the subtropical approach to the building,” Anderson added.

MRCB International CEO Ravi Krishnan said the group is thrilled to be making a mark on Australia’s fastest growing city.

“We noticed the growth in interstate migration to the Gold Coast from the southern states, and the high demand within the region," Krishnan said.

"This, coupled with the forecasted lack of dwelling supply, drove our decision to invest in Surfers Paradise. The fact that the site that we purchased was in an enviable location influenced the decision.

“Inevitably, the Gold Coast will continue to grow as a region. The trend for footloose industries to locate themselves in areas with beautiful weather, tourism opportunities, and solid employment, have meant we couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity to invest in the Gold Coast."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112730 project_image_fid=208888]

Recent council population data forecasts that by 2041, the Surfers Paradise population will have nearly doubled and it is estimated that of that, close to 85,900&nbsp; people will live in high-rise towers.

Construction is scheduled to commence on 26 Vista in the third quarter of 2023, with the project scheduled for completion in 2026.

One-bedroom apartments are starting from $600,000, two-bedroom units start from $875,000, and the three-bed units from $1.8m.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112730]

There was a conscious effort by local architecture firm DBI Design to focus on sustainability initiatives which are often seen more frequently in Australia's major capital cities and rarely in the Gold Coast apartment market

MRCB launch sustainably-focused Surfers Paradise apartments, 26 Vista

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

Joel Robinson

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