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At its recent Future (Planning) Committee, the City of Melbourne resolved to provide conditional support to Cbus Property's office development at 311 Spencer Street.

The Woods Bagot designed tower will occupy a 5,136 sqm site with a frontage to Spencer Street of approximately 55m, yielding an above ground GFA of 107,129 sqm.

As mentioned in an <a href="/news/flinders-street-west-set-for-further-change">earlier article</a>, Victoria Police will be vacating their current premises at 637 Flinders Street to occupy the 40-storey tower, which will link to the existing City West Police Complex at 313 Spencer Street via a bridge. Victoria Police will sublease part of the tower to the Australian Federal Police, thus allowing for the redevelopment of the ADF offices at 383 La Trobe Street.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/170217_311spencerstreet_aerial_dusk.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial of the new headquarters for Victoria Police designed by Woods Bagot. Image: Cbus Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/170217_311spencerstreet_aerial_dusk.jpg?itok=M8xzItta" title="Aerial of the new headquarters for Victoria Police designed by Woods Bagot. Image: Cbus Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial of the new headquarters for Victoria Police designed by Woods Bagot. Image: Cbus Property</figcaption></figure>In addition to office accommodation, the tower program will include 2 levels of amenities, seven levels of above ground parking and four basement levels with provision for 600 parking spaces. These above ground parking levels will be shrouded in a combination of glazing and louvres. A public foyer, police museum (to the street) and 526 bike spaces with end-of-trip facilities (to the rear) will be provided to the ground floor.

According to the Council's report the development's setbacks will avoid a ‘wall of towers’ due to the existing setbacks of the City West Police Complex and the future development potential of the adjoining Spencer Outlet Centre. Additionally the tower's form and orientation help to reduce the impact of the building's mass as does the facade articulation which distinguishes it from its neighbour.

<blockquote>
The proposed development readily meets the podium height and setback requirements of DDO10 and the proposed built form offers a public benefit in the form of an office building that significantly exceeds the Floor Area Uplift requirements to justify a plot ratio of greater than 18:1. The overall high quality of the architecture ensures (sic) that the built form presents a balanced and engaging design response at ground, podium and tower levels subject to conditions.

The proposal will make a positive contribution to the western end of the Central Business District and generally satisfies the requirements of the Melbourne Planning Scheme.
<cite>Report to the Future (Planning) Committee</cite>
</blockquote>

While the development's plot ratio of 20.86:1 is in excess of the Capital City Zone's (CCZ) plot ratio of 18:1, the proposal's delivery of commercial office space as a public benefit satisfies the requirements necessary to achieve the proposed Floor Area Uplift. This is as per the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning's (DELWP) How to Calculate Floor Area Uplifts and Public Benefits. The public benefit calculations are based on a GFA of 107,129 sqm resulting in;

<ul>
<li>Value of Floor Area Uplift: $9,399,500</li>
	<li>Value of Public Benefit: $166,870,500</li>
</ul>
<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/170217_311spencerstreet_hover_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new tower for Victoria Police will rise up to a height of 169 metres. Images: Cbus Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="448" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/170217_311spencerstreet_hover_0.jpg?itok=mbf5o1HR" title="The new tower for Victoria Police will rise up to a height of 169 metres. Images: Cbus Property" width="580"></a></figure>While the proposal awaits final approval from Planning Minister Richard Wynne, Cbus Property has appointed Probuild as the Preferred Contractor to deliver the new headquarters for Victoria Police.

<blockquote>
This construction is of major significance to Victoria and the commercial building industry. We are thrilled to be working with Cbus Property and Victoria Police to deliver such an important project. Typically our largest markets have been in retail and residential sectors, however we’ve been preparing to enter large-scale commercial and civic projects by seriously adding to our technical and resource capabilities for a long time now.
<cite>Probuild</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/170217_311spencerstreet_southern_cross.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="View along Spencer Street towards the proposed office tower. Image: Cbus Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/170217_311spencerstreet_southern_cross.jpg?itok=4-a7V9jg" title="View along Spencer Street towards the proposed office tower. Image: Cbus Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>View along Spencer Street towards the proposed office tower. Image: Cbus Property</figcaption></figure>Pending Departmental approval, 311 Spencer Street will begin construction ASAP targeting a 2019 completion date. In the context of the surrounding precinct's forecast construction, it will be interesting to see what happens with the Spencer Outlet Centre in the next 3-5 years. Watch this space.
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Laurence Dragomir

Top Cop Shop: 311 Spencer Street gains City of Melbourne support

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Once derided as the derriere of Melbourne's CBD, the west end is undergoing a marked revival with a slew of residential projects about to begin. This revival largely can also be attributed to the ongoing development of Docklands and the redevelopment of what is now Southern Cross Station, with the resultant epicentre of Melbourne's CBD slowly shifting to the area around King and Spencer Streets. 

A snapshot of some of the largest of these projects which will transform the face of Melbourne from a westerly aspect can be seen below;

<h2>555 Collins Street</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/555collins_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="555 Collins Street. Images: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="317" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/555collins_0.jpg?itok=9NIVdgHj" title="555 Collins Street. Images: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>555 Collins Street. Images: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>One of the latest projects to hit the market following a colourful history at planning. Once the site of the beautifully crafted Federal Coffee Palace, <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">555 Collins Street </a>currently stands as the empty concrete edifice dubbed Enterprise House.

Initially seeking planning exemption for a commercial building of 400m, owner Harry Stamoulis sold the site to Fragrance group who tried for a 90-storey, 300m tower designed by Bates Smart. That was reassessed following backlash during the planning process and was eventually replaced with a 47-storey pleated tower rising from a tapering base.

624 apartments constitute the tower.

<blockquote>
555 Collins Street will provide a dynamic and elegant residential tower regenerating a prominent, but neglected corner site within Melbourne’s CBD. The tower form is distinguished by a unique tapered podium which allows for the creation of an increased public realm and generous retail precinct.

The tapered base also means daylight can filter into the internal spaces, while at night, light will illuminate the surrounding precinct. A continuous pedestrian loop will link the development with the adjacent building, expanding public amenity and creating a contemporary addition to Melbourne’s collection of laneways.

- Bates Smart
</blockquote>

555 Collins Street is currently at sales and registrations.

<h2>West Side Place</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/gold_residences.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Gold Residences at West Side Place. Image: Far East Consortium"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="375" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gold_residences.jpg?itok=lYWSSdJ_" title="The Gold Residences at West Side Place. Image: Far East Consortium" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Gold Residences at West Side Place. Image: Far East Consortium</figcaption></figure>Stage 1 of West Side Place comprising two 200m + towers including a Ritz-Carlton hotel, and is set to commence construction in coming months following a successful sales campaign, with few apartments remaining. Developer Far East Consortium is now pushing ahead with the next stage - The Gold Release Residences - set for launch on June 3rd via Colliers.

Rising 72-storeys for an approximate height of 245m, the Gold Release will sit to the east of the Ritz Carlton with a laneway separating the two towers and frontage along Lonsdale Street. A fourth and final tower of 69-storeys and approximately 235m high will complete Far East's regeneration of two city blocks, which it began with its Upper West Side development on the site of the former Lonsdale Street power station.

<blockquote>
The Gold Release is the newest stage within the Ritz-Carlton precinct offering one and two bedroom residences up to level 70 and featuring expansive views across Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne’s city skyline and beyond. The Gold Release represents sophistication, elegance, value, quality and status. Everything that is synonymous with West Side Place and the Ritz-Carlton.

Designed to maximise natural light, residences are available right up to the clouds at level 70, across the following three offerings of Sky Residences, Central Residences, and Garden Residences.

- Far East Consortium
</blockquote>

<h2>Premier Tower</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/premier_tower.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Premier Tower construction progress. Photo: redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="321" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/premier_tower.jpg?itok=-jX3Ks1g" title="Premier Tower construction progress. Photo: redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Premier Tower construction progress. Photo: redden</figcaption></figure><a href="/buildings/premier-tower-134-160-spencer-street-melbourne">Premier Tower</a> replaces the old Savoy Hotel on one of Melbourne's more prominent corners. The site is now at piling following initial demolition and excavations, with the result a 249m tower and 600 plus apartments.

