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With <a href="/news/the-new-victoria-police-centre-looks-set-to-become-reality">construction tenders called for during May</a>, the new Victoria Police Centre at 311 Spencer Street appears to be moving ever closer to reality. But what form will the new tower take?

According to the Ozscrapers forum, a new application has been lodged for the project which greatly expands the design to 39 storeys or 174 metres. To be built on a vacant piece of land adjoining the relatively new City West Police Complex, the tower was originally intended to accommodate approximately 40,000sqm of office space over 20-storeys.

Having put the scheme out to tender, CBUS Property and Australia Post would be ready to go with the initial Woods Bagot-designed scheme, pending final negotiations with the Victorian Government. Regardless of the design, the development team would likely be required to have the building operational by 2020, when Victoria Police's current lease at the World Trade Centre expires.

<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/image11_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="311 Spencer Street old and new? Image ourtesy Skyrise85 via Ozscrapers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="292" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image11_10.jpg?itok=k2Sh--AT" title="311 Spencer Street old and new? Image ourtesy Skyrise85 via Ozscrapers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>311 Spencer Street old and new? Image ourtesy Skyrise85 via Ozscrapers</figcaption></figure>The reworked design, which would be the tallest office tower to be constructed in the city for over two decades, features a sloping roof across three levels, and a number of similarities in expression and articulation to <a href="http://oma.eu/projects/de-rotterdam">OMA's De Rotterdam</a> project in The Netherlands. It should be noted that of the current crop of prospective commercial towers, 80 Collins Street is approved at a taller height, but proponent QIC have stumbled in getting the tower to construction.

Whatever its final form, 311 Spencer Street continues the ongoing transformation of Spencer Street, eliminating the gap between the Spencer Outlet Centre and City West Police Complex at 313 Spencer Street, while also covering the latter's substantial concrete core.

<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/e1b5a7d4e9b0e3a790a3a996957ea11e.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="311 Spencer Street's revised design. Image courtesy Skyrise85 via Ozscrapers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="427" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/e1b5a7d4e9b0e3a790a3a996957ea11e.jpg?itok=Sb1qpY3r" title="311 Spencer Street's revised design. Image courtesy Skyrise85 via Ozscrapers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>311 Spencer Street's revised design. Image courtesy Skyrise85 via Ozscrapers</figcaption></figure>Diagonally opposite 311 Spencer Street is Far East Consortium's pending West Side Place development, featuring Ritz Carlton set within the development's tallest tower at 270 metres. As the CBD continues to expansion westward into Docklands, locating Victoria Police in a single centrally located complex adjacent to Southern Cross Station looks to be the current thought process.

Cbus Property's 311 Spencer Street along with the likes of <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">477 Collins Street</a>, <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">405 Bourke Street</a>, <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">130 Lonsdale Street</a>, <a href="/buildings/one-melbourne-quarter-695-collins-street-docklands">695 Collins Street</a>, <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">80 Collins Street</a> and <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">271 Spring Street</a> are set to herald the next wave of commercial office towers, following the unprecedented boom in residential towers over recent years.

With the <a href="/news/35-spring-street-marks-its-place-in-the-skyline">recent topping out</a> of its flagship residential project at 35 Spring Street, CBUS Property will be keeping busy with its mixed-use Collins Arch project which also features a considerable slab of premium office space. Site preparations will begin during September with construction proper commencing during 2017.

<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/collinsarch.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Collins Arch. Image courtesy of Colliers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="880" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collinsarch.jpg?itok=QNvsrQIW" title="Collins Arch. Image courtesy of Colliers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Collins Arch. Image courtesy of Colliers</figcaption></figure>
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Laurence Dragomir

Could 311 Spencer Street become one of Melbourne's tallest office towers?

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An early registration sales day for 122 Roseneath St. in Clifton Hill last month has been a resounding success, with 53 of the 65 available apartments and townhouses sold within 12 hours. The strong interest follows an extensive process of consultation that sought feedback from prospective purchasers at key stages of the design process, prior to construction. 

Prospective purchasers were given the opportunity to express their views, creating a sense of ownership, whilst also giving the development partners – Wulff Projects, Icon Co. and Assemble – a chance to communicate the social and environmental values that underpin the project.

<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/roseneath_ex1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="122 Roseneath St's diverse streetscape. Image courtesy Assemble"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/roseneath_ex1.jpg?itok=BDO4EFHA" title="122 Roseneath St's diverse streetscape. Image courtesy Assemble" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>122 Roseneath St.'s diverse streetscape. Image: Studio Local Peoples</figcaption></figure>With a commitment to design, the development team believes a vertical life can be enjoyed by families, friends, pets, bike-lovers and green-thumbs alike.

So much so of the apartments on offer, seven have purchased by members of the development team. For some of them it's their first home, which reflects the development’s aspirations to create an affordable, diverse and engaged community in the inner-city suburb of Clifton Hill, where the median house price is now $1.161 million.

Urban.com.au caught up with Rachel Elliot Jones from Assemble and Edward Cramer from Wulff Projects to discuss the engagement process and the project's sales success. 

<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/roseneath_common_space_v02_hi_res.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="122 Roseneath St Common Space. Image courtesy Studio Local People"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="341" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/roseneath_common_space_v02_hi_res.jpg?itok=4H9pRtVo" title="122 Roseneath St Common Space. Image courtesy Studio Local People" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>122 Roseneath St Common Space. Image courtesy Studio Local People</figcaption></figure>According to Elliot Jones and Cramer, the team were bullish about the project's prospects once it hit the market. An unusually high proportion, 96%, of purchasers at Roseneath St. are owner-occupiers and domestic buyers, reflecting both the quality and affordability of the project. The developers estimate that 40% of all purchasers were first-home buyers, and that 38% came from Clifton Hill or surrounding suburbs.

85% of purchasers were able to buy one of their top 4 preferences.

As part of the exhaustive process - which lasted 8 months and was largely considered an untried process - a further design presentation where the latest iteration of renders, material boards were presented to prospective purchasers to gauge interest and collect feedback. Based on the feedback received and purchaser preferences, 4 of the studio apartments were consolidated into 2 x 2 bedroom apartments. 

The display suite was opened to those who had registered their interest and filled in their preference statements where they had to list 5-10 preferences. Elliot Jones says the biggest task the team faced was managing expectations, and it was critical that interested purchasers were greeted with a smile and a relaxed atmosphere ensuring purchasers were 'calm.' Additionally Fresh Fork and Everyday Coffee were on hand supplying food and coffees respectively. 

