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Located at the juncture of Thornbury and Preston, and occupying the site address of 9 High Street from which the project derives its name, Nine High is an 8-storey development of 68 apartments by <a href="http://kincaidprojects.com.au/">Kincaid Projects</a> and <a href="http://optimusdevelopments.com.au/">Optimus Developments</a>.

Sitting on the crest of Thornbury Hill with views down High Street, Nine High is a custom designed residential development that seeks to create a sense of place by embracing the rapidly gentrifying Thornbury community. According to the development team the location as a destination is critical to ensuring the project's success in addition to providing a quality product.

Those familiar with the rapidly changing face of the area will be aware of the distinct lack of design character shown by the majority of recent apartment developments completed nearby; something which Kincaid Projects and Optimus Developments have sought to address.

Nine High is a collaboration between Kincaid's in-house designer Joel Martin with <a href="http://www.eadesandbergman.com/">Eades &amp; Bergman</a>'s Wendy Bergman casting her eye over the interior specifications and layouts. Best known as the designer for some of Melbourne's newest hip eateries such as Kong or Meaball &amp; Winebar, Wendy has sought to flood apartments with natural light via a series of atriums and lightwells which puncture the building's volume.

The project team envisions Nine High becoming a benchmark building for the area and an architectural statement with its refined angles expressed in contemporary materials such as off-form concrete, Modwood Soffits, Alucobond cladding and black and gold metallic screens. The building's facade is animated via these operable screens which gives the exterior a kinetic rather than static quality.

The introduction of vegetation to the facade is designed to bring with it a sense of colour and vibrancy and soften the structure while contributing to resident wellbeing.

<blockquote>
Our design vision for Nine High was to create apartments where people can feel connected and develop their own sense of place. We've worked creatively with proportions, angles and materials, filled it with natural light and vegetation.

We believe our use of lush greenery, attractive materials and an elegant colour palette will raise the bar in Thornbury.
<cite>Joel Martin, Designer, Kincaid Projects</cite>
</blockquote>

Designed to be both versatile and functional, Nine High's apartments feature open plan, free flowing living configurations, customised fittings, a feature double-sized pantry and extra large balconies for entertaining, plus garden areas an landscaping designed by Urban Edge. Additionally storage cages are located conveniently on the same floors as apartments rather than with the parking areas.

<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/nine_high_interior.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Nine High Interior. © Kincaid Projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="355" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/nine_high_interior.jpg?itok=5Dpy9Qys" title="Nine High Interior. © Kincaid Projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Nine High Interior. Image courtesy Kincaid Projects</figcaption></figure>Kitchens are arranged in a u-configuration and feature dual purpose benchtops which also act as dining tables reducing the requirement for a separate dining table. The apartments also feature other artisenal detailing in the form of custom-made metal pocket shelving within the bathrooms, bento box-inspired vanity tops and wine rack storage in kitchens.

The 68 apartments consist of one, two and three bedroom options with prices starting at $299,000 for a one bedroom apartment to $450,000 for two bedrooms which translates to a rate of $7,500 per square metre. Two retail tenancies will be located at ground level taking advantage of the City of Darebin's streetscape improvement plans for High Street which sees the reduction in number of traffic lanes and provision of bicycle lanes in lieu.

<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/high_street_streetscape.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="High Street improvement works. Courtesy City of Darebin."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/high_street_streetscape.jpg?itok=gmoy_GJp" title="High Street improvement works. Courtesy City of Darebin." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>High Street improvement works. Courtesy City of Darebin.</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
We chose to develop Nine High in the heart of Thornbury-Preston as this is a vibrant part of Melbourne. With its proximity to the city, public transport and High Street's eclectic shops, this strip is full of enterprising young creatives that share our appreciation for this area.

We want to be a part of what's happening, and we're really excited by our vision for Nine High. It's not just another apartment building; it's a unique beautifully designed space that will be a joy to live in, and we're proud to put our names to it.
<cite>Kris Burt, Director Kincaid Projects</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Nine High is exactly the right match for us. A project that is not only tempting for the investor's eye, but more importantly a place we, ourselves, would also enjoy calling home. First of all, the location of the rapidly gentrifying Preston-Thornbury area is perfect. On my first site visit I was immediately amazed by the bustling, lively strip of High Street, full of little cafes and shops, just a stone's throw from Nine High.