Fragrance Group are behind the Elenberg Fraser-designed tower, with Multiplex the head contractor.

<blockquote>
We know you’ll agree that when you hear the phrase ‘less is more’ the first person that springs to mind is Beyoncé. No? Well – our new mixed-use building 134 Spencer Street provides the link between the two. At once a building that is the essence of first principles design – created entirely by parametric modelling – meanwhile its spiralling curves recall the twists and turns of a woman dancing in black cloth.

The deceptively complex form is the result of our research into wind, solar and massing criteria – the form is the best possible solution to all of those requirements. On top of that – we’ve taken the heritage surrounds into account, stepping down from the podium to meet them at eye level. This building is just another step in the westerly shift of the CBD.

- Elenberg Fraser
</blockquote>

<h2>299 King Street</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/firs9645_299kingst_el03_parkview.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="299 King Street and surrounds. Image:CBRE"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="223" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/firs9645_299kingst_el03_parkview.jpg?itok=qRECk-TJ" title="299 King Street and surrounds. Image:CBRE" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>299 King Street and surrounds. Image:CBRE</figcaption></figure>Initially receiving approval for a height of 208m - down from the initial proposal of 83-storeys and 269m - owners Farinia on sold the site with approval for a residential scheme by Plus Architecture to Aurumstone Group. Aurumstone has since engaged Elenberg Fraser to rework the scheme in readiness for a imminent sales campaign.

Gone is the pearlescent façade which would produce a pink, bluish, purple effect depending on how light was cast over the tower. Likewise the tower's form has been rationalised with curvaceous lines and a bulge in form toward its peak.

<h2>Collins House</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/collins_house.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Collins House construction progress. Photo: redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="286" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collins_house.jpg?itok=wR8gtWqR" title="Collins House construction progress. Photo: redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/collins-house-melbourne-460-466-collins-street-melbourne">Collins House construction</a> progress. Photo: redden</figcaption></figure>Hickory is progressing construction works on the narrow site of what will eventually become Australia's slimmest tower, containing 267 dwellings. To deliver Golden Age's 60-storey residential tower and to deal with the site's small footprint, Hickory will be employing its innovative HBS construction method

The project will be serviced by a single tower crane, with major elements including façade and floors fabricated off-site and rapidly assembled on arrival at Collins Street. As such Hickory anticipates the overall construction programme on the Bates Smart designed tower will be reduced by up to 30%.

<blockquote>
The 60 level Collins House project incorporates the grand heritage façade of Melbourne’s historic Maker’s Mark building with a sleek contemporary tower.  Located on a small site footprint in central Melbourne, Hickory’s construction method for the project incorporates our own volumetric structural system, allowing building componentry to be erected more efficiently than a conventional formwork approach would have allowed.

Once complete, the 204-metre project will boast 271 luxury apartments ranging from two and three bedrooms to double storey loft apartments over a single basement level.  Communal facilities for residents include Collins Terrace on Level 3, a private indoor / outdoor space with private dining and gourmet kitchen and the St James Club on Level 27, a private club space with fitness facilities, outdoor deck, dining room and bar.

- Hickory
</blockquote>

<h2>600 Collins Street</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/06_collins_melbourne_corner_plaza_hires.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="600 Collins Street base and plaza. Image: ZHA "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/06_collins_melbourne_corner_plaza_hires.jpg?itok=RsjW4isc" title="600 Collins Street base and plaza. Image: ZHA " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>600 Collins Street base and plaza. Image: ZHA</figcaption></figure>Developer Landream has applied to amend the approved plans to include a six star hotel in the tower with a marketing campaign not too far off for the ZHA and Plus Architecture designed tower. The development distinguished by 3-stacked vases, will deliver a plaza to Collins Street and laneway to the west of the site activated with retail and a gallery space.

^00 Collins was approved with 420 apartments in place, although that final release will likely see this number change.

<blockquote>
The design has been defined by Melbourne's rich and diverse urban landscape, reinterpreted in a contemporary solution driven by the logical division of its overall volume that will enhance the city's public realm with generous communal spaces. We are honoured to be working with our partners in Melbourne to deliver this project for the city.

- Michele Pasca di Magliano, Zaha Hadid Architects. 
</blockquote>
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Apartments galore set to breathe new life into the western CBD 

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During my many visits to display suites I generally meet with real estate agents, architects and developers and am taken through the display suite or sit down for a chat.

My visit to The Springfield in Toorak was a bit of a departure from the norm. I was greeted onsite by Architects David and Tisha Lee of K2LD and we walked around the verdant 2,400 sqm site which they are developing in partnership with The Chapter Group into 19 residences set amongst a green landscape.

I first met David Lee a couple of years ago to discuss another joint K2LD and Chapter Group project - <a href="/news/the-next-chapter-collection-xi">Collection XI</a> - a project David says was a "learning experience" which the team "took many lessons from" when it came to conceiving The Springfield.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/hero-img.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Springfield, Toorak has been designed to sit amongst nature. Image: K2LD "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="368" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/hero-img.jpg?itok=MRJ5n6aA" title="The Springfield, Toorak has been designed to sit amongst nature. Image: K2LD " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Springfield, Toorak has been designed to sit amongst nature. Image: K2LD</figcaption></figure>The conversation about The Springfield site begins with the garden.

David and Tish spoke about how upon a visit to the site they knew immediately that it was the right site for their next development and had already conceived an idea in their mind as to how it would manifest - maximise northern exposure to natural sunlight in living areas, utilise its quiet garden setting which has informed the architectural approach and also draws inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water  - a building that completely immersed itself in the natural landscape.

<blockquote>
The good building is not one that hurts the landscape but one which makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the building was built.

- Frank Lloyd Wright
</blockquote>

Likewise, The Springfield according to the Lee's "will not appear to stand on solid ground, but rather merge with the treetops."

<blockquote>
A respect for the natural surrounds and a desire to celebrate living, entwined with the pursuit of excellent craftsmanship. These are the ingredients that make for the highest quality of living.

- Tisha Lee, Architect K2LD
</blockquote>

For David and Tisha, The Springfield provided another opportunity to deliver a project not only as developers but also as the architects, enabling a greater balance between negotiating design imperatives with commercial imperatives, resulting in a better outcome and less compromise.

Taking on the dual roles also allowed David and Tisha to involve themselves in the sales aspect, dedicating time in their schedules to meet with prospective purchasers at the display suite (by appointment only) to address their practical concerns such as one instance involving an oven tray and whether it would fit in both the oven and the sink.

They were also able to take the display suite fit-out a step further by building a fully working kitchen and powder room for visitors to the site with the same specified Molteni &amp; C Dada’s VVD kitchen that will be installed in the finished product.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/kitchen_final.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interior render of Molteni &amp; C Dada’s VVD kitchen fit-out. Image: K2LD"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="313" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kitchen_final.jpg?itok=I3Yjoxlz" title="Interior render of Molteni &amp; C Dada’s VVD kitchen fit-out. Image: K2LD" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interior render of Molteni &amp; C Dada’s VVD kitchen fit-out. Image: K2LD</figcaption></figure>Tisha's annual travels to Milan for Design Week informed and inspired the specification of the Vincent Van Duysen honey-coloured timber, 5m long marble bench top and Gaggeneau ovens and appliances.

Molteni Dada premiered their VVD kitchen at the 2016 Milan Furniture Fair and "The Springfield is the first development in the world to have specified these kitchens outside of Italy," says Tisha. 

The ability to specify finishes, materials and appliances is a luxury they would not have otherwise had, had David and Tisha not been involved as developers. 

While The Springfield is aimed at downsizers within Toorak and surrounds, when designing the residences David and Tisha were designing for themselves and their family and friends - would they be satisfied as prospective purchasers?

Would The Springfield be a development they would recommend to family and friends? Asking certain questions of themselves led to greater degree of rigour in the design of the residences and ultimate composition of The Springfield.

Residences within The Springfield will vary from 160 sqm (two bedrooms) in size to 250 sqm (three bedrooms) with two Penthouses, of 300 sqm and 400 sqm, respectively with one of the penthouses already being snapped up.

