<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
The national housing market has recorded a slight decline in median house and unit values over August 2016 according to the Residex median value index.
The falls in median values have been fairly broad-based across the country.
The August figures are detailed in Table 1 below (note that Residex median values are non-revisionary and are published monthly. The methodology used to calculate median values is different to Residex’s quarterly repeat sales index).
<a href="https://blog.residex.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-09-20-market_update_residex.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
Table 1: August 2016 Median Value Index
 <a href="https://blog.residex.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-09-20-market_update_residex.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-4467" src="https://blog.residex.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016-09-20-market_update_residex-1024x699.png" alt="2016-09-20--market_update_residex" width="695" height="474"></a>
Source: Onthehouse.com.au
Across the nation, median house values fell by 0.86 percent in August and unit values declined by a very similar 0.87 percent.
While most regions have recorded a decline in median values in August, it is quite a different picture over the past 12 months.
Median house values have increased over the 12 months to August 2016 in most regions of the country and are 6.58 percent higher nationally. In comparison, seven of the 16 regions published in Table 1 have recorded a fall in median unit value over the past year. Nationally, median unit values have increased by 2.91% which is less than half the rate of growth of in house values.
When we look at the median house and median unit data over time, it shows that house and unit values are now below their peak in all regions. The magnitude of these declines varies significantly on a region-by-region basis as well as across different property types.
Graph 1 below highlights the magnitude of decline in median house values from the respective market peaks across the capital cities and nationally.
Graph 1: Change in median house values from their respective peak to August 2016 
<a href="/images/2016/10/05/2016-09-20-image1-1024x741.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/10/05/2016-09-20-image1-1024x741.png" alt="">
Source: Onthehouse.com.au
Across the country, median house values are 0.9 percent lower than their previous peak. In terms of the greatest declines from peak, they have predictably occurred in the regions which have the greatest exposure to the resources sector. Regional Western Australia has been hardest hit with median house values 22.6 percent lower than they were at their peak. Perth, Darwin and Regional Northern Territory house values have also recorded substantially falls from their respective peaks, down 8.8 percent, 9.5 percent and 7.9 percent respectively.
In all other regions analysed, the decline since the market peak has been less than 5 percent.
Graph 2 following highlights the decline from the respective market peak to August 2016 for median unit values across the major regions of the country.
Graph 2: Change in median unit values from their respective peak to August 2016 
<a href="/images/2016/10/05/2016-09-20-image2-1024x741.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/10/05/2016-09-20-image2-1024x741.png" alt="">
Source: Onthehouse.com.au
The results show a similar picture to what has unravelled for housing, with those regions linked closest to the resources sector having recorded the greatest value declines. At a national level, median unit values are currently 0.9% lower than their peak which is an equivalent decline to that recorded for houses. The regions with the largest overall declines in median unit values have been: Regional Western Australia (15.1 percent), Regional Northern Territory (14.1 percent), Darwin (13.7 percent), Perth (11.3 percent) and Regional South Australia (8.4 percent).
Across most regions of the country median house values have recorded more moderate overall declines than units however, there have been a handful of exceptions. In Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Regional Western Australia, the overall decline in median house values have been greater than median unit value declines.
Eliza Owen is the market analyst for Onthehouse.com.au. She can be contacted <a href="https://www.onthehouse.com.au/" target="_blank">here.</a>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Declines from property market peaks continue: Eliza Owen