Second, the building itself is outstanding, with an exterior that will attract the attention of any passer-by, and a beautiful interior design that will fulfill all expectations of even the most discerning buyers. Nine High is so much more than just a great project and we are extremely proud to be involved in its creation.
<cite>Andrew Karpati, CEO Optimus Developments</cite>
</blockquote>

The project has already been well received before its official launch. Onsite hoardings have generated a lot of interest from potential buyers with 60 inquiries being fielded and 10 apartments being reserved over a two day period.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/130284174" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe>

<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vimeo.com/130284174">Nine High</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user37228590">The Bowery Collective</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.
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Laurence Dragomir

Nine High sets a new design benchmark

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It wouldn't be a typical week on Apartments.com.au of late if there was no mention of better apartment living and apartment design standards. As part of Open House Melbourne 2015's Speaker Series, Deakin Edge at Federation Square is hosting a who's who of experts who will participate in the Better Living forum on the subject of the State Government's Better Apartments discussion paper.

<blockquote>
The recently released Better Apartments discussion paper by the Victorian Government “weighs up housing needs, market demands and building standards with the aim of improving liveability and affordability.” (Richard Wynne, 2015). The paper intends to “kick-start consultation” with the public and industry stakeholders to establish minimum standards for the design and development of apartments.

As Melbourne’s population swells, it’s prized liveability dwindles and investment drives market pressure. These standards hold the potential to have a lasting effect on our city – hopefully for the better.

Join Open House Melbourne as it brings together a planner, a city maker, a developer, a policy maker, an architect, a commentator, a lawyer, an economist, a real estate agent and a resident to help discuss: how do we keep pace? There will be an opportunity for audience members to participate in the discussion through a Q&amp;A.
<cite>Open House Melbourne 2015</cite>
</blockquote>

Speakers include:

<ul>
<li>Stuart Harrison (MC) Director of <a href="http://www.haw.com.au/">Harrison &amp; White</a> and former presenter on RRR's The Architects</li>
	<li>Planner Colleen Peterson, Managing Director at <a href="http://www.ratio.com.au/home">Ratio Consultants</a> (an Apartments.com.au Industry Hub member)</li>
	<li>Developer David Waldren, National Executive Design Manager at <a href="http://www.grocon.com/">Grocon</a>
</li>
	<li>Lawyer Riad Yasmine, Senior Associate at <a href="https://www.maddocks.com.au/">Maddocks</a>
</li>
	<li>Commentator Michael Bleby, <a href="http://www.afr.com/">AFR</a>
</li>
	<li>Economist Marcus Spiller, Principal at <a href="http://www.sgsep.com.au/">SGS Economics and Planning</a>
</li>
	<li>Architect Kerstin Thompson, Founding Principal of <a href="http://www.kerstinthompson.com/">KTA</a>
</li>
</ul>
More speakers to be announced.

<dl>
<dt>When:</dt>
	<dd>Tuesday 21 July 2015. Doors open at 5.45pm for 6.00pm start, 8pm finish</dd>
	<dt>Where:</dt>
	<dd>Deakin Edge, Federation Square</dd>
</dl>
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Open House Melbourne Speaker Series: Better Living Forum

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Beller Commercial recently completed their annual Commercial Retail Research, a matrix of Melbourne’s notable shopping strips which judges their performance over the last year. A unique initiative spearheaded by Beller Commercial Director, Fred Nucara, the Commercial Retail Research report is a detailed run down of the fluctuating fortunes of Melbourne’s famously fickle retail high streets and their performance.

The information in the report is gathered by the Beller team, hitting the streets and literally pounding the pavement in order to converse with retail tenants. Apartments.com.au spoke to Fred Nucara about Beller's research process, the findings of the report and any trends that they have emerged during the period of the research.

Laurence Dragomir: Can you tell us a bit more about the report and the level of research your team undertakes to develop the report and why you do it?

Fred Nucara: Basically what happens is that my team will walk all the shopping strips on this matrix. There's a cross reference process in place; they verify what's available online such as properties for 'For Lease' and match that up with what can be see - are there boards or banners on properties? Are the properties vacant? Are they closing down and so on.