Despite the early success one downside to being both developer and architect is you also take on further stress. But David and Tisha assure me they wouldn't have it any other way.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/orrong_living_final_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interior of living spaces showing relationship with outdoors paces. Image: K2LD"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="320" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/orrong_living_final_2.jpg?itok=wAlSZaXg" title="Interior of living spaces showing relationship with outdoors paces. Image: K2LD" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interior of living spaces showing relationship with outdoors paces. Image: K2LD</figcaption></figure>
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Architects as developers - K2LD discuss The Springfield

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With Victoria Police vacating 637 Flinders Street in 2019 to relocate to shiny new digs at Cbus Property's 311 Spencer Street, Sydney-based owners Anton Capital are seeking to offload the site a mere two years after initially acquiring it. 

The site has strong potential as a development site for high-rise residential or office space, however marketing material from CBRE suggests a push for residential use. This is a clear shift away from its current use as a commercial building which forms part of the World Trade Centre Complex and one wonders what will become of the complex's identity should new owners pursue a residential scheme such as that depicted below.

The sale of 637 Flinders Street follows the sale earlier in the year of the three river facing buildings of the World Trade Centre by Asset1 to "private interests with connections to Malaysia" according to the <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/property/abacus-kkr-and-riverlee-group-sell-world-trade-centre-in-melbourne-20170208-gu8ho4">Sydney Morning Herald</a>.

Whatever the sites' final fate, one thing is for certain, it would appear change is imminent. Already there is an application to demolish the pedestrian overpass over Flinders St, which has been closed off since construction started on Melbourne Quarter. It will be removed in the coming months if the City of Melbourne agrees.

According to <a href="http://www.docklandsnews.com.au/editions/article/pedestrian-bridge-to-go_13007/">Docklands News</a> "the $870,000 project will remove the pedestrian bridge, make good of the WTC facade and install a new window to the opening of the facade after the bridge has been demolished."

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image8_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Indicative concept for 637 Flinders Street. Image: CBRE"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8_11.jpg?itok=vDmPm-Yl" title="Indicative concept for 637 Flinders Street. Image: CBRE" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Indicative concept for 637 Flinders Street. Image: CBRE</figcaption></figure>For years the World Trade Centre (WTC) stood alone at the periphery of Flinders Street save for the Mission to Seafarers and the disused docks and in a way remains a relic of an era when for the most part Melbourne turned its back to the Yarra.

The Docklands redevelopment zone changed all that as it sought to extend Melbourne's CBD down to the water, although it could be argued some buildings didn't learn from the Trade Centre but that's a topic of discussion for another day. 

The area surrounding the WTC has seen minor infill development with only Flinders Wharf apartments and a refurbishment of the complex's river frontage being undertaken. More recently the demolition of the former World Congress Centre has opened the door to redevelopment with approval in place for a three tower residential scheme. 

Previous concepts such as those depicted below suggested a desire to retain the WTC Complex as a hub of commerce but with new development to renew the site, including over site development on the Sidderley Street car park.

Though the likelihood of a tower of that scale seems fanciful in the current planning climate, it did act as a catalyst for improvements to the rest of the precinct shifting the focus away from the vehicle to the pedestrian.

The tower was aimed at luring KPMG, who eventually settled on its HQ just around the corner, occupying Collins Square's tallest building. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/65_23-04-2014_2423.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Proposal for KPMG's new HQ and further commercial buildings at the WTC."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="184" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/65_23-04-2014_2423.jpg?itok=ivA3MUm6" title="Proposal for KPMG's new HQ and further commercial buildings at the WTC." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Proposal for KPMG's new HQ and further commercial buildings at the WTC.</figcaption></figure>Another commercial scheme for the former convention centre site was approved in October 2012 and included two COX designed A-Grade commercial office towers of 26 and 20 storeys providing 88,325 sqm of office space and 377 car parking spaces.

This never proceeded after failing to attract an anchor tenant and was at one stage pitched at Victoria Police. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/capture.png" rel="gallery-all" title="COX scheme for two towers on the former World Congress Centre site. Image: Planning Report"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="350" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/capture.png?itok=rShePCBV" title="COX scheme for two towers on the former World Congress Centre site. Image: Planning Report" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>COX scheme for two towers on the former World Congress Centre site. Image: Planning Report</figcaption></figure>Despite a few failed attempts and while 637 Flinders Street awaits a new owner to draft up a concrete proposal, there are a number of projects in the pipeline likely to get underway in the next year or so that will go some way to transforming the area. These are listed below;

<h2>Crowne Plaza</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/crowne-plaza-hotel.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Crowne Plaza set to undergo a $20-30 million dollar refurb. "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/crowne-plaza-hotel.jpg?itok=Pl4uL7ib" title="Crowne Plaza set to undergo a $20-30 million dollar refurb. " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Crowne Plaza set to undergo a $20+ million dollar refurb.</figcaption></figure>There is currently a $20-30m tender out for an overhaul of Crowne Plaza Melbourne which adjoins the World Trade Centre. The exact nature of these works is yet to be confirmed but further improvements to the riverside and street level experience would be a good start.

<h2>731-739 Flinders Street</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/731_flinders_street.png" rel="gallery-all" title="731-739 Flinders Street, Docklands. Image: Riverlee"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="381" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/731_flinders_street.png?itok=MUR4NNL1" title="731-739 Flinders Street, Docklands. Image: Riverlee" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>731-739 Flinders Street, Docklands. Image: Riverlee</figcaption></figure>The latest proposal for Riverlee's site at 731-739 Flinders Street is currently at planning awaiting a decision from Planning Minister Richard Wynne, following the submission of a revised mixed-use scheme prepared by Fender Katsalidis Architects which superseded an earlier approved commercial building.

The 13,200sqm Northbank site includes the historic Goods Shed 5 and will comprise a mix of residential, hotel and retail uses.

<blockquote>
The proposal includes extensive public works, refurbishment of the wharf, restoration of the historic crane and delivery of a new public park. The development will be sympathetic to the Shed's industrial past, while adding significant amenity to the area for the community.

The leasehold was secured in 2011, and the freehold was purchased in 2015 from State Government. The project is currently in the planning stage; planning approval has been granted for the previous scheme - a commercial mid-rise 25,000sqm building.

- Riverlee
</blockquote>

You can read about the initial scheme in greater detail <a href="/news/a-reborn-north-wharf-adds-to-melbournes-swelling-hotel-numbers">here</a>.

<h2>614-666 Flinders Street, Melbourne Quarter</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/5bdccf00-e747-11e5-a571-7f3805729a0f_1_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Quarter's Residential neighbourhood to Flinders Street on the left. Image: Lendlease"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/5bdccf00-e747-11e5-a571-7f3805729a0f_1_0.jpg?itok=op6W-yDJ" title="Melbourne Quarter's Residential neighbourhood to Flinders Street on the left. Image: Lendlease" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Quarter's Residential neighbourhood to Flinders Street on the left. Image: Lendlease</figcaption></figure>A project which has had a lot of air time on Apartments.com.au in the last 12 months. Lendlease's Melbourne Quarter features a residential neighbourhood of with frontages along Flinders Street that will accommodate 3,000 future residents in approximately 1,690 dwellings across three towers.

The three apartment towers have been designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects with the first building, known as East Tower currently at sales.

Located at 628 Flinders Street, the 40-storey (136m) development will feature hanging gardens climbing the full height of the building.  A second tower, West Tower will rise a similar height while a shorter 58m building will be built adjacent to the Batman’s Garden park.