<html><body>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/66414/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
It is surely time for governments around the world, including Australia’s, to remember the first law of holes: if you’re in one, stop digging.
Governments have been digging madly since the global financial crisis, injecting massive amounts of monetary and fiscal stimulus. It hasn’t worked. 
We don’t have much to show for it in Australia - an interest bill of $16 billion on government debt compared with zero before the crisis, and a growth rate and unemployment rate that are struggling to meet long term averages. 
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has repeatedly downgraded its global growth forecasts over the past decade and is about to releaseanother downbeat global growth forecast.
The world economy is in its 6th year of below average growth since 1990. Japan has not grown at all - its GDP in 2016 is exactly at the level it was in 2008 – despite massive amounts of monetary and fiscal stimulus over a decade. 
Growth in Europe has remained below 1% every year since 2008, well below its pre-crisis levels, despite the United States Federal Reserve relentlessly pumping new money into the banking system with interest rates already zero. And the US also remains in a funk with growth at 1.5%, less than the 2.5% long run average, having also pumped new money into its banking system and running budget deficits every year that have seen government debt steadily grow as a share of the economy.
Incredibly, the IMF and some governments have not given up. They now accept that perhaps cheap money and plenty of it hasn’t worked, but they still cling to fiscal stimulus as the last great hope as long as it’s the right kind. 
According to the IMF, debt-financed government infrastructure spending is the answer – think roads, ports, power and communication networks. They have constructed a mathematical model showing that such infrastructure spending, funded by borrowing, actually reduces the government debt to GDP ratio in a world of low interest rates. This is because it boosts GDP by more than it raises debt, and boosts overall economic wellbeing.
This will be music to the ears of those politicians who want to spend big on infrastructure. It is however a pipedream. 
The problem is not so much what the debt is used for, although that does matter, it is more the size of debt itself. Since 2008, government debt has increased in almost all advanced countries as a ratio to GDP. 
In the US total government debt has increased from 92 to 125%, in the UK from 63 to 114%, in Japan from 184 to 246%, in Australia from 34 to 65%, and even in relatively austere Germany from 68 to 82%. The combination of rising government debt and booming asset prices (stocks and housing) financed by monetary stimulus is dangerous. 
We have seen through the global financial crisis the devastating effects of a collapse in asset prices on the economy, especially on economies with debts whether held by the private or public sector. Indeed it’s this memory that is surely one of the factors currently holding back spending by households and firms.
In this environment, it would be reckless of governments to embark on major fiscal stimulus that raises their debt levels further. The IMF’s model does not take account of the risk of an asset price collapse in a world of high debt and the effect this has on private sector spending. 
It needs to be said that the IMF’s model is essentially the same type of model that it uses to forecast GDP growth of countries and which The Economist found had an appalling record of inaccuracy. The Economist team took a sample of 220 instances from 1999 to 2014 where a country went from growth in one year to recession in the next, and found that the IMF had never once predicted the looming recession in its April forecasts of the previous year.
There is at least one prescription to the world’s low growth problem that governments have not yet tried. That is to do precisely nothing – stop digging. We may even discover things about the economy’s restorative powers that we didn’t know, or had forgotten.
A related idea is to actively unwind government intervention where evidence suggests it is not working. It is easy to dismiss such prescriptions as the old-hat 1990s deregulation agenda. 
But that was a period of great prosperity in Australia and elsewhere. In any case it’s not about deregulation, but more like what David Cameron in the UK called “better regulation” which was enabled through the Deregulation Act 2015. It is worth noting that growth in the UK has been the strongest in Europe in recent years.
Back to home, the Reserve Bank of Australia should keep its power dry when it meets today and hold its official interest rate steady at 1.5 percent. And so it should for some time to come. 
The Australian government should do the same and not be seduced by the siren call from the IMF and others to spend up big on infrastructure.
Ross Guest is professor of economics and National Senior Teaching Fellow, Griffith University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ross-guest-13155" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Governments and central banks should stop trying to stimulate the economy

