<html><body>
The Horizon, Darlinghurst apartment that screamed decor by the interior designer Greg Natale has been sold for $1,275,000. 
Anthony Birdsall at Laing Real Estate secured the sale for Natale after he changed agencies following its uneventful August auction when it passed in at a disappointing $1.15 million.
Natale did have huge expectations as he bought the one bedroom 14th floor apartment in 2010 for $630,000 with his partner Jason Greenhalgh, then renovated in 2011 with his signature wallpaper and carpet.
It is just 70 square metres in Harry Seidler’s iconic Horizon building renown for its wave-shaped balconies. It first sold off the plan in 1998 at $310,000.
He is not venturing far having bought a two bedroom 10th floor apartment with 110 square metres space that was once owned by his first designer boss, the late Garth Barnett. 
It cost $1,785,000 having first traded in 1998 at $475,000.
Natale, who studied interior design at the Design Centre Enmore in Sydney, started Greg Natale Design in 2001 with his first project the design of his physiotherapist sister, Sarina’s $165,000 one-bedroom Summr Hill apartment.
There have been 16 Horizon sales registered so far this year ranging from $905,000 to $2,525,000. 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Designer Greg Natale sells Horizon, Darlinghurst apartment

<html><body>
Set on the Bellarine Peninsula, and coming with $4.5 million to $5 million price hopes, is the home of the retired thoroughbred breeder Ted Cockram.
The architect-designed four bedroom home is on the southern tip of the Bluff, not far from the Barwon Heads Golf Club.
Its fixtures and finishes include Canadian maple ceilings, stone dust render walls and Siberian oak floors.
<img src="/images/2016/12/15/Bowran%20Heads.jpg" alt="">
Levi Turner of Bellarine Property has the listing.
</body></html>

Ted Cockram's Barwon Heads home listed for sale

<html><body>
Celebrity doctor Ginni Mansberg - who appeared in the Embarrassing Bodies Down Under series on Foxtel - has finally sold her redundant Potts Point apartment. 
It came with a revised asking price of between $2.7 million and $2.9 million through Kevin Fine of Fine &amp; Country Double Bay.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-potts+point-123020410" target="_blank">Mansberg</a> has owned the two-storey apartment since 2013 when the three bedroom apartment was bought for $2.1 million from developers Bob and Libby Lowres of Fiji's Naisoso Island.
<img src="/images/2016/12/14/Potts%20Point.jpg" alt="">
Since her purchase she has added some cosmetic touches to enhance the views over Woolloomooloo Bay and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The regular on Seven's Sunrise morning show is off to Queens Park.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.
</body></html>

Ginni Mansberg's Potts Point apartment sold

<html><body>
New borrowers should be better placed to withstand any adverse shocks to income or decline in housing prices than would otherwise have been the case, the latest RBA research suggests.
Its comments comes noting lenders have announced many changes to a range of price and non-price lending terms and conditions to strengthen their lending practices in response to supervisory expectations, according to the position paper entitled Macroprudential Policy Frameworks and Tools.
<a href="/images/2016/12/15/Graph%205.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/15/Graph%205.jpg" alt="">
It noted by April 2016, the pace of investor housing credit had declined from its recent peak of about 11 per cent to just below 5 per cent on a six-month annualised basis (Graph 6).
<a href="/images/2016/12/15/Graph%206.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/15/Graph%206.jpg" alt="">
It also noted loan approvals for investor housing have increased over recent months, accompanied by an increase in housing price growth, driven by Sydney and Melbourne in particular.
"Even so, the earlier tightening in lending standards has helped to increase the resilience of household sector balance sheets, and hence also those of lenders, as new borrowers should be better placed to withstand any adverse shocks to income or decline in housing prices than would otherwise have been the case."
The paper noted the lenders' many changes were to a range of price and non-price lending terms along with conditions to strengthen their lending practices in response to supervisory expectations.
"In particular, interest rates for both new and existing investor loans were increased,10 high-LVR lending.
"There is now a differential between the indicator rate for owner-occupier and investor housing loans for the first time since 1996."
The paper advised it was important new borrowers "do not overstretch themselves to purchase property or rely on expectations of future increases in housing prices to enable them to do so." 
The paper was written by David Orsmond and Fiona Price. The paper was intended to make the results of current economic research within the Bank available for discussion and comment, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Bank.
</body></html>