Already the first stage of restoration works have been undertaken to the heritage listed red brick and bluestone wall along Flinders Street which also acts as the primary entry into the site from the south.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/redbrick_wall.png" rel="gallery-all" title="New entry aperture through heritage wall into Melbourne Quarter. Image: Lendlease"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="333" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/redbrick_wall.png?itok=zC01ob7T" title="New entry aperture through heritage wall into Melbourne Quarter. Image: Lendlease" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>New entry aperture through heritage wall into Melbourne Quarter. Image: Lendlease</figcaption></figure><h2>7-23 Spencer Street</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/21041-72201.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Approved development plan for 7-23 Spencer Street. Image: Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/21041-72201.jpeg?itok=bsdG0t7Q" title="Approved development plan for 7-23 Spencer Street. Image: Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Approved development plan for 7-23 Spencer Street. Image: Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure>Elenberg Fraser initially developed a master plan comprising four towers for the redevelopment of the site for owners Riverlee who cleared and on sold the site with permit for three towers to Nuway Wy for around  $100m.  The master plan development concept proposes three towers that will accommodate:

<ul>
<li>A total of 1060 apartments;</li>
	<li>1340sqm of ground level retail space (787sqm in the north podium and 553sqm in the south podium)</li>
	<li>51 car parking spaces in the podium</li>
	<li>160 bicycle parking spaces</li>
	<li>Total Gross Floor Area of 84,098sqm</li>
	<li>The plot ratio is 9.9:1, based on a site area of 8486 sqm.</li>
	<li>Tower 1 and 2 will be located to the south of Siddeley Street and will rise 27-storeys (RL 88.8m max.) accommodating 245 and 208 apartments respectively. </li>
	<li>Tower 3 will be located to the north of Siddeley Street and will rise 43-storeys (maximum RL 110.1m max) accommodating 487 apartments</li>
</ul>
Following the demolition of the existing structure, the site has been turned into a temporary park until such time as the site is ready to be developed. Each tower will be subject to separate planning applications once designs have been resolved.
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Flinders Street West set for further change

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Over the course of the last week <a href="/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a> has released images of a <a href="/news/southbank-set-to-gain-a-new-park">new Southbank park</a> within its Melbourne Square development. The large public park will occupy more than 20 per cent of overall site and will be one of the first stages of the project to be delivered.

OSK Property engaged landscape architects, Taylor Cullity Lethlean (TCL) for the park, who are perhaps best known locally for their award-winning work at Birrarung Marr, the Australian Garden in <a href="/developments/cranbourne-vic-3977">Cranbourne</a>, Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the National Arboretum in <a href="/new-apartments/canberra-act">Canberra</a>.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/oskh9386_melbourne_square_ea05_park_boulevard_entrance.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Square's towers rising behind the new park designed by landscape architects TCL. Image: OSK Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/oskh9386_melbourne_square_ea05_park_boulevard_entrance.jpg?itok=EqECtm-t" title="Melbourne Square's towers rising behind the new park designed by landscape architects TCL. Image: OSK Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Square's towers rising behind the new park. Image: OSK Property</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Melbourne Square’s dynamic public realm will be a centerpiece for Southbank, one that can be actively programmed for events, or enjoyed at leisure. The park is part of a network of gardens inspired by Melbourne’s iconic Royal Botanic Gardens and qualities from other cities such as Paris, Berlin and Spain.

As this is such an urban environment, we have created vistas and seating nestled among the greenery. Generous promenades and plazas encourage the Italian tradition of promenading – taking an evening walk with family and friends. It’s about creating opportunities for residents of Melbourne Square and other buildings in <a href="/new-apartments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a> to engage with nature.

- TCL Managing Director, Perry Lethlean
</blockquote>

An amphitheatre-inspired space is created via a gently rising slope which includes a water feature, cascading down the pathway leading visitors up to the café terrace, providing a gateway for visitors into the development. Stairs connect to an elevated terrace, with views over the lawns and gardens and a number of retail and alfresco dining offerings.

Melbourne Square will add to the area’s continuing transformation along with the City of Melbourne’s commitment to create a new parkland development for Southbank Boulevard. The large park will be actively programmed upon completion to host events for Southbank residents such as markets and cultural activities.

Citing the City of Melbourne's 2015 Places for People report, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said one of the key drivers for projects such as Council's Southbank Boulevard Rejuvenation and OSK Property's Melbourne Square park was to address the imbalance in the number of residents in the densely populated suburb with access to green open space.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sthbnk_blvd.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="City of Melbourne's Southbank Boulevard rejuvenation. Image: City of Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/sthbnk_blvd.jpg?itok=d-jAlw_7" title="City of Melbourne's Southbank Boulevard rejuvenation. Image: City of Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>City of Melbourne's Southbank Boulevard rejuvenation. Image: City of Melbourne</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
In the past 25 years, I’ve seen Southbank go from a wasteland of old factories and warehouses to Melbourne’s densest suburb, and the only City of Melbourne suburb in Australia’s 20 densest suburbs. That has meant that Southbank has less open space than any other postcode in the municipality, at just three square metres per resident.

Our 2015 Places for People report revealed that just 18 per cent of Southbank residents accessed open space locally compared with 90 per cent in Docklands and 31 per cent in the central city.

That’s why the City of Melbourne tries, wherever and whenever possible, to turn asphalt into green open space in the inner city: it’s for the benefit of those residents who are purchasing with the confidence of employment and recreation but not always on the basis of open space

- Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, "Rejuvenation of Southbank Boulevard to reinvigorate suburb with green space" Domain, May 19, 2017 
</blockquote>

<h2>IN BRIEF</h2>

• Large public park spanning 3,700 sqm will provide Southbank with much-needed green infrastructure 
• On completion Melbourne Square will comprise six towers, retail outlets including a supermarket, childcare and health services 
• Residents will have access to a 48-metre long swimming pool, private gardens, gymnasium, entertainment facilities and more

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/osk_property_melbourne_square_aerial_park_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Square's 3,700sqm park will help add to Southbank's livability. Image: OSK Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/osk_property_melbourne_square_aerial_park_2.jpg?itok=qFfIzF42" title="Melbourne Square's 3,700sqm park will help add to Southbank's livability. Image: OSK Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Square's 3,700sqm park will help add to Southbank's livability. Image: OSK Property</figcaption></figure>
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Melbourne Square to add some much needed green infrastructure to Southbank

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Virtual reality is currently making a comeback after an initial showing in the early to mid 90's. The uptake in the industry particularly with architects is high, with a number of firms using it not only as a design tool to test concepts and ideas quickly but also to communicate designs to clients as part of the design process for example the sign-off on materials and for planning purposes.

During my time at Grimshaw we used both the Oculus and Vive headsets on a number of projects including the <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Olderfleet project at 477 Collins Street</a>. It was very useful in really getting an understanding of the proportions of various spaces, how certain materials worked together, the junctions between various elements and the overall composition of these spaces.

Virtual reality also has applications in the realms of sales and marketing of projects with some agents using VR to sell their product

Projects Director at Marshall White Leonard Teplin has previously offered the following insight with regard to the advent of virtual and augmented reality and the opportunities they present when it comes to apartment marketing. 

<blockquote>
This generation has changed the game; they are heavily reliant on the digital sphere and entrust it with major life decisions. People plan dates, book accommodation and apply for jobs with people they’ve never met and in places they’ve never been, online every day – so why would we expect any less of them when it comes to purchasing property.

Virtual reality is the perfect solution for taking your product interstate or internationally, without having to build display suites or rely on printed or digital advertising material.

You're providing buyers with a fully immersive experience of the apartment and we expect more and more developers to embrace the concept.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/techne_mq_hires-1-5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Quarter's interactive display suite. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="355" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/techne_mq_hires-1-5.jpg?itok=XUzu9QMh" title="Melbourne Quarter's interactive display suite. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Quarter's interactive display suite. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>A developer I spoke with recently believes that with their luxury development in the inner city in particular, nothing quite contends with the ability to provide clients with the opportunity to physically walk through a space and touch the surfaces. In one instance a potential client even brought in an item to the display suite to ascertain whether or not it would fit in the sink and oven.

Developer <a href="/developers/lendlease-development">Lendlease</a> has developed two distinct interactive display suites for its Melbourne Quarter development in Docklands, to provide buyers with a different perspective. The first is the Melbourne Quarter Leasing and Information Centre, designed for business-focused stakeholder interactions, briefings and meetings, while the second - the Melbourne Quarter Apartment and Sales Display Centre - has been designed to interact with prospective purchasers through technology which showcases what life within a Melbourne Quarter residence will look like. 