<html><body>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/66209/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
So much of the national conversation about superannuation simply assumes that “savings for retirement” is synonymous with “superannuation savings”. This is a big mistake. 
This mistake partly explains why we got into such a mess with excessively generous tax breaks for super. It also underlies misguided plans to increase superannuation contributions to 12 percent of earnings. 
<h2>Super doesn’t equal retirement savings</h2>
Any sensible conversation about superannuation policy must start by recognising how households save for retirement, and why.
It’s become conventional wisdom that people will retire on their superannuation savings, perhaps topped up by the Age Pension. Even ASIC’s retirement savings calculator – which enables people to estimate their future retirement income – presumes that superannuation and the Age Pension alone will fund retirement. The assumption that superannuation accounts for the bulk of households’ retirement savings has underpinned claims that most Australians aren’t saving enough for their retirement. 
Yet the stark reality is that superannuation savings account for only a small portion – about 15% – of the wealth of most households. Even without counting the family home, the average Australian saves as much outside as inside the super system. For older households close to retirement, assets other than super are often even larger than the value of their homes.
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139681/width754/image-20160929-27014-1xnfczl.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<h4><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139681/width754/image-20160929-27014-1xnfczl.png" alt=""></h4>
Super’s modest contribution to retirement savings is true for households of most levels of wealth and income, as confirmed by new analysis for the Grattan Institute of both ABS data and the Melbourne Institute’s HILDA survey. 
It is true that many of those with little wealth report a larger share of savings in superannuation than in other assets, but only because their total savings are small. For such low-wealth households, the Age Pension will always be their main source of retirement income.
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139685/width754/image-20160929-27026-1ccwlzy.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<h4><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139685/width754/image-20160929-27026-1ccwlzy.png" alt=""></h4>
<h2>Even younger households save a lot outside of super</h2>
When confronted with facts about the modest contribution of super to retirement savings, super’s cheerleaders point out that the system is immature. Compulsory super only began in 1992, with compulsory contributions of 3% of wages, rising to 9% by 2002 and 9.5% since 2014-15. It will be another two decades before typical retirees will have contributed at least 9% of their wages to super for their entire working lives. So surely super will account for a larger share of household savings in future? 
While we might expect younger households to save more in super, and less outside, that’s simply not true. Their assets outside are typically as large as their assets inside superannuation, even without counting home ownership. This is so even for households in the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups who have had high levels of compulsory super for most of their working lives. 
<h2>Non-super savings will remain large</h2>
The enduring importance of non-super savings should come as no surprise. While compulsory superannuation forces people to save more via superannuation, there’s little evidence that non-super savings have fallen very much in response. 
A recent Reserve Bank of Australia study found that each extra dollar of compulsory superannuation savings was accompanied by an offsetting fall in non-super savings of only between 10 and 30 cents. As a result, compulsory super has added a lot to private savings in Australia – an estimated 1.5% of GDP a year over the past two decades. 
There is little reason to expect this pattern of non-super saving to change radically. Households hold a material portion of their wealth outside of super so that they have an option to use it before turning 60, and because they are nervous that government may change the superannuation rules before they retire.
Other asset classes, such as negatively geared property, are taxed lightly and so will likely remain an attractive vehicle for accumulating wealth. Whatever the motivation, most households heading towards retirement have substantial non-super, non-home assets to draw on.
Super as a proportion of total assets is somewhat higher for 55-64-year-olds when compared to younger households. This is partly because households aged over 55 contribute more voluntarily. They transfer assets they have already accumulated into super to attract a lower tax rate, knowing that if necessary they can withdraw immediately, or within a year or two. While this asset shuffling reduces their tax bills, it adds little to genuine retirement savings. 
<h2>One implication: super tax breaks should be more limited</h2>
Acknowledging super’s more modest contribution to retirement savings has big implications for retirement incomes policy. 
Since most Australians will rely upon a range of assets and income sources to support their retirement, we shouldn’t expect superannuation alone to provide an “adequate” or even a “comfortable” retirement, as the super industry demands. 