New borrowers ought be able to withstand adverse shocks: RBA research

<html><body>
<div>
One Melbourne property developer is offering a generous 25-year rental guarantee in a bid to lure Chinese buyers back to the market.
It was offered to clients of China's biggest online real estate agency, Fang.com, The Australian Financial Review has reported.
</div>
<div><img src="/images/2016/12/15/703-2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Other developers like Volaire apartments, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-west+melbourne-123861814" target="_blank">9 Dryburgh Street, West Melbourne</a>, have discounted prices. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The discounts in Volaire are via cash rebates equivalent to around 7 per cent of the apartment's value.</div>
</body></html>

Chinese buyers being enticed to Melbourne with price discounts and 25 year rental guarantee

<html><body>
Corporate adviser, Jane Stuchberry has sold her restored six bedroom 1908 Toorak mansion, Glyn.
It was listed with $12 million plus hopes in May.
It was designed by architect Rodney Alsop in the arts and crafts style with gabled roofs, prominent eaves and artisan features.
There's ornate timberwork with Australian native flora motifs in the Kooyong Road home built for Sir Edward Miller, who was a founding shareholder in BHP.
Set on 2420 square metres of gardens, now with a tennis court and heated pool, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-toorak-122574402" target="_blank">Glyn</a> was been offered through Kay &amp; Burton agents Darren Lewenberg and Ross Savas.
<img src="/images/2016/12/15/Toorak-2.jpg" alt="">
It last traded at $5.1 million in 2003 when sold by recruiter Lorraine Tribe to Stuchberry and lawyer Andrew Fairley.
It prior owners included Joe and Zita Gersh and Mark and Shari Read too in the mid-1980s. 
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian Mansion Australia property section.
</body></html>

Toorak's 1908 trophy home Glyn sold

<html><body>
The latest Housing Monitor results for Metropolitan Sydney indicate that housing completions have dropped to only 53 per cent of those that receive planning approval, according to the Urban Taskforce.
“The September update of the Department of Planning’s Housing Monitor for Greater Sydney indicates that over the last 12 months there were 30,319 housing completions compared to 57,073 approvals.” says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson.
“Only 53 per cent of the approvals seem to be converting to actual completions.”
“There will be a time lag between the approval stage and the completion stage for housing but when the five year average is taken into account there does seem to be a Sydney problem.
The 5 year average for completions as a percentage of approvals is 58 per cent so clearly nearly half of the approvals do not proceed.”
“The Urban Taskforce believes a significant part of the low conversion rate is because of excessive conditions, referrals and levies that are required with the approval that make projects unfeasible to be realised.
"Often conditions require significant upgradings of local roads, referrals to State Government agencies that require payment for works and an increasing number of affordable housing levies.
“Our main concern is that the conversion rate from approvals to completions seems to be going down with this years rate of only 53 per cent compared to the 5 year average of 58%.”
“There is a trend towards larger sized apartment projects with 71 percent of completions for Sydney this year being for apartments and 65 percent of these are for projects of 50 or more housing units with most of these having over 100 units.”
“The State Government tends to focus on approvals for housing performance but the real focus must be on the number of new homes completed.
Sydney needs an average of 36,300 new homes each year for 20 years.
"In boom times like we have now this should be over 40,000 yet the current yearly figure is only 30,319 new homes.
"To get another 10,000 homes built each year in Sydney we need to convert 70 per cent of approvals rather than the current 53 per cent but adding more taxes and levies is likely to drive the conversion rate down rather than up.
“A significant concern with the number of conditions on approvals is that the the banks are not lending on the basis of these extra costs so this is reducing the supply of housing in Metro Sydney with the inevitable consequence that housing costs go up making affordability even harder for first home buyers."
</body></html>