It's time and labour intensive but the results speak for themselves compared to some of the research that has come out from the major agencies in the city which is very much desktop. Not only do the teams want to educate themselves about what's happening on their strip, but we wanted to get a snapshot so that when we are talking to a potential client, if we have a property for lease or for sale we are able to give them real time information about what's going on on that particular strip. There's nothing like first hand knowledge.

We can give examples where say 9 months ago there were 15 vacancies and now there's 20 or now there's 10, and that tells us something. For both our clients interest and our own, it pays to get out there and provide the most up to date information possible.

LD: Each time you do research is it always the same set of shopping strips?

FN: It's the same list of streets that we visit and we don't deviate off that list. I think there's about 23-24 visited each survey and we break it up as there's always markets within markets. A prime example of this is Chapel Street, broken down over it's Windsor, Prahran and South Yarra sections.

LD: Was there anything in particular that surprised you or stood out since you last conducted the research?

FN: The latest round of research was done in April 2015 and before that it was last done during September last year. The big surprise has been that in Chapel Street, South Yarra there has been seven properties let.

In September of last year there were 27 vacancies and as a result there's now only 20, and while it's still an elevated vacancy rate there are signs of recovery. A quarter of the properties taken up in seven months is quite a result.

Another notable result is Swan Street in Richmond, falling from 20 vacancies in September down to 12, which again if you look at that ratio equates to a 40% drop in vacancies. That is actually a pretty decent success rate over a six to seven month period.

If you had to look at the three big results, Bay Street and Church Street in Brighton also fared well. We look at Bay and Church as combined strips in Brighton, so along with the Swan and Chapel strips they make up the three big performers or best improvers over the period. Whitehorse Road, Balwyn was probably another one that jumped out at us, moving from 11 vacancies down to just three.

LD: What do you put that improvement in the space of seven months down to?

FN: There are what we call some general overarching economic reasons as to why this increased level of activity has taken place. In this environment where business funding is pretty low, the confidence exists to borrow as a small business because funding is very cheap.

Alternatively some of these tenants and businesses are acting as owner-occupiers and buying the properties. What that does is it removes them from the tenancy market altogether because they want to become the owner of their freehold and run their business. The other thing too that happens is that landlords' expectations on rent begin to align more with what is considered a feasible proposition for a lot of small businesses.

What I mean by that is if you look at most of these strips, most of the rents will fall between $50,000-80,000 per annum, so there's this band where some rents begin to adjust and landlords begin to treat and transact, in other words the landlord that wants to get $90,000 p.a but is happy to keep cash flow at $80,000.

Even with all the evidence we've got which is shown to the landlord upfront, on occasion they may not accept the figures before them. They may believe their shop is worth $100,000 p.a but we think we're going to get around $70,000 and so often they need time in the market to experience that, and with our research and direct contact with offers from tenants then they begin to align their expectations.

LD: I suppose the one thing that really interests us here at Apartments.com.au is the impact of gentrification and new developments on these strips.

FN: That's a huge impact but it's more of a psychological impact, Laurence and I'll tell you what I mean by that. For example, if you have an area that has a lot of permits approved for apartment developments it is mooted that that area could become a really positive area in the future. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's an impetus for tenants to pick-up vacant space so what we tend to find is the impetus is actually when they start to see cranes and the construction coming out of the ground.

Good examples of this are areas like Collingwood, Fitzroy and Prahran. Cranes equal an increased local population and as a result of that it provides confidence to sign leases. What they're banking on is that they'll be able to attract the new residents across their front door; it creates this wave of activity that's much stronger in areas where they know there are cranes, properties and tenants ready to move in or residents ready to move in.

LD: On that basis do you think that Chapel Street, South Yarra has struggled somewhat because most of the new apartment development has been concentrated within the Forrest Hill precinct and further north along Chapel?

FN: Chapel Street, South Yarra has probably struggled for two reasons. I think one is definitely the concentration around Forest Hill and that has perhaps sapped a bit of the life out of Chapel Street to a degree, but Chapel Street has always commanded premium rents. What's happened there is because it's such a long strip the rents have gotten to a level now where some of these national businesses can barely afford and be profitable, but they do it to have a presence on Chapel Street.