A number of prominent studies claim we face a retirement savings crisis, but they ignore non-super savings. This leads them to advocate ever-more-generous tax breaks so that super alone is enough to provide an adequate retirement income, even though the reality of retirement incomes will be different for most households. 
The government plans to legislate that the purpose of superannuation is to provide income to supplement or substitute the Age Pension. This implies that super tax breaks should cut out at the point that people no longer qualify for even a part Age Pension (a pre-tax income of A$75,000 for a couple). If the earnings on non-super savings are ignored, then this leads to super tax breaks for a lot of people unlikely to qualify for an Age Pension. 
The next round of reforms to super tax breaks will need to do better on this score. 
<h2>Another implication: no need to increase the Super Guarantee to 12 percent</h2>
Ignoring non-super savings may also lead policymakers to force people to save too much through superannuation. A common aim of retirement income policy is to support lifetime consumption smoothing: maintaining a more consistent standard of living across people’s lives. Compulsory saving via the Superannuation Guarantee forces people to save while they are working so they have more to spend in retirement. 
But there is no magic pudding when it comes to superannuation. Higher compulsory super contributions are ultimately funded by lower wages, which means lower living standards for workers today. 
In fact current levels of compulsory super contributions and Age Pension are likely to provide a reasonable retirement for most Australians. 
If we project forward the retirement income for a median income earner working for 40 years, and account for just compulsory super contributions – in other words, we ignore any voluntary superannuation contributions and savings outside of super – we find that today’s 9.5% Superannuation Guarantee and the Age Pension would provide the average worker with a retirement income equal to 79% of their pre-retirement wage (also known as a replacement rate). 
About two-thirds of income earners can expect a retirement income of at least 70% of their pre-retirement income – the replacement rate for the median earner used by the Mercer Global Pension Index and endorsed by the OECD. 
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139706/width754/image-20160929-27014-1irgtgd.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<h4><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139706/width754/image-20160929-27014-1irgtgd.jpg" alt=""></h4>
Once non-super savings are taken into account, many workers are likely to have a higher standard of living when they retire in 40 years’ time than during their working life. This is before we consider that people have much lower spending needs in retirement, particularly in the later stages of life when government covers much of their largest costs of health and age care. 
This modelling of the future shouldn’t be a surprise. It matches what is already happening today. The non-housing expenditure of retirement-age households today, many of whom did not retire with any super, is typically more than 70% of that of working-age households today. 
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139698/width754/image-20160929-27037-1npkr59.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<h4><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/139698/width754/image-20160929-27037-1npkr59.jpg" alt=""></h4>
Current levels of retirement spending appear to be sustainable. Most households in retirement only draw down very slowly on their superannuation and their broader savings. Consequently, most are likely to leave material bequests. 
The policy implication is that there is no compelling case to compel households to save 12% of their income through the Super Guarantee as currently legislated. This would effectively compel most people to save for a higher living standard in retirement than they enjoy during their working lives. 
In practice, given typical retiree spending patterns, a 12% Super Guarantee will primarily result in larger bequests. It would be better to leave the Super Guarantee where it is – at 9.5% of wages. This is consistent with the 2009 Henry Tax Review, which found that the Super Guarantee of 9% then in force would be enough to give most Australians “a substantial replacement of their income, well above that provided by the Age Pension”. 
<h2>Ignore the vested interests</h2>
Powerful vested interests are pushing the idea that super equals retirement savings. Yet such a view is inconsistent with the facts. Super’s importance to retirement savings has been overblown for far too long. 
As the debate heats up over policy for Australia’s A$2 trillion super sector, recognising what households actually save, and why, would be a big step in the right direction.
John Daley is chief executive officer, Grattan Institute and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-daley-1870" target="_blank">here.</a>
Brendan Coates is a friend of The Conversation and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-coates-154644" target="_blank">here</a>.
Hugh Parsonage is associate, Grattan Institute and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hugh-parsonage-210671" target="_blank">here</a>. 
All are authors for The Conversation.
</body></html>