Only 53% of approved apartments and houses actually getting built across Sydney 

<html><body>
Despite periodic warnings from the Reserve Bank about crazy prices, the Sydney market place has just had a year that no-one foresaw in terms of continued strong price growth.
But Brian White, chairman of real estate agency Ray White, says that homeowners’ and buyers’ sensitivity to interest rates remained "acute."
Any talk of rising interest rates dampens buyer enthusiasm across the Sydney property market.
And when rates do actually rise, the doubts set in further as buyers pause putting their hand too deep into their pockets. And often not buying at all.
It was no surprise that the tail end of 2016's auctions has seen a seasonal turn in the pitch as the last minute boost in numbers hits the market.
Clearance rates that were in the 80s, now into the mid-70 as many buyers turned off - perhaps to come back next year.
The recent auction market fatique also had much to do with interest rate headlines.
Ever since the Trump triumph in the United State in early November, its been subject to much speculation.
And the past fortnight has seen the big banks make early adjustments, to fixed rates more so than the more popular variable home loans. 
The Commonwealth Bank, the country’s biggest lender lifted the rate of its popular 3-year fixed rate by 0.20 percentage points to 4.24 percent.
It also lifted its longer-term 5-year fixed rate by 0.60 percentage points to 4.74 percent.
CBA was following Westpac with a RateCity.com.au analysis showing a further 20 lenders had lifted rates 268 fixed products since November 1.  
Peter Arnold, data insights director at RateCity.com.au said fixed rates are based on market expectations of future rates and "are the best indicator that we’ve got that a variable rate hike on the way.".
“Previously, banks were betting on lower rates in the future but we’re seeing those expectations change by the day."
<div id="x_x_story-description">
All the recent talk and then movements will dictate the direction of house price growth in 2017, having already started to dampened the market.
There are two substantive price forecasts out for 2017. 
Housing price growth of between 5 and 6 percent is expected for 2017 for detached houses is tipped by Paul Bloxham, the HSBC chief economist.
He expects Sydney apartment prices to track at a slower pace than detached houses at between 0 and 4 percent.
Bloxham noted what he called a substantial 66 percent ramp-up in housing prices in Sydney since mid-2012.
He added some of the price growth was at a "worrisome pace" of Sydney price growth, particularly in 2014 and 2015.
But following a tightening in prudential settings starting in late 2014, housing price growth had slowd from double-digit growth last year to high single-digit rates this year.
The other forecast came from SQM's Louis Christopher who has more often got it right than wrong.
He suggests the Reserve Bank of Australia will need the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to reign in home lending once again, or lift interest rates, or do both to avert a dangerous housing bubble.
Christopher suggested a scenario house prices in Sydney could rise between 11 and 16 percent given a combination of factors including loose monetary policy, strong population growth and booming local economies.
The early November forecast assumed a stable interest rate environment, a stable exchange rate and no further home lending restrictions by APRA.
A rate rise by the RBA of 25bps would curtail the rising Sydney market to beween 8 and 13 percent for the year.
The article first appeared in the Saturday Telegraph
</div>
</body></html>

What will happen to Sydney prices in 2017?

<html><body>
Seccull House, the modernised, acclaimed Guilford Bell designed home in Brighton remains listed through the Kay &amp; Burton agent Darren Lewenberg.
Offers in excess of $9 million for the home of cardiologists Martin Hiscock and Silvana Marasco were initially sought in early spring.
Now its offers around $8.8 million.
The couple are only the third owners of the home.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2016/12/14/Brighton.jpg" alt="">
It was built for William and Elaine Seccull in 1972.
Considered one of Bell's most important works, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brighton-123966306" target="_blank">Seccull House</a> was renovated by Martin and Silvana with the help of Bell's younger business partner Graham Fisher.
Bell's iconic full-height, uninterrupted glazed windows allow the home to open to the outside.
Martin Hiscock recently led the team seeking a revival of fortunes at Richmond Football Club.
</body></html>

Seccull House, Brighton for sale with $8.8 million hopes

<html><body>
The Canberra bound veteran social researcher Hugh Mackay has sold his Southern Highlands retreat at Exeter.
Set amid 3,080 sqm of gardens, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-exeter-124030082" target="_blank">the architect designed brick home</a> was marketed as offering "The Good Life" - a reference to his recent book.
Highlands Property agent Sarah Wotton had a price guide of $1.05 million which was paid by a Sydney buyer for the three bedroom house with home office and two verandah rooms..
Mackay paid $450,000 in 2008 with wife, Sheila.
<img src="/images/2016/12/14/Exeter.jpg" alt="">
Hugh has been at the fore of research since the late 1970s. 
Their three bedroom Cammeray townhouse recently sold for $1.96 million.
The article was first published in the Saturday Telegraph
</body></html>