<blockquote>
Virtual reality goggles give buyers the chance to step inside residential amenities like swimming pools, gyms, spas and our New York-style Skypark before they have been built to experience the precinct in real time and scale.

- Lendlease, Managing Director for urban regeneration, Mark Menhinnitt
</blockquote>

Melbourne Quarter Leasing and Information Centre 

•The Digital Lendlease story wall is a series of five iPads that visitors can use to explore Lendlease projects, including a project overview, sustainability credentials, awards and imagery.

•Three projectors display imagery and videos of Melbourne city and Melbourne Quarter branding across two walls in the sales office providing an immersive projection experience. The “View” setting shows views from the top level in the commercial tower controlled via a jog wheel

Melbourne Quarter Apartment Sales and Display Centre

•Controlled by an iPad, a 3D digital printed model of Melbourne’s CBD highlights amenities surrounding Melbourne Quarter, such as transport routes, cafes, restaurants and parklands.

•The East Tower viewline app is an interactive app shows the views from each level of East Tower.

•Used across the residential and commercial centres, virtual reality headsets give users the experience of actually being in Melbourne Quarter’s Skypark, Neighbourhood Park and resident amenity facilities

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/melbourne_quarter_photos_by_lucas_dawson_46_of_156.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="VR headsets allow for immersive experiences and views. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melbourne_quarter_photos_by_lucas_dawson_46_of_156.jpg?itok=Y-HWLuzC" title="VR headsets allow for immersive experiences and views. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>VR headsets allow for immersive experiences and views. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure><h2>COMMENT</h2>

While there are obviously a number of benefits associated with virtual display suites over the more traditional suites such as the cost of fit-out and the ability to showcase a project internationally with nothing more than some equipment, a laptop, a tablet or mobile and a headset.

It also allows for real time changes to be made and the testing of various material palettes then and there, right on the spot. However VR at this point in time is not without its limitations. One being the inability to touch and feel materials, feel the warmth of the sun, the ability to pull drawers and push doors and physically measure a space or a kitchen bench or bring in a tray to see if it fits in the oven.

Older purchasers in particular are more drawn to the physical rather than the digital and so a display suite fit-out still has a target audience. 

I'm of the view that the traditional display suite isn't dead just yet but moving forward will be supplemented by more and more digital media such as augmented reality and virtual reality.
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Is the display suite of the future virtual?

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After 25 years Melbourne-based practice Fender Katsalidis Architects (FK), best known for designing some of the most recognised buildings in the city have launched their first ever book; Working Architecture. The publication traces the evolution of the practice and its work while providing an opportunity to reflect on its history and the significant projects completed to date.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fk_book.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Fender Katsalidis: Working Architecture. Image: Uro Publications"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fk_book.png?itok=h-2k-vLN" title="Fender Katsalidis: Working Architecture. Image: Uro Publications" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Fender Katsalidis: Working Architecture. Image: Uro Publications</figcaption></figure>31 projects have been selected from the FK portfolio, as exemplars which also reflect founding directors Karl Fender and Nonda Katsalidis’ attitude towards design excellence and innovation across as range of sectors from the arts, commerce, bespoke houses and through to apartment design, where the practice has had a significant influence on Australia’s built environments.

FK has helped shape and enhance the quality of Melbourne’s architecture through its many residential buildings from the early years of the practice through to the present day. These include FK’s early works such as the Melbourne Terrace Apartments and Republic Tower, and more recently Eureka Tower and Australia 108, all of which continue to attract residents and generate commercial interest and investment in the central city.

The Republic Tower on the corner of Queen and LaTrobe Streets is seen as a pioneer in high-rise residential living within Melbourne. Completed in 1999 its off-form concrete, stainless steel and glazed form anchors the street corner from atop a 5-storey timber lattice podium which plays host to an ever changing body of artwork - one of the first buildings in the city to do so.

<blockquote>
... Republic has excited the debate about city living. On one hand it is a place for individuals and groups to live and work, but it is also an exercise in urbanity and urban design especially. 
The building reinforces a tall, central city plan: the inner grid of Melbourne is like an island, like a Manhattan. In that context, these high-rise towers montage as the city design: together, not separately, they are the aesthetic of the city.What distinguishes Republic Tower from most of its neighbours is the confident expression of structure and building that is evident in the design, along with the unremitting act of providing good living spaces. 
NFK’s work is distinguished by its expressed buildability: it’s almost an ‘architecture for architects’ culture, where the structure of beams, columns, steel and concrete – and the materiality of tiles, glass and textures – are composed without further complexity.

- Norman Day, Architecture Australia – January 2000 (Vol 89 No 1)
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_9445_3923.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Republic Tower. Images: John Gollings"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="529" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_9445_3923.jpg?itok=nq33PlP5" title="Republic Tower. Images: John Gollings" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Republic Tower. Images: John Gollings</figcaption></figure>A few hundred metres down the street near the market, another FK project marks the corner and defines the streetscape; Melbourne Terrace. Accommodating 60 apartments over seven floors the building is distinguished by its robust, masculine exterior once again employing Katsalidis' signature off form concrete, steel and glazing to produce what is still considered one of the best examples of medium-density, city living in Melbourne if not Australia.   

<blockquote>
One of the first new apartment blocks to be constructed in central Melbourne in the early 1990s, it promoted the benefits of medium/high density city living, sparked a regeneration of its immediate locale adjacent to the Queen Victoria Market and provided a successful residential model for the city’s redevelopment policies. Katsalidis’s design invokes exuberant decorative and formal effects to enrich the urban facade, using copper-etched vertical slabs, weathered copper cladding, mannered window surrounds, glass blocks, brutalist and expressive concrete forms often with serrated edges, and a highly articulated roof line. Internally the large building bulk is divided into four discrete sections and each given a unique name, Equus, Mondo, Roma and Fortuna. This has the benefit of creating a more intimate experience for its inhabitants and also reduces the scale of the building’s management and overheads. Peter Corlett’s bold sculptures announce each of the building’s entrances and highlight its baroque and playful qualities

- Australian Institute of Architects
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_9228_3283.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Terrace. Image: John Gollings"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_9228_3283.jpg?itok=O84V9iWb" title="Melbourne Terrace. Image: John Gollings" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Terrace. Image: John Gollings</figcaption></figure>The tallest of FK's projects in Melbourne (to date) commands the Melbourne skyline, rising 297m or 91-storeys above Southbank and is embodied with visual references to its namesake, the Eureka Stockade. Upon completion in 2006, Eureka claimed the title of tallest residential building in the southern hemisphere - a point of contention for our friends up on the Gold Coast - in addition to becoming Melbourne's tallest building and relegating the Rialto to second spot in the process.

<blockquote>
Eureka Tower is a symbol of the transcendence of high density living over what has traditionally been the low suburban density mindset of Melbourne. In this respect, Eureka is an unlikely and remarkable example of Melbourne`s acceptance of high density sustainable living. Public/Cultural Benefits Eureka provides an internationally regarded symbol of place and purpose, heralding recognition of the need for a high density approach to sustainability in our built environment. 583 families will activate and enrich this precinct, with ground level amenities existing through convenience retail and restaurants, and a public observation facility at its peak. Built Form to Context Relationship The site had a permit for two towers. The idea of stacking them created the statement, but also reduced the wind/shadow impacts. Designed to stand tall and interact with Rialto Towers as a pair of sentinels to Melbourne`s river precinct - it`s glazing colour is similar and its form is visually arresting and changing from various vantage points.

- Fender Katsalidis
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_99021_3202.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Eureka Tower. Image: John Gollings"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="260" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_99021_3202.jpg?itok=DPkv23zY" title="Eureka Tower. Image: John Gollings" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Eureka Tower. Image: John Gollings</figcaption></figure>A series of high-profile projects are currently underway which seek to build upon the FK legacy as the practice continues to shape Melbourne’s city and skyline. Eureka's sister building, the 317m Australia 108 is currently under construction on Southbank, while dual apartment towers of 79-storeys on Queen Street in the CBD (in collaboration with Cox Architecture) are currently at sales and marketing. Another residential tower, Paragon is set to be built down the road on the former Celtic Club site opposite Republic Tower. Further FK designed buildings are popping in Docklands, South Yarra, Port Melbourne, Ivanhoe and even as far as Box Hill.