All three directors of Assemble – Quino Holland, Ben Keck and Pino Demaio – purchased a home in the development. This sent a strong message to prospective buyers and gave them confidence in the project.

The existing buildings onsite will be cleared over the course of the next 6-8 weeks with construction beginning in earnest by the end of the year. The development team are targeting a one year construction program with a completion date either side of Christmas 2017.   

<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/roseneath_r11_final_hi_res_upd.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="122 Roseneath St interior. Image courtesy Studio Local People"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="184" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/roseneath_r11_final_hi_res_upd.jpg?itok=HhDiv9IB" title="122 Roseneath St interior. Image courtesy Studio Local People" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>122 Roseneath St interior. Image courtesy Studio Local Peoples</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

It was fantastic to see that more than 85 per cent of new residents were able to secure one of their top four preferences. The consultation process, which involved two stages of design presentations and several feedback surveys, directly informed aspects of the design, including the communal room, the inclusion of a communal laundry and the provision of an embedded energy network.

<blockquote>
The participation and feedback throughout the design presentations allowed us to tailor the design and give buyers the confidence to commit to the project. 

<cite>Ben Keck, Assemble Director</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Having spent the first years of my life in regional Malaysia, I suppose ‘village living’ is in my roots… Returning to Melbourne in 2013, I’ve been really interested in what the future of housing and particularly medium-density living will evolve into, with changing demographics and populations. I’ve been investigating cooperative housing, tiny home living, and even looking into forming my own cooperative to form an intentional residential community, and I fell in love with 122 Roseneath’s vision, design and practice of engaging its stakeholders.

I’ve been involved in building all sorts of communities and networks over the past ten years of my professional life and I’ve always longed to be able to bring this into my home life as well.What was most important to me was the thoughtful sustainable design and that I would be joining a community, not just an apartment building.

<cite>Melina Chan, purchaser at 122 Roseneath Street</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The people I have met who will be future residents of 122 Roseneath are all lovely – my next door neighbour seems fabulous – and there is a real sense that the buyers want to live in an environment where we all look out for each other. 

<cite>Marion Arnott, purchaser at 122 Roseneath Street</cite>
</blockquote>

As for what's next, Wulff Projects have collaborated with Assemble's design arm, Fieldwork for Newry Street townhouses in Richmond. 

<h2>Project team </h2>

<ul>
<li>Developers: Wulff Projects, Icon Co. and Assemble</li>
	<li>Architect: Assemble</li>
	<li>Communication and community engagement: Assemble</li>
	<li>Landscape architect: MALA</li>
	<li>Selling agent: Nelson Alexander</li>
	<li>Town planning consultants: Tract</li>
	<li>Legal counsel: K&amp;L Gates</li>
</ul>
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Engaging with prospective buyers gives Roseneath St. an enviable sales record

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One of the first things I was keen to do upon returning from my European holiday was provide the Apartments.com.au 3D model with some much needed attention, particularly in light of a number of recent significant approvals.

As such the following 11 projects have been added to the model or updated in the previous two weeks:

<ul>
<li>The Conservatory, 9 Mackenzie Street</li>
	<li>295-309 King Street</li>
	<li>Ritz Carlton at West Side Place &amp; Tower 2 updated</li>
	<li>The Jean Nouvel designed 383 LaTrobe Street in association with Architectus</li>
	<li>303 LaTrobe Street</li>
	<li>The late Zaha Hadid's 582-606 Collins Street with Plus Architecture</li>
	<li>Melbourne Quarter updated</li>
	<li>Tower 5 at Collins Square</li>
	<li>9-27 Downie Street</li>
	<li>7-23 Spencer Street</li>
	<li>35 Spring Street</li>
</ul>
Key - Red: proposed.  Blue: approved.  Green: Under Construction.

<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/mm_west.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Soon enough you'll be able to pan around the Urban.com.au 3D model, much like Google Earth"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="268" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mm_west.png?itok=E8KnMmX4" title="Soon enough you'll be able to pan around the Urban.com.au 3D model, much like Google Earth" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Soon enough you'll be able to pan around the Apartments.com.au 3D model, much like Google Earth</figcaption></figure>Despite the additions, there still remains a significant number of projects yet to be added across the CBD, Southbank and Docklands, meaning a relatively complete model is still some time away. Ideally early 2017 would see a complete Melbourne model.

Ultimately as we continue to improve Apartments.com.au, there are a number of features we will be looking to implement, one of which would be providing an interactive model of the city (with various layers) that visitors to the site could orbit around and switch on and off proposed, approved and under construction buildings etc.

But for now you'll all have to rely on my renders and screen grabs, which I think are good for a bit of fun visual analysis of the state of play in the central city.

<h2>CBD North continues to perform as the west end slowly gathers pace</h2>

The CBD North area is currently the busiest in terms of construction and this is likely to continue with projects such as Queens Place, the Munro Site at QVM, and Swanston Central kicking off over the next 12 months or so. Meanwhile the west end of the CBD is gearing up for a host of major developments commencing with Collins Arch, Olderfleet Place, Collins House, West Side Place Towers 1 &amp; 2, and Melbourne Quarter adding a mix of apartments, hotel suites and office space; and let's not forget much needed public open space.

These projects also go some way to better connecting Docklands with the CBD both visually and physically; Spencer Street which once had a number of major bombsites will be unrecognisable in five years time.

<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_model_02_18082016.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CBD North is experiencing the greatest change"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="270" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melbourne_model_02_18082016.png?itok=iEur3yb4" title="CBD North is experiencing the greatest change" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CBD North is experiencing the greatest change</figcaption></figure><h2>Melbourne's future buildings would make for an impressive skyline</h2>

As the elevations below illustrate the Melbourne skyline is in for significant change (in case you weren't aware). The height and density far exceeds anything that has been developed in the last 20 years, where a whole other city is essentially being built within the current CBD.

Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area also shapes as another CBD-sized development in itself.

<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/mm_existing_elevation.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Existing, future and combined."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="320" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mm_existing_elevation.png?itok=WSfEqtba" title="Existing, future and combined." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Existing, future and combined.</figcaption></figure>The diagram also illustrates that there is a strong pipeline of development approved (blue) and ready to commence in the next few years once the current and sizeable construction cycle (green) draws to a close.

Lastly, I thought I would end with a render that shows how this current development boom is unique and unlike any other in Melbourne's history.