So what you're probably seeing is it's suffered from the rents being traditionally high and it's hard to sustain those rates per sqm in those locations, particularly when you've got Emporium or an expanded Chadstone sucking a portion of the customer base away from Chapel Street, South Yarra. That means less customers through South Yarra, which is quite different to Chapel Street, Windsor by the way - very, very different demographics - so the customers are going and spending there money elsewhere, consequently placing pressure on businesses to pay their rental rate.

LD: Thank you for your time Fred.
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Beller's 2015 Commercial Retail Research results are in

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Having secured planning permits for towers within Melbourne’s Fishermans Bend, architects at <a href="http://www.rothelowman.com.au/">ROTHELOWMAN</a> forecast significant potential for the area to host Melbourne’s rapidly growing population.

Urban.com.au recently spoke with ROTHELOWMAN’s Managing Principal Nigel Hobart regarding Fishermans Bend and its projected progress in the coming five to ten years, with Hobart emphasising the opportunity the area presents for the people of Melbourne.

According to Hobart, parallels which have been drawn between the Urban Renewal Area and Docklands are largely unjustified. The vast majority of land in Fishermans Bend is privately owned, unlike Docklands which started its life as large tracts of government owned land that was subdivided and sold to developers.

Despite Fishermans Bend’s already evident potential, Hobart notes what the area requires is more engagement between the community and industry to strike the right balance and deliver a quality outcome for Melbourne.

Nigel Hobart believes the area calls for is a set of planning rules which aren't overly prescriptive, in order not to result in a contrived outcome. While there is a place for planning rules and regulations, he remarks it’s ultimately communities that create these various housing typologies, not legislation.

"Communities create variety, legislation doesn’t," Hobart says.

The area’s reasonably established street network and urban fabric will provide an organic framework for diversity of scale.

It is fundamental however that transport becomes a priority for authorities as the area begins to develop and take shape. Alternates to mass transit should be considered and explored, factoring in how new infrastructure will tie into the existing infrastructure, particularly Melbourne's tram network.

<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-tools_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="60-82 Johnson Street, South Melbourne. Image courtesy ROTHELOWMAN"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="309" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image-tools_3.jpg?itok=szgQMruX" title="60-82 Johnson Street, South Melbourne. Image courtesy ROTHELOWMAN" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>60-82 Johnson Street, South Melbourne. Image courtesy ROTHELOWMAN</figcaption></figure>Discussing the practice's experience in consulting with the Melbourne Planning Authority and City of Port Phillip on their <a href="http://www.rothelowman.com.au/projects#projects/project/118/johnson-street">Johnson Street project</a>, Hobart considers the creation of active, vibrant streetscapes being a greater concern for authorities than density and height.

The practice sought to address this desire on their Johnson Street scheme via the introduction of a through block link (street level lighting to the building perimeters allows for a sense of security and creates a more comfortable and welcoming pedestrian environment). Additionally, resident amenity is provided for the development through the podium rooftop that’s shared across the four towers to create a sense of community.

A proportion of the three-bedroom apartments designed with families in mind are focused towards the podium levels to provide a sense of being more grounded and closer to the street than apartments within the towers. Each tower has an overly large lobby space and each will have a unique identity, providing each building with its own distinct character resulting in a legible wayfinding experience for residents and visitors.

The podium also contains a mix of retail outlets, supplemented by bicycle parking, car parking and other service and ancillary requirements.

At one stage during the design process, a community hall was proposed within the development that would have been managed by the City of Port Phillip. However, the complexities around the provision of public and community infrastructure within a privately owned development saw that idea scrapped from the final submission.

In terms of community infrastructure and the need for schools, Hobart believes there is an opportunity for the delivery of schools and parks, if a compromise is struck with authorities to allow more height to 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/image4rl.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="ROTHELOWMAN's Thistlethwaite Street design."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="477" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image4rl.jpg?itok=9klnKI99" title="ROTHELOWMAN's Thistlethwaite Street design." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>ROTHELOWMAN's Thistlethwaite Street design.</figcaption></figure>Discussions between the office and the relevant authorities implied that height wasn't as sensitive as it is in established residential suburbs. There is no river, shrine or other sensitive areas in close proximity to the site to overshadow or have influence on the height. The interim height controls as applied require a 40-storey maximum for Montague Precinct and 18-storey maximum for Sandridge Precinct.