The superannuation myth: why it’s a mistake to increase contributions to 12 percent of earnings

<html><body>
The Alexandria-apartment bound Neale Whitaker, a judge on Channel 9’s The Block, has sold his Surry Hills terrace.
He and partner David Novak-Piper had <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-surry+hills-123532634" target="_blank">the Riley Street terrace</a> initially listed with a price guide of $1.575 million. It was then lifted to $1.6 million.
The auction was brought forward with it selling at $1,756,000.
The couple renovated the terrace that spans three levels after Neale paid $690,000 in 2005.
There's an open-plan kitchen and lounge room that flows out to a rear courtyard with a deck. There is also a separate dining and living room and a central sunroom that opens on to an atrium.
There are original fireplaces throughout the home including in the main bedroom.
The marketing featured their two Weimaraners.
Arriving in Australia from London in 1999, Whitaker came to Sydney to take the helm of Marie Claire Lifestyle.
Whitaker started his career in the office of legendary British PR guru Lynne Franks (on whom the character of Eddy in Absolutely Fabulous was based).
He is doing his 10th series of The Block.
</body></html>

The Block judge Neale Whitaker sells his Surry Hills terrace

<html><body>
Westpac is reducing the maximum allowable interest-only term for investment property loans to 10 years.
The interest-only term could previously be extended to 15 years, according to brokers. 
In addition, the 12-year fixed rate investment property loan and its low documentation equivalent will no longer be available.
In August last year Westpac tightened its credit policies for interest-only mortgages, given it was an emerging area where financial regulators have raised concerns about bank underwriting standards.
The country's biggest lender to landlords told brokers of changes in August last year requiring new interest-only borrowers to be tested against their ability to make principal, and interest and fees payments over the "residual" period of the loan after the interest-only period had ended.
In May last year the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority chairman Wayne Byres singled out interest-only as a concerning issue.
He said that if a borrower sought a 30-year loan with a five-year interest-free period, only a minority of banks assessed the borrower's ability to make principal and interest payments over the remaining 25 years.
This was the approach Westpac was adopting.
Instead, Mr Byres said that "despite the contractual terms", most lenders assumed the borrower would make principal and interest payments over the full term of the loan.
This assumption allowed banks to "inflate the hypothetical borrower's apparent surplus income by, in our particular example, around 5 per cent", Mr Byres said.
</body></html>

Westpac tightens interest-only investor loan rules

<html><body>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/65332/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Most people think of soil only in terms of the dirt that sticks stubbornly to their hands and shoes. But soil is much more than that.
A handful of soil is a small and very complex ecosystem which includes soil particles, pores, aggregates, organic matter and a staggering number of microorganisms, all of which interact to keep the soil healthy and productive.
Each soil is different. The primary factor determining the physical properties of a soil is particle size. Sandy soils have a coarse structure, large pores and little ability to hold on to water and nutrients, which makes them prone to leaching.
Clayey soils hold nutrients and water, but because the pores are small they are prone to waterlogging.
The pores between soil particles are important for water flow but also for the movement of gases. Particularly important is the exchange of oxygen with the atmosphere, because plant roots and most soil organisms need oxygen to breathe.
Sand, silt and clay particles are bound together to form aggregates. These aggregates form the skeleton, or matrix, for chemical and biological processes which are critical for soil functions.
<h2>Nitty-gritty</h2>
Organic matter and soil microorganisms play key roles in the formation and stability of aggregates.