<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/starchitects.png" rel="gallery-all" title="A who's who on the Melbourne skyline."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="227" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/starchitects.png?itok=0-TpOVRi" title="A who's who on the Melbourne skyline." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A who's who on the Melbourne skyline.</figcaption></figure>The above image features: a Beyonce-inspired curvaceous tower, Melbourne's first Ritz Carlton hotel and the tallest hotel in Australia (until One Queensbridge Street takes the crown), a Zaha Hadid designed tower, a Jean Nouvel-designed tower, a Grimshaw designed tower, a SHoP-designed tower and two mainstays of Melbourne architecture in DCM and FKA teaming up to deliver the final piece of Batmans Hill.

The view of the city from the Yarra River and Southbank will be very different in the not-too-distant future, and tinged with the designs of some of the most recognisable architects of our time.
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Melbourne CBD Model update: August 2016

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Les Clarke, the last of ClarkeHopkinsClarke’s three founding partners recently retired in his 56th year with the practice.

Alongside David Hopkins and Jack Clarke, the trio founded Melbourne-based architecture practice ClarkeHopkinsClarke. With an early focus on residential and education projects, Les also designed several acclaimed homes, including the Housing Institute of Australia’s House of the Year in 1978. Today the practice’s work spans the education, multi-residential, retail, commercial, mixed-use, community, health care and aged care sectors.

Melbourne's robust development scene has allowed the firm to grow across key sectors, with the ClarkeHopkinsClarke team encompassing over 100 team members. This growth represents a new chapter for ClarkeHopkinsClarke and new opportunities, with associates Jordan Curran and Simon LeNepveu recently enlisted as new partners.

Continuing the work of Les Clarke, LeNepveu’s focus is on education planning, and he is well regarded for his strong capability in the design and delivery of these projects. LeNepveu has been with ClarkeHopkinsClarke for over 10 years, and will continue working with education team leader Wayne Stephens to carry Les Clarke’s legacy into the future.

Commencing his career working closely with Les Clarke and Dean Landy, Jordan Curran’s focus within the ClarkeHopkinsClarke practice is on projects with a strong urban design component such as those in the community, retail and mixed use sectors.

Urban.com.au spoke both Jordan Curran and Simon LeNepveu about planning for the future of the practice.

Urban.com.au: Firstly congratulations on your promotions to the position of partner within the practice. With Les Clarke stepping down how do you both see your respective roles evolving; Jordan in community, retail &amp; mixed use and Simon in education planning?

Jordan Curran: Les was a bit of a mentor for both Dean Landy and myself. His legacy in the retail, community sector will always be the idea that his work was always based around the end user and developing a real sense of community with his work.

I'm still involved with most of the retail and mixed-use, urban planning and design projects in the office and my role has now evolved with one of collaborating with Les for the least 7 years to taking on his work and adopting his ideas moving forward and exploring greater possibilities through innovation.

Simon LeNepveu: I would echo similar thoughts to Jordan. When Les founded ClarkeHopkinsClarke almost 60 years ago, it was founded as a practice that did a lot of work in education, which is what I specialize in.

I see my role now as taking Les' legacy - and we have been very fortunate to have him - and now stepping into the position of partner it's really about looking to take the work to the next level and pushing the boundaries with regard to what a school is and how that fits into the community and its role as both a community and city resource.

UM: How do you see those sectors evolving in the future? And what possibilities exist for innovation? Particularly with the move towards a vertical model of education.

SL: In terms of education there are some really exciting things happening both within Australia and here in Victoria. It's really starting to push boundaries about what a school is and re-imagine the traditional idea of a school as a 9 to 3:30 place but being a real active part of the community.

And as you mentioned there's been a recent shift towards a vertical model with quite a few in Melbourne in the works, one of which we're involved in and they're all looking at really inner city, dense sites and exploring how they might fit in within the urban fabric.

In a lot of ways it's very similar to the work Jordan does in retail and mixed-use and the idea of creating vibrant communities.

JC: With education we see that as an integral part of most of our town centres. We're currently working on about 3-4 town centres at the moment, new growth centres that would have community facilities, apartments, residential and we try to push education into that as a core part element and one which helps to activate other elements such as the retail - we want everyone spilling into the main street of town.

But what it means is that because there's not many community buildings being built at the moment, that's why from an education point of view we see that as an area in which to invest money from a community point of view - it's building a school.

UM: What sort of challenges do you think your respective sectors face with regard to issues such as population growth, for example, amongst others and what do you need to do as a practice to respond to these?

JC: For me the biggest challenge is keeping up with rapid growth and we want to be careful particularly in growth corridors where there's so much happening. And that's why important in the work we do; the community, mixed-use, education that it all comes together to form these vibrant communities.

What we don't want to be involved in is areas of rapid growth and they essentially become dormitory suburbs.

We actually want to bring all the work at CHC across all the sectors and bring it in to really create these active community hubs and great places where people want to be. That's part of our greater focus and we focus on key sectors which we always try to bring as many as we can to the table in the first stage.

So we try and masterplan and bring as many of these key pieces - medical, education, retail, townhouses, SOHO type townhouses etc - into stage one to create that buzz.

With retail another key challenge is online shopping so the focus becomes about creating a sense of place; somewhere you actually want to be and interact with others. A lot of that comes down to food and beverage, children's play areas and the use of fine grain materials such as timbers, bricks and different types of textures.

UM: Does CHC harbour ambitions to expand the Melbourne office in size and beyond that into other markets both in Australia or internationally?

SL: That's part of the discussion we've been having in the office and we've been invited to do a some projects in South Australia, Queensland where we are looking at some aged care projects and we've even designed a school in Indonesia, in addition to a few in New Zealand as well. Up until now it hasn't really been a core focus outside of Victoria but that's definitely an area of opportunity in the future.

How any interstate or international expansion will most likely manifest is with a Melbourne base and then satellite offices. Part of that ties into the research that we do and not just having the best research of the projects we're doing in Victoria but if we want to be considered leaders then we need to be analysing projects nationwide and globally.

So we want to be in those markets testing things out.

<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/image3_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Soho Village Point Cook is a pending ClarkeHopkinsClarke project"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="371" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3_4.jpg?itok=a0znqudg" title="Soho Village Point Cook is a pending ClarkeHopkinsClarke project" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Soho Village Point Cook is a pending ClarkeHopkinsClarke project</figcaption></figure>UM: And lastly can you speak a bit about some of the projects that you're both working on in the office?

JC: In terms of the retail mixed-use, SOHO Village in Point Cook is one that we're working on and that's a bit of a test case for Wyndham City Council and UDIA. What we have tried to do is create an urban precinct in Point Cook which is very much car-centric.