Researcher Hugh Mackay sells at Exeter

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/bottega-property-group">Bottega House</a> has secured council approval for its first Brisbane project - a $270 million luxury residential development on an absolute riverfront site in leafy St Lucia.&nbsp;

The 15-storey project, known as <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/st-lucia-by-bottega-house-180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">St Lucia by Bottega House</a> , will occupy a prime north-facing site at 178-180 Macquarie Street, directly fronting the Brisbane River in the established inner-west suburb known for its rowing clubs, golf courses and sprawling University of Queensland campus.&nbsp;

St Lucia by Bottega House will feature a suite of amenities including dedicated wellness spaces, a mineral pool and cold plunge. The project has been positioned to attract affluent owner-occupiers seeking high-quality, house-sized apartments.&nbsp;

Bottega House has been set up by co-directors Nick Malloch, Louis Mennes and Craig Marsh.

Malloch said the project drew inspiration from its Brisbane River setting and leafy inner-west surrounds, while responding to the demands of discerning locals looking to transition from freestanding homes into apartment living.&nbsp;

"With an expansive river frontage and lush green surrounds, we knew we had to create something special that reflects the natural beauty of the location while offering residents masterfully crafted homes," said Malloch.&nbsp;

"Our intent was to complement the project's quiet, private setting by introducing residences that offer a calm retreat and sanctuary from the everyday. The result is a harmonious blend of architecture, interiors and amenity that emphasises wellbeing, comfort and beauty without excess."&nbsp;

Malloch added that project consultants had been carefully selected in alignment with Bottega House's commitment to care, quality and attention to detail. The design team includes architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a>, interiors practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/urbis">Urbis</a>.&nbsp;

Three-bedroom apartments are expected to start around $5 millio. Selling agents Keenan &amp; Byrne said the pricing strategy for the project was anticipated to achieve upwards of $25,500 per square metre.&nbsp;

The project's development approval this week follows the success of Bottega House's inaugural Queensland project - a 22-storey collection of full-floor sky homes at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast which included the sale of a two-storey penthouse at a record price for a beachside residence.&nbsp;

St Lucia by Bottega House is expected to launch to market in November, with construction anticipated to be completed mid 2029.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151826]

Joel Robinson

Bottega House to make Brisbane debut with St Lucia riverfront apartment development

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> is advancing its affordable apartment model into Brisbane with the acquisition of another site at Cordelia Street in South Brisbane for $27 million.

Sherpa, which has a $1.7 billion pipeline across Southeast Queensland, intends to bring a cohort of apartments exclusively for first homebuyers into its proposed 186-apartment project to be built at 2 Cordelia Street.

The Sherpa model has already been incredibly well received from their Gold Coast projects, where Sherpa Group set aside a number of apartments exclusively for first homebuyers.

The new $320 million project marks Sherpa Group's second development in Brisbane, following its $255 million Symphony project, also on Cordelia Street, which is currently under construction.

Symphony will deliver 146 apartments across 28 levels, offering a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. With 114 already sold, construction by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/lps-group">LPS Group</a> is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7574 project_image_fid=351654]

Sherpa Founder, Christie Leet, said the company was excited to be venturing into Brisbane for its second residential project.

“We’re big believers in the future of Brisbane as we lead into the 2032 Olympics and beyond,” Leet said.

“The success of Symphony has guided us into what will be our second project and we look forward to submitting our plans with council soon so we can deliver yet another quality project to the inner city residential market.

“Our Flourish model has been very well received both in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and we’re excited to be able to offer some of these apartments again exclusively to first homebuyers to help get them into the property market.

“The model has been extraordinarily well received in our previous projects and it is something we are committed to moving forward.”

2 Cordelia Street will be designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hal-architects">HAL Architects</a> &amp; Finegrain and will include Sherpa’s signature residential amenities including pool, gym, recreation, wellness and work from home spaces.

The project will feature ground-floor commercial space, creating a vibrant amenity for residents and the surrounding community.

A development application will be lodged with Brisbane City Council in August on the code compliant site and will be launched to the market early 2027.

Sherpa acquires new site for second Brisbane apartment tower

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.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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.

&nbsp;

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> 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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]

Jonathan Chancellor

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News