Think of organic matter as being the glue or mortar between soil particles. But the organic matter needs be decomposed to be most effective. And this is where soil microorganisms come in.
Each gram of soil contains a billion bacteria, which is almost as much as the human population of China or India, and about 50 times the number of people in Australia.
And this number does not even include soil fungi. All these bacteria and fungi can coexist because they have different needs or don’t interact.
For example, a bacterium on one side of the aggregate is quite isolated from a bacterium on the other side of the same aggregate. So even if these two bacteria have similar needs, they don’t compete.
They may also not compete because they are not active at the same time. In a given soil condition, only a small proportion of the bacterial population is active. The majority are inactive (dormant) and come to life only when conditions are optimal for them.
Another reason for the staggering number of microbes in a gram of soil is the huge diversity. A gram of soil contains around a million different species. Among them are generalists but there are also specialists, such as those capable of fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere or degrading wood.
The food of the vast majority of soil microbes is organic matter, which is mainly plant matter. When plant matter gets into the soil, it is attacked by soil microbes for energy and nutrients.
This attack is aided by soil animals such as earthworms or mites. They mix the plant matter in the soil and its microbes, fragmenting it and thereby improving contact between plant matter and soil organisms.
During decomposition of plant matter, microbes multiply and produce carbon dioxide and nutrients for plant uptake. The dead microbes and the components of the plant matter that are very difficult to decompose help to bind the soil particles together.
This binding is also aided by slimes produced by microbes and the long filaments of <a href="https://website.nbm-mnb.ca/mycologywebpages/NaturalHistoryOfFungi/Thallus">fungal hyphae</a>. The aggregates formed in this way are stable, which is important for adequate water and air supply for plant roots and soil organisms.
If aggregates are not stable, such as in sodic soils, water and air supply are restricted and plants and soil organisms will suffer.
<h2>Feeding your soil</h2>
Maintaining a certain level of organic matter in soil is critical for sustained soil health and function. Organic matter not only ensures that aggregates are stable, but also acts like a sponge, holding water, which is particularly important in sandy soils.
Another important function of organic matter is supply of nutrients required by plants. As mentioned above, decomposition of plant matter releases nutrients and it also can bind nutrients which can become available later.
But organic matter also decomposes, so needs to be replaced regularly. You can do this by adding plant matter growing in your garden or from outside to the soil, either directly or after composting.
Compost is more stable in soil than litter or straw because it is already decomposed during the composting process. It is a good glue for soil particles and binds nutrients, but it will not supply much nutrients for plants.
Fresh young plant matter is a good source of nutrients, but also decomposes very quickly and may initially release more nutrients than the plants can take up.
Mature cereal straw is nutrient-poor and decomposes slowly. So for good nutrient supply and long-term soil productivity, you may have to supply a mix of different types of organic amendments.
Of course, you can bypass this organic loop by adding inorganic fertilisers. Plants will grow well, but you have to match supply and plant demand carefully, because most fertilisers are dissolved quickly.
In your garden, you may get the best results by combining organic and inorganic fertilisation: various organic amendments for long-term soil health and stability, and inorganic fertiliser to overcome short-term nutrient deficiencies.
Petra Marschner is professor of Agriculture, University of Adelaide and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/petra-marschner-299098" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Fertile ground: what you need to know about soil to keep your garden healthy