We were able to get them to rebrand the IGA as the Village Pantry, we've got a boutique grocer, specialty shops, medical centre, yoga studio, apartments, townhouses, there's a church that also functions with childcare and conference facilities and then an office building which has some flexible desks you can actually rent out.

So the idea of this urban precinct is that you can live there and have everything at your doorstep. The apartments are the first in Point Cook and have all sold off the plan - it's been incredibly successful. Almost everything we try to push in terms of mixed-use developments we've put every piece of the puzzle into it and people have really bought into the idea of living in an urban village.

A lot of developers are taking notice of the project and we're looking at replicating the model in a lot of greenfield suburbs - looking at a bit of SOHO in every greenfield site we're working on in Victoria. The project is around 90% complete with completion expected in the next 3 months.

SL: One of the vertical schools we're working on is the new Beaumaris Secondary College on an existing school site and it's a very exciting project actually. It's different to some of the other vertical schools in the sense that you don't really think of Beaumaris in an urban context and even though it's quite a big site and one of the things that has made it interesting is some of the partnerships that are involved.

The school is a joint venture between The Department of Education and the Melbourne Cricket Club with the MCC developing a high performance training centre on the site as part of the JV and providing sports facilities and because they require so much space it has necessitated that the school be a multi-level school.

The project is about creating interaction between the wider urban precinct and it's an interesting area down with the site being formerly a part of Sandringham College which is a multi-campus school with two other campuses. This particular campus really struggled in the Beaumaris community and lacked its own real sense of identity and competing with private schools nearby so the Department is using this as a flagship case along with the other vertical schools.
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ClarkeHopkinsClarke looks to the future

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The City of Melbourne is looking to accelerate plans for improvements to Elizabeth Street between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane. As part of its actions for 2016-17, Council aims to consult with relevant stakeholders on the Draft Elizabeth Street Strategic Opportunities Plan, in addition to investigating and producing design options for improvements to the southern end of Elizabeth Street.

Despite being one of the most important entry points into the city and the retail core, this section of Elizabeth Street is characterised by poor urban design, an absence of trees, soft and hard landscape and constrained footpaths which results in a compromised pedestrian experience. Additionally the current state of the tram turnaround area and shelters detracts from the visual and historical significance of Flinders Street Station.

Traffic analysis undertaken by Council indicates that there are very low motor vehicle volumes in this section of Elizabeth Street, particularly southbound. According to Council the majority of vehicles which currently travel south on this section of Elizabeth Street can use alternate routes to reach their intended destination.

In contrast, pedestrian volumes are high and growing exponentially, driven in part by growth in public transport patronage.

<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/flinders-st-071111025.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Elizabeth Street's current state. Image: Culture Victoria"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/flinders-st-071111025.jpg?itok=jTtOqqjD" title="Elizabeth Street's current state. Image: Culture Victoria" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elizabeth Street's current state. Image: Culture Victoria</figcaption></figure>These numbers suggest that there exists an opportunity for Council to reallocate space currently used for the southbound vehicle carriageway and parking to provide a more generous space for pedestrians on the east side. City of Melbourne is considering a range of design improvement possibilities that extend from street lighting, tree planting, landscaping and furniture placement that need to be considered in line with best practice Safer by Design considerations.

Streetscape improvements in the area are intended to provide a number of benefits to the city including an improved pedestrian experience, improved amenity and presentation of this historically and culturally significant part of Melbourne.

Public Transport Victoria (PTV) is required to replace some tram tracks in the southern end of Elizabeth Street and plans to do this in early 2017. Council officers are working with PTV to better understand the opportunities to take advantage of the track works to improve the surrounding area as a fully coordinated approach.

Council proposes a program of targeted stakeholder consultation to be undertaken from 3 to 31 August 2016. The aim is to understand all the issues pertinent to formulating a design outcome for the area.

Issues are likely to include loading and deliveries, property access, stormwater management, the condition of subsurface infrastructure, bicycle access plus accessible tram boarding and alighting.

The outcomes of the consultation along with a recommendation for the next steps on the project are expected to be presented to the Future Melbourne Committee following the 2016 Council elections. This would include implications for the remainder of Elizabeth Street to inform the Draft Elizabeth Street Strategic Opportunities Plan.

<h2>Stage one: Targeted stakeholder engagement</h2>

The feedback from stage one will help the City of Melbourne develop achievable design options for Elizabeth Street South which have broad support from key stakeholders. Additionally, it will assist in developing an optimal phase two engagement process into which the wider community can have input.

To assist with these activities, materials explaining the rationale for the project and the existing site conditions will be produced.

The purpose of the stage one engagement is to help share with the community council's intention to proceed with the road discontinuance in addition to:

<ul>
<li>Explaining the site’s complexities, constraints and opportunities.</li>
	<li>Collecting stakeholder insights and information.</li>
	<li>Understanding and addressing any concerns raised.</li>
	<li>Investigating further the site conditions/constraints.</li>
	<li>Maximising the City of Melbourne’s ability to collaborate to ensure the best possible outcome for the site.</li>
</ul>
A report detailing the outcomes of the stage one engagement will be prepared and presented to Future Melbourne Committee in late 2016.

<h2>Stage two: Broad community engagement</h2>

A series of design options will be developed following stage one and the broader community will be engaged to provide feedback on these in early 2017. This will provide input to assist with the finalisation of the new streetscape design for Elizabeth Street South.

<h2>Comment</h2>

This isn't the first time someone has suggested improvements to this section of Elizabeth Street. Gilbert Rochecouste, founder and managing director of Village Well, and widely recognised as the man who turned Melbourne's neglected and decrepit laneways into a globally renowned attraction has previously suggested tearing up Elizabeth Street, and incorporating and revitalising the hidden waterway under it that runs down to the Yarra River, known as Williams Creek.

<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/station_snip.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Elizabeth Street reimagined. Image courtesy of Thad Patradoon via The Age, March 5 2015"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/station_snip.png?itok=fkm_0VzJ" title="Elizabeth Street reimagined. Image courtesy of Thad Patradoon via The Age, March 5 2015" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elizabeth Street reimagined. Image courtesy of Thad Patradoon via The Age, March 5 2015</figcaption></figure>While his concept extended beyond the boundaries of the current study area, the idea of removing vehicular traffic in both directions and perhaps through to perhaps Collins Street may have some merit and it would be good to know that Council has at least considered every possibility and opportunity.