While there should be an overarching plan in place, Hobart believes there should still be provisions for innovative ideas and design outcomes to emerge. He makes the point that Melbourne developed and evolved organically, with no overarching masterplan for the city.
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ROTHELOWMAN’s innovative vision for Fishermans Bend

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The junction marking Thornbury and Preston is set to light up this evening, celebrating a significant development set to happen in the area. A joint partnership between Creative Suburbs and the Darebin City Council, the festival is aimed to light up the area and switch on the minds of residents and visitors alike.

<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/victorholder3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Light projection by Victor Holder at Rainbow Serpent Festival 2015."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="339" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/victorholder3.jpg?itok=Fcmck0f_" title="Light projection by Victor Holder at Rainbow Serpent Festival 2015." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Light projection by Victor Holder at Rainbow Serpent Festival 2015.</figcaption></figure>On Friday 26th and Saturday 27th June from 6-11pm, the Thornbury and Preston intersection will be curated and lit up by four artists across five locations. The Darebin Projection Festival is part of an initiative with the Darebin City Council to activate the Junction of Preston and Thornbury and celebrate with community the new development(s) and lifestyle opportunities that are set to happen in the area.

Hosted by Creative Suburbs, the event is set to change resident’s perceptions of the once industrial area. The online platform encourages people in local areas to brainstorm and communicate ideas to improve the community. These ideas are steered by Creative Suburbs in the necessary direction needed be taken to have the idea realized, such is the case with the projection festival.

One of the new developments in the area is <a href="http://ninehighapartments.com.au/">NINE HIGH</a>, a new residential building being developed by <a href="http://kincaidprojects.com.au/">Kincaid Projects</a> and <a href="http://optimusdevelopments.com.au/">Optimus Developments</a>. On the night, NINE HIGH will be hosting work from artist Victor Holder that will have a focus on inspiring environmental and social awareness through a practice that is grounded in ways that benefits the community. Originally from Venezuela, Victor has worked all over the world but has called Melbourne his home for the past 15 years.

<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/ninehigh_exteriorps.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Nine High Exterior. © Kincaid Projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="453" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ninehigh_exteriorps.jpg?itok=nevuiPjW" title="Nine High Exterior. © Kincaid Projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Nine High Exterior. © Kincaid Projects</figcaption></figure>The NINE HIGH building will have a projected light show on architectonic 3D drawing mix with geometric abstracts forms, animated motion graphic, magical and flowing visuals.

<blockquote>
We are extremely excited to be a part of the Projection Festival. The change and new vision for this area of Thornbury and Preston is fantastic and we appreciate how active the local community are in stimulating the local economy.
<cite>Kris Burt, Kincaid Director</cite>
</blockquote>

Over the two nights there will also be food trucks, a hot chocolate cart and a silent disco for attendees to enjoy. The first of its kind in the area, the Darebin Projection Festival is set to encourage attendees to have a light bulb moment about the exciting improvements that are set to come.

<h2>Darebin Projection Festival</h2>

<dl>
<dt>Dates:</dt>
	<dd>Friday 26th and Saturday 27th June, 2015</dd>
	<dt>Time:</dt>
	<dd>6pm-11pm</dd>
	<dt>Locations:</dt>
	<dd>Thornbury/Preston: 9 High Street, 84 High Street, 188 Plenty Road, 212 Plenty Road, 623 Plenty Road</dd>
</dl>
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Thornbury and Preston light up for the Darebin Projection Festival

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Following on from the success of <a href="http://www.urbancreativestudio.com.au/">Urban Creative's</a> Kickstarter campaign (<a href="/news/kickstarter-campaign-homes-for-homeless-youth">Homes for Homeless Youth</a>), Apartments.com.au would like to draw attention to another notable crowd funding campaign: Parlour's <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.pozible.com/project/195898">'The Next Step' via Pozible</a>. A strong proponent and advocate for equity within the architecture industry and the adoption of improved practices within the profession, Parlour needs support to continue to push ahead with their research, as well as the ongoing advancement and development of various programs and resources.