<html><body>
The London-based chartered surveyor Charles Lee visited Byron Bay when visiting during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and decided to purchase at Wategos Beach.
The Lees are selling their home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-byron+bay-123519782" target="_blank">5 Marine Parade</a>.
Comprising a main residence and an adjoining villa – which, combined, generated nearly $200,000 in gross holiday letting fees last financial year – the property is a two minute stroll to family-friendly Wategos Beach and the Cape Byron Nature Walk.
The main residence boasts three bedrooms, including an expansive 8.2m x 5.1m master with double walk-in robes. Two bedrooms in the main residence both have ensuites while the third bedroom jointly accesses the main bathroom.
The Marine Parade property has a price guide of $6 million to $6.5 million through Tony Farrell and Liam Annesley at LJ Hooker Byron Bay.
</body></html>

Marine Parade, Wategos Beach trophy home with $200,000 annual rental income

<html><body>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/64591/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Place is a crucial dimension of human meaning and relationships. It grounds us. 
Our attachments with multiple places are a significant part of our individual and group identities. At one level, these attachments reflect our values and aspirations, while at another level they capture broader social, cultural and economic trends.
Place is therefore at once very personal and collective. It connotes multiple rather than singular meanings.
In 1976, Canadian geographer Ted Relph confidently divided the two ideas in his seminal book Place and Placenessness. This work influenced a growing movement for place-based research by geographers, sociologists, psychologists, environmental planners and others. 
According to Relph, some places were real and authentic; others were bland and homogeneous. 
<h2>Place identities, a contested business</h2>
Things have got far messier since then. Places can clearly channel both dimensions depending on the beholder; others have evolved under neoliberalism in very different ways that were unforeseen even late last century. Place-making has emerged as a multi-million-dollar industry aimed at creating meaningful sites.
Place research has exploded in various and nuanced directions; there is no more black and white. As prominent place academic Tim Cresswell proclaims:
"Place is made and remade on a daily basis."
Place is political and contested. Geographer David Sibley argues every act of inclusion is defined by an act of exclusion.
This could be as blatant as physically keeping out the unwanted (such as the Great Wall of China), a shift in the ownership of “public” spaces, or applying policies that prohibit the presence of “unwelcome” activities, whether in the name of public good or otherwise. 
Such protectionist mentalities seem to be running rampant on current global political stages.
Elsewhere, much investment is made into actively changing place identity – with varying degrees of success. Regardless, branded place-making is now big business. It is part of urban renewal initiatives in transforming disused or “out of date” areas into higher-density, often boutique (and therefore premium) places.
Professional place-makers supposedly have the expertise to take downtrodden places, wave their magic wands and create new and exciting precincts for us to enjoy. But do these projects always succeed in changing urban fortunes?
<h2>The development of place-making</h2>
The concept of place-making has its origin in the 1960s, when academics and urban activists like Jane Jacobs and William H. Whyte promoted a more human-centred (re)design of cities to counter the anodyne steamroller of international modernism.
Since then, however, governments and private industries alike have dreamt up big ideas – and spent big dollars – in creating “memorable” places in the service of triple bottom line sustainability, though often especially the economic dimension. Paradoxically, this global phenomenon can account for an uneasy new form of placelessness as similar solutions are adapted in diverse settings.
<h4>
The commercialisation of ‘place’ extends beyond urban design and even to clothing chains. Edgar Liu
</h4>
<div class="enlarge_hint"> </div>
Great designs help in creating a distinctive and unique sense of place, but design alone cannot solve all. As a regeneration consultant recently wrote:
"Urban design is not destiny. It alone can’t create communities, can’t address racism or affect global politics through pretty place-making."
The people and place disconnect – or what Relph termed placelessness – has changed and evolved since the 1970s and so have our interpretations, perceptions and experiences of it.
The key point is that process is as important as product. Good design must have the people at heart. And to do that one must first listen to the people. 
We all play critical roles in how place identities come to be. There is a great diversity of views but also wisdom in crowds.
So the turn is towards consultative and, better still, participatory exercises even in large-scale projects alongside small-scale, community-led projects and on to more DIY and guerrilla-style urbanism. 
The united aim is to invest nondescript places (by almost any criterion) with new attractiveness and meaning. This frequently involves respecting individual and collective memories of the past.
<h2>Disrupting placelessness</h2>
As this is played out through private development, the catch is that return on investment becomes a critical driver. New places, reinvented places and what French philosopher Marc Augé termed non-places will all tend to blend authenticity and anonymity.
Place is messier than it ever was, and our engagements with it too. That is why we set out to see how Relph’s simple binary had been disrupted in a new collection called Place and Placelessness Revisited.
This surveys our connections to place in many different settings – civic squares, playgrounds, airports, shopping malls, even public toilets. All serendipitously point to place as a fascinating multiplicity.
We invited Relph to have the last word. He declared without nostalgia that the either/or of his original formulation was “obsolete”. In the new millennium, as discomforting as it may seem, nothing about place “can be taken for granted”.
Edgar Liu is research fellow at City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted here.
Robert Freestone is professor of Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-freestone-168551" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Sense of place: messier than it ever was, so how do we manage this shifting world?

<html><body>
BridgeLane launched their residential Surry Hills warehouse development, Hutch &amp; Hutch with a strong result selling 14 out of 18 apartments on the long weekend Saturday morning. 
CBRE agent Tim Rees advised 13 buyers were owner occupiers from within a three km radius of Hutch &amp; Hutch.
"The majority of our purchasers today came from the inner city, with some moving from the eastern suburbs.
"We found a handful of buyers were downsizers looking to move closer to the city for a different lifestyle."
Designed by SJB, Hutch &amp; Hutch comprises luxury, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom warehouse residences as well as 12m wide penthouse apartments.  Construction is due to commence early 2017.
The prices are:
1 bedrooms from $900,000 
2 bedrooms from $1,125,000 
3 bedrooms from $2,450,000  
The display suite is at 26-34 Hutchinson Street. For more information, <a href="https://hutchandhutch.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>
 