While certainly ambitious it certainly would represent the next stage in Melbourne's evolution: replacing defunct or underutilised infrastructure with landscape and public spaces. Similar improvements have previously been foreshadowed for Southbank Boulevard, City Road and Stage 2 of the Sandridge Bridge transforming it into a High Line style linear park: yet none of these is yet to see the light of day.

This area of Elizabeth Street provides the bookend to the Queen Victoria Market Precinct and both carry significant cultural and historical importance to Melbourne. High quality pedestrian environments and spaces at these particular key locations are critical for they have been long neglected and provide the doorsteps to two Melbourne icons and are also important interchange nodes for public transport patrons.

I'd love to hear readers thoughts.
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City of Melbourne gets ball rolling on Elizabeth Street South

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<a href="http://gardenstatehotel.com.au/">Garden State Hotel</a> is a highly impressive, purpose-built four storey bar and hospitality venue at 101 Flinders Lane. Formerly the site of iconic ’80s and ’90s hospitality venue Rosati, and once a beacon for the city’s social scene, Garden State Hotel is now owned and operated by Sand Hill Road, the hospitality group behind a string of successful high-end pubs including Bridge Hotel, Richmond Club Hotel, Terminus Hotel and Prahran Hotel.

As with the reinvention of these now iconic venues, Sand Hill Road has once again tasked <a href="/architects/techne-architecture-interior-design">Technē</a> with transforming the venue into the Garden State Hotel.

Technē has completely redesigned the venue while preserving its distinctive exterior as well as other elements of the building's fabric, itself a heritage Victorian era building that began life as a textile mill in 1896. New materials enhance, compliment and draw on the existing characteristics of the site, while displaying an aesthetic very much in the vein of Technē's previous works.

The Technē design centres on a large multi-level beer garden, an oasis of sorts in the middle of the <a href="/new-apartments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne CBD</a> and a far cry from the multi-level hotel once proposed for the site.

<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/shr_gardenstatehtl_-smg_252862.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interconnectivity is at the heart of the Garden State Hotel's design. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/shr_gardenstatehtl_-smg_252862.jpg?itok=oMQrLHQV" title="Interconnectivity is at the heart of the Garden State Hotel's design. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interconnectivity is at the heart of the Garden State Hotel's design. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road</figcaption></figure>Instead a series of spaces - a procession of contraction, expansion and again contraction - beginning with the front bar are evident. These are tied together by a timber pergola structure which reinforces the importance and role of the central courtyard filled with plants and trees. Reflecting this verdant theme, the name Garden State Hotel borrows Victoria’s century-old state title, ‘The Garden State’.

Urban.com.au met with Technē director Justin Northrop for a tour of the venue, who described the project, built by <a href="/builders/schiavello-constructions">Schiavello Constructions</a>, as an unprecedented opportunity to reinvigorate a substantial CBD site for the hospitality sector.

The 2,000sqm project has a capacity for 840 guests, and preserves much of the original textile factory’s saw tooth roof while opening its central bays to form a terraced beer garden that has the feel of a Victorian conservatory, one which encourages exploration and discovery of its various spaces.

The contemporary pub is a versatile space, with different rooms and areas to support varied audiences and functions as pubs are traditionally very much voyeuristic places.

<blockquote>
Within the Melbourne CBD there is probably no other hospitality venue, based on the spirit of a pub, that offers a comparable variety of spaces and experiences under the one roof. Additionally we are able to work effortlessly with Sand Hill Road, having developed effective communication, trust and understanding over a number of years.

For Garden State Hotel, together we explored planning diagrams in three dimensional models because the vertical connection between spaces is so critical to encourage patrons to move throughout the whole venue.

<cite>- Justin Northrop, Technē director</cite>
</blockquote>

According to Northrop, one of the challenges the site presented was the change in level between Flinders Lane and Duckboard Place to the rear. This presented an opportunity for the project to act as a mediator, helping patrons negotiate this level change through their movement through the spaces with the central courtyard allowing for circular traffic through and around while creating lines of sight from one space to the next.

<blockquote>
All spaces have an outlook… the project's biggest gesture is interconnection.

<cite>- Justin Northrop, Technē director</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/shr_gardenstatehtl_-smg_253225.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The front bar which greets visitors at the entry from Flinders Lane. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/shr_gardenstatehtl_-smg_253225.jpg?itok=lE7MjqD2" title="The front bar which greets visitors at the entry from Flinders Lane. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The front bar which greets visitors at the entry from Flinders Lane. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road</figcaption></figure>In addition to the multi-level beer garden at its core, the project involved the creation of a street level public bar at the front of the site. It was critical that patrons arriving at the front were greeted by a member of the bar staff.

While the front bar is still likely to be a vibrant community watering hole, bespoke dining areas and private function rooms create opportunities where the pub now services the entire hospitality spectrum, from casual get-togethers to finer dining and corporate events. The venue is very much egalitarian, says Northrop with everyone and anyone welcome.

He expects a broad patronage, underpinned largely by professionals in adjoining buildings, but sees the venue as "somewhere you could also bring your mother for lunch."

A self contained dining area dubbed Garden Grill, inspired by the bistros of New York and France, borders the courtyard and features the Raw Bar, serving Melbourne’s freshest seafood. The ambience is soft and warm with a strong sense of tradition.

The basement-level Rose Garden is an intimate cocktail bar with chandeliers, eclectic antique wall décor, repurposed oregon purlins and giant rose motifs hand-painted by local artisans and can be accessed off Duckboard Place. Northrop describes the space as very much as a mash up of old and new.

<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/shr_gardenstatehtl_-smg_252762.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Rose Garden located in the basment. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/shr_gardenstatehtl_-smg_252762.jpg?itok=l3yQo_pc" title="The Rose Garden located in the basment. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Rose Garden located in the basment. Image courtesy Sand Hill Road</figcaption></figure>New concrete columns support the upstairs kitchen and the other upper level spaces including the Balcony Dining Room, for small group bookings. The Observatory is the venue’s premier functions space, which will hold up to 120 people in a light-filled room with views onto both the garden below and over to the city outside.

What Garden State Hotel shares in common with other Technē and Sand Hill Road projects is a dynamism evident in its various internal spaces. Technē’s design for Garden State Hotel links vertically integrated spaces across four levels both physically and visually, encouraging a sense of exploration and movement throughout the venue.

I encourage all Melburnians to get down to Garden State Hotel and explore for themselves, and at the very least appreciate the nuances in the design.
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Garden State Hotel (Previously Known as Rosati)

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It's not often you return from an overseas trip to be greeted with a letter from City of Yarra pertaining to a Planning Application for a significant development down the street.