As FK looks to the future as it embarks on an ownership restructure with the addition of seven directors, Apartments.com.au asked the firm about its legacy and the future of high-rise design in Melbourne:

<blockquote>
The FK team is driven by the desire to create an architecture which contributes meaningfully to both the built environment and the community.  It strives to enrich living opportunities and typologies within the city through the highest level of design quality.

High rise, high density residential architecture is recognised as a key platform of sustainable city living.  With increasing numbers of high rise buildings completed in Melbourne, purchasers, port authorities and public at large have become more sophisticated in their expectations and accordingly the levels of excellence and innovation will need to keep rising to new heights.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_1288_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Australia 108. Images: Floodslicer"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="237" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fkmed_1288_11.jpg?itok=CPLXt2ag" title="Australia 108. Images: Floodslicer" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Australia 108. Images: Floodslicer</figcaption></figure>For a glimpse into the future of the FK's growing body of work refer to the below project listings from within Apartments.com.au's database.

Fender Katsalidis: Working Architecture is published by Uro Publications and will be available for purchase from www.uropublications.com in late May 2017.

Lead image:  Melbourne Terrace – John Gollings
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Fender Katsalidis reflects on the last 25 years while looking to the future with book launch

Tower Wars Episode V: The Office Strikes Back

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Trenerry Property has unveiled 'The Spencer', the latest of four apartment buildings within its boutique West End development: a future-ready mixed-use development and self-sufficient community located on a former brownfield site in West Melbourne.

According to Trenerry Property West End will transform the 9200sqm former Australia Post site into a vibrant, connected hub for living, playing, staying and working.

The Spencer is located on the eastern side of the site, sitting on the corner of Dudley Street and Bluestone Lane. It has been designed as a formally regular tower rising 11-storeys flanked on either side by podia of differing heights, with a restrained aesthetic comprising an exposed brick skin. The upper three levels or 'crown' element are enveloped in a clear glazing providing a light weight capping atop a robust base. CHT were the principal architect for the project working in tandem with Hecker Guthrie who designed the interiors.

The Spencer will accommodate 102 apartments across its 11-storeys and while it contains West End’s most affordable apartments, this according to designers Hecker Guthrie, has not come at the expense of quality or liveability.

<blockquote>
In creating The Spencer, we’ve provided an abundance of carefully selected components that ensure the highest standard of living. Instead of designing The Spencer to include only the simple necessities required in a home, we’ve created these apartments with what residents want at the forefront of our thinking. Inclusions and design details not usually seen in apartments are standard features at The Spencer. Joinery acts as built-in furniture as well as being functional storage, a dining table is nestled underneath the island benches and kitchens include abundant appliances.

In creating The Spencer, our signature soft modernism design has been refined to offer life within the space of each apartment. These are residences we’d love to live in and that’s a true sign of design with integrity and heart.
<cite>Hecker Guthrie</cite>
</blockquote>

Urban.com.au spoke to Hecker Guthrie Associate, Stacey Van Harn about the inspiration for The Spencer's interiors.

Urban.com.au: What was it like collaborating on a project of this scale with so many other talented designers?

Stacey Van Harn: It was great to see the results that each of the different interior designers presented for their buildings. In some ways, it really highlighted the design zeitgeist of the current time but just as much it was interesting to see how we each took the brief in our own direction.

Working alongside your peers is also a great opportunity to reflect on what makes a Hecker Guthrie design desirable, to both our client and the purchasers, what points of difference can we create etc.

UM: How were the interiors informed by not only their immediate context but the building's exterior?

SVH: Hecker Guthrie’s response to the brief was more so to provide a timeless design and neutral interior that will allow the end user to make the space their own. It is less about fashion and more about creating a space that will stand the test of time and do it well.

The Architect (CHT) made a strong point of utilising real/genuine materials in their architecture and this is certainly an approach that aligns with HG. We are so glad to see the use of real granite benchtops and the like in our project alongside the architects brick and metal finishes.

UM: What was the process like for designing The Spencer? Was the exterior conceived first and the interiors responded? Or were the designs happening in parallel?

SVH: Whilst the architectural design process started before the interiors a lot of the design development has occurred in parallel. We worked together with CHT to develop up the planning of the different apartments to ensure the building design as well resolved.

UM: How do you design with affordability in mind but not at the expense of quality?

SVH: There is always give and take when it comes to cost vs design and achieving the right balance is about compromising in the right places. It is really about keeping your initial design ideas always at the forefront of the process and investing in quality materials and what is important to this project in particular.

UM: What is the target market you are designing for on The Spencer?

SVH: We always strive at HG to produce a design outcome that could suit a varied array of end users. With this particular project, you will see in some of our earlier conceptual presentations that we actually set out to create spaces that would appeal to the three designers working on the job,

Myself (Stacey, in her 30’s) Hamish (in his 40’s) and Paul (in his 50’s). This wasn’t about necessarily designing something for ourselves but creating something we would be proud of and would appeal to this varied demographic of purchasers.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/trenerry_property_urba9462_west_end_ia05_the_spencer_lobby.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Spencer's lobby. Image: Trenerry Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="483" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/trenerry_property_urba9462_west_end_ia05_the_spencer_lobby.jpg?itok=5jDJ98yQ" title="The Spencer's lobby. Image: Trenerry Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Spencer's lobby. Image: Trenerry Property</figcaption></figure><h2>The Spencer overview</h2>

<ul>
<li>Site footprint approx 1209sqm</li>
	<li>Height: 11-storeys, 36.5 metres</li>
	<li>102 apartments</li>
	<li>45 x 1 bedroom apartments ranging from 47.5 - 73.5sqm (excluding balcony)</li>
	<li>44 x 2 bedroom apartments ranging from 64.5 - 83sqm (excluding balcony)</li>
	<li>12 x 3 bedroom apartments ranging from 86.5 - 119.5 square metres (excluding balcony)</li>
	<li>1 x 4 bedroom apartment spanning 166sqm (excluding balcony)</li>
</ul>
Construction on the entire West End development is slated to commence in July 2017 and be completed by late 2019.
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Hecker Guthrie discusses West End's latest building: The Spencer

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One of Melbourne's largest developments in waiting has been given a boost with Malaysia's Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) officially taking a 49% stake in Melbourne Square.

The largest sovereign pension fund in Malaysia and the investors behind London's Battersea Power Station redevelopment have taken the stake as developer OSK Property ramps up sales for the project. EPF's stake in the Kavanagh Street, Southbank amounts to $154 million. 
With EPF on board, OSK Property can progress with the first phase of their initial Australian project which will deliver apartments, retail spaces, specialty stores and a childcare centre. A central sloping green park will also form part of the first stage, with updated renders showing a refined scheme accounting for the sprawling open-air car park.

Latter stages will also feature a hotel, commercial office tower and further apartments that aim to activate and regenerate the backstreets of Southbank. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/osk_property_melbourne_square_skyline_to_bay_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The first stage of Melbourne Square will feature two residential towers. Image: supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="288" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/osk_property_melbourne_square_skyline_to_bay_0.jpg?itok=ZsrBL5G8" title="The first stage of Melbourne Square will feature two residential towers. Image: supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The first stage of Melbourne Square will feature two residential towers. Image: supplied</figcaption></figure>Melbourne Square has been designed by Cox Architecture, with Carr Design providing their expertise for Stage 1 interiors and Taylor Cullity Lethlean chipping in for the extensive landscaped public space which accounts for almost 20% of the site. 

Stage one of the project comprises two glazed elliptical residential towers accommodating over 1000 apartments. The development team's confidence in Melbourne Square is evident with Multiplex being engaged to provide early contractor involvement.

<h2>WHAT THEY SAY</h2>

<blockquote>
The Melbourne property development befits EPF's long-term objectives and will be a good addition to our overseas portfolio. This is EPF's second development venture overseas after Battersea in London.