</body></html>

Hutch & Hutch sees 14 apartments sell on long weekend Saturday launch

<html><body>
GUET OBSERVER
The NSW Civil &amp; Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) has the power under section 162 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 to appoint a compulsory strata managing agent to a strata scheme.
This power is also contained in section 237 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 which, but for part 11, will commence on 30 November 2016. The sections, which differ slightly, empower the NCAT the make an order that either all, or part, of the functions* of the owners corporation are delegated to a strata manager.
What does compulsory strata management mean? 
The simple answer is that it means different things in different cases. For instance, NCAT may order that all the functions of the owners corporation are to given to the strata management agent or, it may order that only a certain power or function is given to the strata managing agent.
If all the powers of the owners corporation are granted to the strata managing agent meetings of the owners corporation are not necessary. Instead of you, as a lot owner, voting to decide matters the strata manager will exercise their delegated power. If they do so they can raise levies, pass resolutions on behalf of the owners corporation and pass by-laws pursuant to section 65A. A by-law could also be passed pursuant to section 52 by the compulsory strata manager with the prior written consent of the lot owner granted the exclusive use right or special privilege.
On the other hand if the strata manager were only granted the powers of the executive committee, they could call meetings, pay invoices (unless restricted by the owners corporation at general meeting from doing so) and conduct the day to day affairs of the owners corporation but could not pass any resolutions that are required by the Act to be passed at general meeting. This would include resolutions to pass by-laws, to accept an easement or to alter or amend the common property.
Who can apply for an order for compulsory management? 
A wide variety of people can obtain an order to appoint a compulsory strata manager and it need not be a lot owner. They are:
anyone with an interest or estate in a lot in the scheme or if the scheme is a leasehold scheme, a lease of a lot;
anyone who has obtained an order under the 1996 or the 2015 Act that has not been complied with and that imposed a duty on the owners corporation, executive/strata committee or an officer of the owners corporation
an authority that has the benefit of a positive covenant requiring a duty of the owners corporation; or
a judgment creditor to whom the owners corporation owes a judgement debt
When can the NCAT make an order for compulsory management? 
Both the 1996 and 2015 Acts provide that the NCAT may make an order only if satisfied that:
(a)  the management of a strata scheme is not functioning or is not functioning satisfactorily, or
(b)  an owners corporation has failed to comply with a requirement imposed on the owners corporation by an order made under the Act, or
(c)  an owners corporation has failed to perform one or more of its duties, or
(d)  an owners corporation owes a judgment debt.
What does “not functioning or is not functioning satisfactorily” mean?
CTTT (the predecessor to the NCAT) Member Moore in Coote v Sharpe, Wentzel &amp; Owners Corporation Strata Plan 55434 stated that imposing a compulsory strata manager upon an owners corporation is a “draconian” measure as it “removes the democratic process which has been established” under the Act. As such, the reasons for a finding of dysfunction must be based on objective evidence. For this reason, these orders are not lightly granted.
Instances where an order for compulsory strata management has been made show that the following behaviour can be a sign of a failure to function when affects the management structure of the scheme:
<ul>
<li>a failure (or inability) to pass resolutions to raise contributions;</li>
<li>a continued failure to carry out required maintenance and repairs</li>
<li>a long history of acrimony, deep seated discord and or violence in the scheme;</li>
<li>the presence of a voting block, for instance, where divisions within the scheme see a 50/50 stand off meaning resolutions cannot be passed;</li>
<li>a pattern of strata managers terminating their appointment; and</li>
<li>a pattern of improper decisions making (i.e. decisions not made in accordance with the Act)</li>
</ul>
* The Dictionary to the Act defines “function” as “function includes a power, authority or duty.”
Allison Benson is legal practitioner director, Kerin Benson Lawyers and can be contacted <a href="https://kerinbensonlawyers.com.au/">here</a>.
 
</body></html>

Property 101: Compulsory NSW strata management and how it affects you and your scheme?

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