Planners <a href="https://urbis.com.au/">Urbis</a> on behalf of <a href="http://www.bamfa.com.au/">Bamfa Properties</a> has submitted a combined planning permit application and planning scheme amendment to pave the way forward for a significant mixed-use scheme. A 12-storey and 10-storey building with associated 3-storey podia at 462-482 Swan Street is proposed adjacent to Burnley Station on an approximately 4,658sqm site.

The <a href="http://elenbergfraser.com/">Elenberg Fraser</a> designed scheme replaces five Edwardian cottages and a series of light industrial buildings.

<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/site_plan_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Site Plan. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="273" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/site_plan_0.jpg?itok=bCD0BOSx" title="Site Plan. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Site Plan. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure>Overall the site has a 80 metre frontage to Swan Street/Burnley Station and a 57 metre frontage along the Burnley Street service road. The site is currently zoned as Commercial 2 with the amendment seeking a change of use to Commercial 1, befitting the site's role as a gateway to Burnley Station and the Burnley Station Village.

A change in use to Commercial 1 would also help to facilitate a complementary mix of commercial, entertainment, community and residential uses which encourage activity and supports improvements of the public realm.

The applicants argue that the nature of the site, being on a prominent corner adjacent to two key transport corridors lends itself to the building which is argued is in keeping with recommendations of the Swan Street Structure Plan (March 2012).

<blockquote>
The Swan Street Structure Plan envisages this site to be the gateway of the Burnley Precinct and an appropriate located for a mixed use high density development.
<cite>Urbis Planning Report</cite>
</blockquote>

The design employs strong curvilinear forms to both podium and L-shaped tower elements, with bronze glazing and planter boxes a feature of the development's primary facades. These combined with vertical timber shading screens provide the building with warmth.

At street level clear gazing allows for visual connection from street to retail tenancies within, while silver glazing provides a counterpoint and contrasting feature to rear facades.

A supermarket with frontage to Swan Street is most prominent, with three smaller tenancies rounding out the retail mix.

Apartment typologies within 462-482 Swan Street range from 96 x 1 bedroom apartments of 45-49sqm; 20 x 1 bedroom+ apartments of 50-59sqm and 127 x 2 bedroom+ apartments of 60-79sqm.

<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/ground_floor.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Ground level retail plan. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="346" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ground_floor.jpg?itok=O6e2bAmF" title="Ground level retail plan. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ground level retail plan. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure>Car and bicycle parking is limited to lower basement up to level 02 with a wrap of active use (residential or commercial) to the two primary facades of the podium. A shared rooftop garden sits atop level 3 of the podium providing all apartments with some degree of outlook, either to the street or internal rooftop garden area.

<h2>462-482 Swan Street application summary</h2>

<ul>
<li>8-10 storey east tower and 10-12 storey west tower</li>
	<li>Maximum height of 40.95 metres</li>
	<li>243 apartments</li>
	<li>3-storey podia</li>
	<li>3,175sqm supermarket at ground level</li>
	<li>Smaller retail tenancies of between 71-84sqm, totalling 227sqm</li>
	<li>Three office tenancies to first floor, 60-250sqm in size</li>
	<li>366sqm gymnasium and 348sqm swimming pool</li>
	<li>445 carparking spaces and 339 bicycle spaces</li>
	<li>Eight bike spaces to Swan Street (four bike share) and eight bike spaces to Burnley Street</li>
	<li>New pedestrian plaza created along Bumley Street and streetscape improvements (including widening) to Swan Street.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Comment</h2>

As a resident who lives within 200 metres of the proposed development, I support the aspirations of the development. The project presents an opportunity to create a cohesive and coherent streetscape which at present is compromised by the light industrial properties along both Swan and Burnley Streets.

Additionally the development has the potential to act as a catalyst for further streetscape improvements and development to Swan Street west of Burnley 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/street_level.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Street level activation to Swan Street and Burnley Street respectively. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="173" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/street_level.jpg?itok=D44y4369" title="Street level activation to Swan Street and Burnley Street respectively. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Street level activation to Swan Street and Burnley Street respectively. Image courtesy Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure>In terms of heritage sensitivities, no overlay applies to any of the existing structures which comprise the development site, and the overall benefits to both the passengers accessing Burnley Station and surrounding residents via provision of a supermarket and retail activation to Burnley far outweigh the loss of the Edwardian dwellings.

The site is well serviced both via Burnley Station and the number 75 tram which operates along Swan Street. Further, the eight bicycle spaces proposed to both Burnley and Swan Street - four of which are bike share - reinforce Swan Street as a critical cycling route as well as the site's connectivity to the Yarra City Trail.

<h2>462-482 Swan Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Bamfa Properties</li>
	<li>Architect: Elenberg Fraser</li>
	<li>Planner: Urbis</li>
	<li>Traffic: GTA Consultants</li>
	<li>Waste Management: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>ESD: Sustainability</li>
	<li>Landscape Concept: ERM</li>
	<li>Wind: Vicpac Engineers &amp; Scientists</li>
	<li>Acoustics: Acoustic Logic</li>
</ul>
 
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Swan Street sizes up: 462-482 Swan Street, Richmond

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Located on the corner of Millswyn Street and Toorak Road West, The Millswyn offers 10 grandly proportioned residences from $3.9 million to $13+ million in the Domain precinct, bounded by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Fawkner Park.

The development presents a rare opportunity to acquire large contemporary private residences in one of South Yarra’s most prestigious precincts just five minutes’ walk from the 'Tan' running track and Domain village; a minute to Fawkner Park; three kilometres from Collins Street and a kilometre from the centre of South Yarra.

The Millswyn has been designed by one of Australia's leading architects, Rob Mills who has employed historic architectural principles, most notably the ‘Golden Mean Ratio’ to give The Millswyn harmonious proportions with a sense of monumentality informed by the renaissance architecture and the architecture of Le Corbusier.

<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/rob_mills_21.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Architect Rob Mills"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="820" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/rob_mills_21.jpg?itok=bRj9SVfe" title="Architect Rob Mills" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Architect Rob Mills</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Golden mean is the ratio that is the guiding geometric principle of the Parthenon, renaissance Architecture and the modernist architecture of Le Corbusier. The Millswyn embodies the Golden Mean geometry particularly the first floor facade where each window are proportioned by the Golden Mean and place side by side to create the defining rhythm of the facade. In contrast the ground floor is constructed of sheets of glass thus allowing the rhythm and simplicity of the first floor facade to stand-alone. Finally the third level is setback once again to create space for the first floor façade.
We aspired to create a monumental building that drew inspiration from Barry Patton (of Yuncken Freeman)'s Treasury Place as well as the grille of a Rolls Royce - both powerful images - which result in a confident design.
<cite>Rob Mills, Architect</cite>
</blockquote>

Speaking to Apartments.com.au, Mills described the practice's role was to "capture the imagination of the client."