The increasing demand for residential property in Melbourne, Australia will enable EPF to generate returns for its members.
<cite>- EPF CEO Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
We believe that Melbourne Square will be an important project for the world's most liveable city, providing the delivery of much-needed critical community infrastructure including a public park and network of green spaces. Partnering with EPF is a key milestone in progressing this project that will become a central point for Melburnians.
<cite>- OSK Holdings CEO / Group Managing Director Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat</cite>
</blockquote>

 Melbourne Square is currently in a pre-sales phase with construction of Stage 1 set for this year.
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Malaysia's EFT weighs into the local market with a stake in Melbourne Square

Longstanding Gold Coast and Canberra developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/morris-property-group">Morris Property Group</a> is continuing to roll on with its Glitter Strip apartment pipeline, seeking to return to Mermaid Beach with a new 68-apartment development.

Morris, founded by Barry Morris in 1978 and one of the Gold Coast’s most prolific apartment developers over the past two decades, has filed plans for a 12-storey mixed-use building at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/36-seabeach-avenue-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">34-36 Seabeach Avenue</a>, on the prized eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway.

The 1,227 sqm site occupies a prominent corner position at Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway, opposite the Mermaid Plaza retail and office precinct and around 140 metres walking distance from the future Mermaid Beach South light rail station.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser &amp; Partners</a> has designed the project, which will comprise 68 apartments across a mix of 48 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom residences.

The building will rise 12 storeys, reaching a maximum height of 36 metres, with the apartments accounting for a total of 156 bedrooms. The development application also seeks approval for short-term accommodation across the 68 apartments, while two office tenancies are proposed at ground level.

The plans show 108 car spaces across the development, with parking accommodated at ground level and within a three-level basement accessed from Seabeach Avenue.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2175c99-12fd-4a3c-9be1-89bbf258a90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.41%E2%80%AFPM_0.png?VersionId=iNLzWcE6gaAE76rafhEXfHve.4g4Se0p" />

Resident amenity will be concentrated on level two, where Fraser &amp; Partners has designed a recreation deck with a swimming pool, 90 sqm pool terrace, outdoor barbecue area and gym.

The broader communal offering will also incorporate landscaped spaces, with the planning documents noting the amenity has been designed to provide areas for recreation, social interaction and outdoor living.

The proposal would continue the transformation of the Gold Coast Highway corridor through Mermaid Beach ahead of the arrival of the light rail.

The site is zoned Neighbourhood Centre and sits within the Mermaid Beach/Broadbeach Light Rail Corridor neighbourhood plan. While the prescribed building height is 24 metres, the site is identified within an Urban Neighbourhood context providing for a 50 per cent height uplift to 36 metres.

Planning documents describe the stretch of the Gold Coast Highway between Broadbeach and Nobby Beach as increasingly characterised by medium and high-rise development, with the proposed Morris tower joining projects including Ventura, The Alfred, Oceans and Otto.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="911f193f-e381-4a55-be08-58be87fcf978" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.48%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=oxVvLJaY.SOXEdXrIcogfyEXDfvCmmpM" />

The development would mark Morris Property Group's latest investment in Mermaid Beach, where it has already delivered two apartment projects.

Otto, at 1 Bondi Avenue on the western side of the Gold Coast Highway, comprises 70 apartments across nine storeys. The project was completed in 2019 and includes a residents' gym, recreation deck and swimming pool.

Morris also developed Oceans at 46 Ocean Street, a nine-storey, 70-apartment build-to-rent development completed in 2019. Oceans was the group's first build-to-rent project and incorporates commercial space at ground level.

The two existing Morris projects sit further north along the same Gold Coast Highway corridor as the proposed Seabeach Avenue development. Fraser &amp; Partners' planning analysis specifically identifies both Otto and Oceans among the established built-form precedents surrounding the site.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14925119-7b71-4812-8149-340317512c7c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%203.00.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=aEJqYuw_nTCjcin17BSD0piB1EFotTlj" />

Mermaid Beach represents only part of Morris' considerable Gold Coast footprint.

The family-owned developer has been particularly active in neighbouring Broadbeach, delivering projects including Sierra Grand, Eclipse, Synergy, Qube, Koko, Opus and Malo, while its current pipeline includes Maison and the two-tower Crest development.

Further south, Morris has also developed a string of projects in Burleigh Heads, including Element, Boardwalk and Sandbar, while Essentia expanded its footprint north into Surfers Paradise.

The Seabeach Avenue application has been lodged by PMM Broadbeach Pty Ltd and seeks a development permit for a Material Change of Use for multiple dwellings, short-term accommodation and office uses. Zone Planning Group prepared the planning application, with Fraser &amp; Partners commissioned as architect.

The project comes as the developer continues to expand its Gold Coast pipeline while retaining a significant presence in Canberra. Morris now has more than $2.5 billion of development in its national pipeline and has delivered more than 7,000 homes during its near five-decade history

Joel Robinson

First look: Morris Property Group returns to Mermaid Beach with new Seabeach Avenue apartment development

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hvFB2uWTRfEyEcpTSnnK9" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis" target="_blank">Fortis</a>&nbsp;is continuing its stronghold on Sydn​ey’s eastern suburbs apartment market, launching&nbsp;in September&nbsp;its latest boutique&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GI5S9-wNeiLUnM-d1uYkw" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">Double Bay</a>&nbsp;development,&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2YNouJQcFjiTTgVHbgDLA-" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">55 William</a>.

55 William presents&nbsp;just eight north-facing&nbsp;two-bedroom, three-bedroom and full-floor&nbsp;residences to the market, priced from $4.5 million.

The upcoming launch comes just weeks after Fortis secured approval for the $80 million development, its third eastern suburbs approval in two months. Construction is already underway, with completion targeted for 2028.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376250]

55 William adds to a growing concentration of Fortis projects in and around Double Bay, a market the developer has become increasingly active in over recent years.

Fortis previously completed the nine-residence Marmont on New South Head Road, while it is currently developing a mixed-use residential and retail project at 12 Cross Street. Its wider Double Bay footprint also extends into commercial and retail development.

The developer's broader Sydney residential pipeline is particularly concentrated across the eastern suburbs, with projects spanning Doub​le Bay, Ro​se Bay, Wo​ollahra, Dar​ling Point, Poi​nt Piper and Eli​zabeth Bay.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376253]

At 55 William, Fortis has again turned to MHN Design Union, the architecture practice behind several of its eastern suburbs projects, while London-based 1508 London has been appointed to handle the interiors and Wyer &amp; Co the landscaping.

The six-level building will comprise a combination of two and three-bedroom apartments, including a garden residence, full-floor apartments, a sub-penthouse and penthouse. Each residence will have secure basement parking and private outdoor space.

A rooftop terrace for all residents, along with select apartments, enjoys views across Double Bay Harbour and toward the Sydney skyline.

Ceiling heights will reach up to three metres&nbsp;in select residences, while the kitchens will feature natural stone and integrated Gaggenau appliances.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The boutique nature of the project reflects the type of stock Fortis has increasingly targeted across Sydney's eastern suburbs, where larger apartments and smaller buildings are being pitched primarily toward local owner-occupiers and downsizers.

Fortis Group General Manager Ed Eve said the developer continues to see demand from buyers wanting to remain in the eastern suburbs but move into newer, lower-maintenance housing.

“We're seeing continued demand from local owner-occupiers and downsizers looking for high-quality homes that allow them to remain in the eastern suburbs, close to the lifestyle and community they know,” Eve said.

55 William is also one of the early projects to respond directly to the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms. Fortis had previously secured approval for just two townhouses on the 599 sqm site before revising the scheme to eight apartments following the planning changes.

Situated one street back from Double Bay's water's edge, the project enjoys an enviable harbourside setting within walking distance of Double Bay Village and the ferry wharf.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376252]

Fortis has increasingly made the eastern suburbs a major focus of its Sydney pipeline. Beyond Double Bay, it recently completed the 14-residence Piper in Point Piper and has projects underway or planned across Rose Bay, Woollahra and Darling Point.

The developer recently secured approval for Verano in Rose Bay, a six-level development comprising 21 two, three and four-bedroom apartments, also designed by MHNDU.