The building despite being larger than the homes Mills' practice typically designs is still based on the same principles as it is in effect 10 residences within a single skin. The target demographic is also largely the same: a downsizer market made up largely of baby boomers looking for an "aspirational purchase" and a simpler life that allows them to retain their seaside or country side holiday properties.

Input was sought from agents who worked closely with the project team to finalise the design with Mills in particular remarking that it "was beneficial to seek other opinions and external input."

Formerly, The Albany Hotel site - a 3-storey 1960s motel - The Millswyn will be built in the grounds of Millswyn Court. The development will retain and incorporate the historic Victorian Italianate mansion built in 1886 for one of South Yarra’s original settlers, James Gatehouse.

The motel has since been demolished to allow for construction to commence on site. According to Mills the new and the old were initially separated but will now sit comfortably together. The mansion will go to the market in approximately two months.

The design shares a lot of elements and characteristics evident from Renaissance architecture including the articulation of the three storeys. Glass has been purposely used to float the building above the ground, so your eye is taken to the mid level of the building.

You get an uninterrupted view of the façade as the guiding geometry of the project is based on the Golden Mean. The exterior of the building is clad in Italian limestone providing colour and durability and reinforcing the connection to classical architecture.

Joining Mills on the project is garden design guru to the rich and prominent: landscape architect Paul Bangay. Mills and Bangay took a genuinely collaborative approach to the project.

Often spending three hours a week together in isolation in Mills' studio it was critical to the design that the approach to nature and the architecture was one of harmony, with the landscape elements complimenting and adding to the experience of the architecture both externally and internally.

<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/gabrielsaunders_millswyn-ssw-living.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interior render showing green outlook. Image courtesy of Marshall White"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gabrielsaunders_millswyn-ssw-living.jpg?itok=4aIgyynQ" title="Interior render showing green outlook. Image courtesy of Marshall White" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interior render showing green outlook. Image courtesy of Marshall White</figcaption></figure>It was important to both Mills and Bangay that residents were "in touch with nature and were provided with a green outlook whether it was views to the trees along the street or planters to the upper levels, it completely changes the environment of the residences".

By minimising the amount of paving and maximising the landscape the amount of glare within the residences is significantly reduced.

The residences offer purchasers the full amenity of a high-end Rob Mills designed home: three bedrooms, luxurious main bedroom suite with a spacious walk-in wardrobe and en suite, large entertainment kitchens with island benches, en suite bathrooms, guest powder rooms, separate laundries, gracious arrival foyers, landscaped terraces or courtyards and secure parking for two to four cars in private garages. The design of the residences allows rooms to be used for many purposes. "The key is understanding that furniture has equal value in what you're creating," says Mills. 

Some layouts include a scullery area or full butler’s pantry and/or a separate study /second living area. The extra high ceilings are 3 to 3.24m, accentuated by full-height windows and doors and inbuilt pelmets. Extensive internal floorplans range from 207 to 404sqm and the eight large ground and first level residences have private outdoor living areas of 24 to 96sqm and are afforded filtered tree line views to the east.

On the upper level the two penthouses have rooftop terraces of 145 and 207sqm accessed via sculptural spiral staircases, another signature of Rob Mills work, with outdoor kitchen and entertainment space.

The arrival experience is consistent through from ground floor arrival through to the private lift. The fit-out of these spaces matches that of the apartments. Residents and guests alike entering the penthouses are greeted on arrival with sunlight soaked spaces and views of gardens beyond.

Finishes are in keeping with the high-end nature of the penthouse with luxury Italian marble wrapping around island benches, kitchen benchtops and splashbacks with bathroom walls, floors and vanities.

French grey American oak floorboards flow through living areas with pure wool carpets to bedrooms. Two pack joinery features bronzed accents and the Miele kitchen appliances include two ovens, induction cooktop and integrated refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher with a Qasair rangehood. Penthouses also have direct access to their 4 car garage via private lifts which service only those residences. One of the penthouses has already been sold.

Prospective purchasers can view the project by appointment at Marshall White; Level 1, 1111 High Street, Armadale. The project is under development by the Pask Group with completion anticipated in January 2018.

For Mills The Millswyn presents the next stage of evolution in the practice's work with further projects on the drawing board in Melbourne with Sydney's waterfront next on the horizon.
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Not your run of the Mill apartment: The Millswyn

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With a number of significant projects wrapping up construction within Docklands and the end of the financial year imminent, the half way point of 2017 seems like a good time to take a closer look a the state of affairs within Docklands.

Probuild and Hickory have all but wrapped up external construction on their respective builds Marina Tower and Banksia along the NewQuay promenade with just the internal fit-outs to be completed.

Their completion will leave the just begun Elm and Stone as the sole building within NewQuay under construction. It will eventually be followed by a Six Degrees-designed 20-storey building carrying 172 apartments to be located on Lot 5 at 375-381 Docklands Drive.

<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/newquay_june17.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="As Marina Tower and Banksia wind down, Elm and Stone gets underway. Images Mark Baljak and Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="202" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/newquay_june17.jpg?itok=bDTM5FY-" title="As Marina Tower and Banksia wind down, Elm and Stone gets underway. Images Mark Baljak and Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>As Marina Tower and Banksia wind down, Elm and Stone gets underway. Images Mark Baljak and Redden</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The design is intended to build from the successful aspect of the CBD including diversity in the façade designs, access to natural light and ventilation and the incorporation of public spaces, arcades and lanes. We hope this will be an exemplar for human scale development in Docklands.
<cite>Six Degrees Architects</cite>
</blockquote>

With that in mind, let's take a look at what is currently under construction in Docklands.

<h2>311 Spencer Street</h2>

Currently awaiting Ministerial approval for the proposed new headquarters of Victoria Police at 311 Spencer Street, site works have commenced in preparation for full scale construction of the 171 metre high tower once approval is granted.

<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/red_311sp.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Site works are slowly getting underway. Image: Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/red_311sp.jpg?itok=cpj3f6AT" title="Site works are slowly getting underway. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Site works are slowly getting underway. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure><h2>839 Collins Street</h2>

Work is progressing on the new offices of ANZ along the banks of the Yarra at Victoria Harbour. Designed by DCM, the 21-storey office tower is about to begin its ascent out of the ground with the erection of dual tower cranes and the formation of the core pit.

<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/839_collins_street.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The core pit is being formed and two cranes have now been installed on site. Image: Glennwilson at OzScrapers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/839_collins_street.jpg?itok=fr9o0K34" title="The core pit is being formed and two cranes have now been installed on site. Image: Glennwilson at OzScrapers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The core pit is being formed and two cranes have now been installed on site. Image: Glennwilson at OzScrapers</figcaption></figure><h2>No. 1 Collins Wharf</h2>

The first stage of the Collins Wharf sub precinct which extends all the way along the remaining undeveloped tract of Victoria Harbour peninsula, is making steady progress with the core box now ready to begin its rise to an eventual height of 90 metres.

<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/gw_915c.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Site progress at No 1 Collins Wharf, Victoria Harbour. Image: Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gw_915c.jpg?itok=gG88LJOz" title="Site progress at No 1 Collins Wharf, Victoria Harbour. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Site progress at No 1 Collins Wharf, Victoria Harbour. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure><h2>Tower 5 Collins Square</h2>

With the tower going momentarily on hold following completion of the 'podium' structure while Walker Corporation scoured for tenants in the building, it's now very much full steam ahead with the last puzzle in the Collins Square jigsaw set to be completed next year.

<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/t5cs.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The final tower at Collins Square is making up for lost time. Image: Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/t5cs.jpg?itok=HgPiC5gJ" title="The final tower at Collins Square is making up for lost time. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The final tower at Collins Square is making up for lost time. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure><h2>One Melbourne Quarter</h2>

And finally, the first stage of Melbourne Quarter is quickly rising above Collins Street and upon completion will become the new home of global consulting firm Arup and will include a publically accessible skygarden hovering over Collins Street. Two other commercial towers will round out the commercial neighbourhood to Collins Street while the first of three residential towers which comprise the Flinders Street neighbourhood are yet to begin construction.

<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/june_pic.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="One Melbourne Quarter Construction progress. Image: Lendlease"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/june_pic.jpg?itok=UasUIJYe" title="One Melbourne Quarter Construction progress. Image: Lendlease" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>One Melbourne Quarter Construction progress. Image: Lendlease</figcaption></figure> 

 

Other projects which should commence in the next six months include Salta's build-to-rent development at 695 LaTrobe Street which includes and Indigo Hotel and Mirvac's Voyager residential tower at Yarra's Edge.


As mentioned in an article a few weeks ago, we'll continue to test hosting parts of the Apartments.com.au model on the site to complement other content, such as a construction update in this instance.

<figure><div class="sketchfab-embed-wrapper"><iframe allowfullscreen="" allowvr="" frameborder="0" height="480" mozallowfullscreen="true" onmousewheel="" src="https://sketchfab.com/models/069f9f80fdb04cababdf53701efadbc6/embed" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="640"></iframe></div>

<figcaption><a href="https://sketchfab.com/models/069f9f80fdb04cababdf53701efadbc6?utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_campaign=share-popup">Melbourne Docklands</a> by <a href="https://sketchfab.com/urbmelb?utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_campaign=share-popup">Urban.com.au</a> on <a href="https://sketchfab.com?utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_campagin=share-popup">Sketchfab</a></figcaption></figure>
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Docklands construction update June 2017 (with 3D)

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Dublin was a city that really impressed me, particularly for its size and with little reliance on major landmarks unlike other cities. It's relatively flat, much like Melbourne and very walkable.

It's airport in particularly the relatively recent T2 is also quite impressive: clean, modern and generally easy to navigate around.

Again the Airlink bus service is once again probably your best bet for traveling into the city centre. The next day I found out the location of my hotel was within an area of the city that housed many of the embassies, including - you guessed it - the Australian Embassy.

<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/image_7.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Australian Embassy and surrounds. Notice the lack of sausage sizzle"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image_7.jpeg?itok=8ohvNnxt" title="The Australian Embassy and surrounds. Notice the lack of sausage sizzle" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Australian Embassy and surrounds. Notice the lack of sausage sizzle</figcaption></figure>As I had yet to vote in the Federal election I thought what better way to cast my very first vote from abroad than do it in Dublin with a sausage sizzle to boot. I was disappointed to learn that there was no sausage sizzle but also no queue to speak of, I was in and out in two minutes.

I don't know about anyone else but I consider the lack of sausage sizzle at a voting station, albeit abroad to be un-Australian particularly when friends in other cities were welcomed with them at Australian embassies.

Despite this I wouldn't allow the lack of sausage sizzle dampen my spirits, nor the drizzly weather which I had worked out by the end of my trip came in cycles every two hours.

One particular area I was keen to explore in cities which had them was their respective Docklands precincts. Moreso one's undergoing urban renewal, in order to form a better idea of where Melbourne's Docklands redevelopment sat in a global context.

The Dublin Docklands, in particular the area around Canal Square - south of the river - has been developed as a relatively low-rise business district with a sprinkling of residential apartment buildings and public spaces.

<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/image_8.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Dublin Docklands, north and south of the river."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image_8.jpeg?itok=GvHDHUc6" title="Dublin Docklands, north and south of the river." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Dublin Docklands, north and south of the river.</figcaption></figure>Aside from voting and checking out the docks renewal, I had very little else planned in terms of must see items. Instead I set off on foot with no particular destination or plan of attack save for stopping at a pub for a pint of Guinness or two and trying to stay dry!

The aim was to see where the streets would take me and what I'd discover along the way.

Not surprisingly (and much to my delight) the primary streetscapes were lined with buildings of masonry construction not unlike Edinburgh.

The main point of difference however, was the greater variation in colour and texture which made for more visually pleasant streets, even when grey skies loomed large overhead.

Branching off the primary street network of the city are a series of alleys and laneways with retail activation with pedestrians the primary users. This further added to the city's walkability and to the overall experience of exploring the city.

Moments of street art also popped up occasionally on the sides of buildings providing further visual interest to the streets and laneways.

<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/image_9.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="The streets of Dublin"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image_9.jpeg?itok=5vzLJCPQ" title="The streets of Dublin" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The streets of Dublin</figcaption></figure>If you're thinking of visiting Dublin or haven't been I would highly recommend it. Look out for my two-part story on London next week. In the meantime, you can keep up to date with my travels <a href="https://twitter.com/dragomeister">on Twitter</a>.
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Winter Escape Episode III: Dublin

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

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The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
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Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

Laurence Dragomir

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