55 William&nbsp;is soon to be release to the market with VIP appointments commencing early September,&nbsp;with residences priced from $4.5 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152579]

Fortis continues eastern suburbs push with 55 William launch

UAE-based developer Arada has unveiled plans for a $2 billion twin-tower apartment development in Broadbeach, marking its first move into Queensland as it continues its rapid expansion across Australia.

Arada will develop 952 apartments across two towers on a prominent site opposite the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the project targeted for completion ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The project represents Arada's largest commitment to the Australian market since arriving in the country in 2024 and significantly expands a local pipeline that has now grown to eight projects and more than 5,000 homes.

It will also be the first major Queensland project delivered by Roberts Co since the tier-one contractor was acquired by Arada Group in 2025.

Plus Studio has designed the Broadbeach development, which will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two towers connected by a landscaped podium.

A significant resident amenity offering will include lagoon and lap pools, a gym, sauna and steam room, alongside a mist room, infrared room and salt scrub facilities. Communal terraces, private dining areas, a library, residents' lounge and work-from-home spaces are also planned. Around 1,200 sqm of retail and hospitality space will occupy the ground floor.

The site puts Arada in one of the Gold Coast's most active apartment markets, directly opposite the convention centre and within walking distance of Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and Broadbeach's dining and retail precinct.

It also has immediate access to the Gold Coast light rail network and sits just a few blocks from the beach.

Arada Group Chief Executive Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said Broadbeach represented an opportunity for the developer to expand beyond its initial NSW pipeline.

“Broadbeach is a world-class address that gives us the canvas to create a community of exceptional design and lifestyle quality that genuinely enriches the daily lives of the people who call it home,” Alkhoshaibi said.

“This is our first development outside New South Wales, and it reflects our growing ambition to grow in key urban markets around the country.”

Alkhoshaibi said bringing Roberts Co into the project would give Arada greater control over the development and construction process.

“Delivering this project through Roberts Co, our own tier-one construction business, means we can bring the quality, pace and accountability that our buyers expect.”

The move into Broadbeach comes as Arada accelerates its Australian expansion following its entry into the market two years ago. The developer has assembled a pipeline of eight projects comprising more than 5,000 homes, while the acquisition of Roberts Co last year gave the group its own Australian construction capability.

Globally, Arada has a development portfolio valued at $50 billion comprising more than 55,000 homes across the UAE, United Kingdom and Australia.

The Gold Coast is emerging as the next major market for the developer, with strong population growth and infrastructure spending ahead of the 2032 Games continuing to underpin significant apartment development across the coastal strip.

Arada plots $2 billion Broadbeach towers in major Queensland move

Sydney’s downsizer market is changing, with a growing cohort of buyers prioritising the right home over simply finding a smaller one.

Coronation Property Head of Sales Cam Porter says the traditional idea of downsizing does not necessarily reflect what many buyers are now looking for, particularly those moving from established family homes across Sydney.

Instead, he says they are increasingly becoming “right-sizers”, seeking lower-maintenance homes without sacrificing the space, amenity or quality they have become accustomed to.

“We are increasingly seeing buyers who are not motivated by the idea of simply moving into a smaller property,” Porter says.

“They are right-sizers. They want a home that is easier to manage and better connected, but they still expect generosity, quality and a floorplan that supports the way they live.”

It is a subtle but important distinction in a market where apartment developers are increasingly targeting established owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377495]

For many of these buyers, moving from a house to an apartment is not driven by a desire to dramatically reduce their living space. Instead, the appeal is in removing some of the maintenance associated with a larger home while retaining generous living areas, storage and enough flexibility to accommodate family and friends.

Coronation’s sales team is seeing buyers place particular importance on natural light, practical storage and additional rooms that can be used as guest bedrooms, home offices or secondary living spaces.

Kitchens and dining areas are also playing an increasingly important role, particularly for buyers who regularly entertain or have children and grandchildren visit.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377494]

“These buyers still want their home to feel generous,” Porter says.

“They may want less maintenance, but they are not looking for less life.”

The challenge for the broader housing market is providing enough of the right stock to encourage that move.

While much of the discussion around Sydney’s housing shortage has centred on the number of homes being delivered, Porter says the diversity of those homes is equally important.

Older homeowners can remain in large family houses for longer when they cannot find an appropriate alternative in the neighbourhoods where they have built their lives.

“The decision is rarely as simple as wanting fewer bedrooms,” Porter says.

“People are weighing up their connection to a neighbourhood, the space they need for family, the quality of the home and whether it will continue to work for them over the long term.”

It also has implications beyond the downsizer market. Providing suitable apartments for smaller households can free up established houses for families who need the additional bedrooms and land, creating greater movement through the housing market.

<h2>Lillian targets the next stage of apartment buyer</h2>

It is a buyer Coronation is targeting at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, its new collection of apartments, terraces and penthouses at Erskineville Village.

Designed by Silvester Fuller, Lillian has been shaped around larger living spaces, natural light and flexible floorplans, alongside landscaped areas, wellness amenity and communal spaces for residents.

The development will form part of Coronation’s broader Erskineville Village precinct, which will combine new homes with green space, retail, hospitality and new pedestrian connections.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377688]

McPherson Park will sit at the centre of the precinct, creating a significant new green space alongside the project’s retail and hospitality offering.

For Porter, the opportunity is to give buyers another housing option without forcing them to leave the part of Sydney they already know.

“People should be able to change the type of home they live in without having to change their entire life,” he says.

“For many buyers, Lillian offers the opportunity to remain connected to the Inner West and the city, while gaining access to a more convenient, walkable and considered way of living.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377687]

Coronation will explore the changing <a href="https://lillianresidences.com.au/news/lillian-x-space-x-downsizers-event-27-august/">right-sizer market at an event on August 27</a>, bringing together experts across property, design and lifestyle.

Held in partnership with SPACE, Poliform and Downsizer.com.au, the event will include a property market outlook from economist Michael Blythe alongside discussion around the considerations facing buyers planning their next move.

Attendees will also be able to learn more about the residences and amenity planned at Lillian Erskineville.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135149]

From downsizing to right-sizing: What Sydney buyers want from their next home

Family-owned builder and developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/omaya">Omaya</a> is bringing its 27-storey The Maybelle development to market, with the 229-apartment tower rising alongside Ismay Reserve near North Strathfield.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-maybelle-21-parramatta-road-homebush-nsw-2140">The Maybelle</a> will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with its height providing elevated outlooks towards the Sydney skyline and Harbour Bridge, while other residences will look across neighbouring Ismay Reserve.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/squillace-architects">Squillace Architects</a>, the tower combines its parkside setting with proximity to the established retail, dining and transport amenity around North Strathfield.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376196]

Residences will feature open-plan living spaces and a choice of two interior schemes, while communal amenity is spread across two elevated levels of the building.

Level 8 will be home to the Garden Pavilion, a full-floor resident space incorporating communal entertaining and breakout areas, seating and recreation spaces. Further up the tower, a landscaped Sky Terrace on Level 14 will provide another communal area with panoramic views towards the Harbour Bridge and Sydney skyline.

At ground level, the development sits directly alongside Ismay Reserve, where lawns, walking paths, children's play areas, picnic spaces and recreational facilities extend the green space available immediately around the project.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376194]

The Maybelle is also within walking distance of North Strathfield and the Bakehouse Quarter, which provides a mix of cafés, restaurants, shops and everyday services.

Existing rail and bus services provide connections across Sydney, while the future North Strathfield Metro and access to the M4 will add to the transport options available around the precinct. Walking and cycling routes also extend via Powells Creek towards Sydney Olympic Park and its sporting, entertainment and parkland precincts.

Families are also well positioned for access to a broad selection of established schools and education options across Strathfield and the surrounding Inner West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376181]

Omaya has operated in Sydney for more than 35 years, managing projects from acquisition and design through to construction and delivery. The family-owned company is both developer and builder of The Maybelle.

Apartments start from $560,000, with the development protected by 10-year Latent Defects Insurance.

Construction is well underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026 and move-in anticipated from Q1 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134873]

Laurence Dragomir

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New apartments

New townhouses

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