<blockquote>
Parlour needs your support. Over the past three years Parlour has become an important ‘space to speak’; a strong and respected platform providing research, resources, advocacy and discussion about gender equity and architecture.
<cite><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.pozible.com/project/195898">Parlour's Pozible page</a></cite>
</blockquote>

As such Parlour is seeking assistance from sponsors, donors and supporters in the form of like-minded organisations, business and individuals who value and appreciate the work that they do. Parlour aims to raise AUD$25,000 by the 13th July deadline which will go towards the following:

<ul>
<li>$5,000 – to develop the website into a responsive site, which is easily read on mobile devices. Parlour is a great site, but things move fast in the online world. Updating to a responsive site is particularly pressing as Google is downgrading non-responsive websites in its searches from June 2014.</li>
	<li>$10,000 – editor. Parlour has great content. This is carefully planned and commissioned. Funds raised through this project will contribute to the costs of commissioning and developing new content over the next year.</li>
	<li>$15,000 – subeditor. Parlour has high editorial standards and all content is carefully and professionally edited. This is part of our success so far. Professional subediting is vital to ongoing quality and the credibility of the publication.</li>
</ul>
In order to gain a better understanding of the work that Parlour produces, it's worth taking a moment to read through their <a href="http://archiparlour.org/parlour-guides/">Guides to Equitable Practice</a>, which have been developed with a view towards making Australian architecture a more equitable profession for all.

<blockquote>
The architecture firm of the future ­– with increased flexibility, meaningful part-time work, acceptable career breaks and reasonable hours ­– will benefit us all. Many of the challenges that face women in architecture also affect men, however they tend to impact on women in exaggerated ways.
<cite><a href="http://archiparlour.org/parlour-guides/">Parlour: Parlour Guides to Equitable Practice</a></cite>
</blockquote>

As someone who works in an architectural practice on a part-time basis, supplemented by my work with Apartments.com.au, I can't begin to emphasize enough the importance of feeling encouragement and support from your workplace to pursue other interests and activities outside the demands of your role within the office environment. For some of my colleagues and peers this also translates to time dedicated solely to their families.

At the time of writing 119 supporters have pledged a total of $17,365 (or 69% of the target). With only 11 days to go, let's help get them over the line. Watch the video below and pledge your support!

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/126445291" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="100%"></iframe>

<figcaption><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vimeo.com/126445291">Parlour: the next step…</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/greylight">Eric Macdonald</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</figcaption></figure><h2>About Parlour</h2>

Parlour is a site for active exchange and discussion, bringing together research, informed opinion and resources on women, equity and architecture in Australia. It seeks to expand the spaces and opportunities available to women while also revealing and celebrating the many women who already contribute to the industry in diverse ways.

Parlour is an Incorporated Association. Its aims are as follows:

<ol>
<li>To promote gender equity in architecture.</li>
	<li>To develop advocacy programs and resources based in independent, rigorous research.</li>
	<li>To provide a vital space for the discussion of gender equity in architecture and publish informed opinion and generate debate and discussion.</li>
	<li>To develop and strengthen networks and communities of interest around the issue of gender equity in Australian architecture.</li>
	<li>To celebrate women active in the architecture profession, and to provide opportunity and profile for the many women working successfully in architecture.</li>
</ol>
The Parlour website is curated and edited by Justine Clark, with support from co-editors Naomi Stead, Karen Burns, Sandra Kaji-O’Grady, Julie Willis, Amanda Roan and Gill Matthewson. Parlour was initiated as part of the Australian Research Council-funded research project Equity and Diversity in the Australian Architecture Profession: Women, Work, and Leadership.

For more information, check out the Parlour website: http://archiparlour.org/
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Parlour: the next step

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Following on from <a href="/news/bkks-simon-knott-talks-cirqua-ivanhoe-east">last week's piece on Cirqua</a> comes the second installment of Apartments.com.au's chat with BKK Director Simon Knott encompassing aspects of the practice's work, the lure of apartment living and the ever changing landscape of the apartment market.

Laurence Dragomir: We touched on the focus being on the owner occupier market with relation to the Cirqua development, but have you found that coming to the fore in the types of multi-res projects the office is working on?

Simon Knott: We tend not to get too involved in the investor driven type projects. In terms of the mulit-residentail work we're doing, we're currently working with Neometro on part of the Victrack development at Jewell Station which has been a fantastic project. It's really exciting as it's an entire precinct which is just about to be submitted for planning.

<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/jewell_station.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Jewell Station development. © BKK"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="393" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/jewell_station.jpg?itok=hFnUKdfr" title="Jewell Station development. © BKK" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Jewell Station development. © BKK</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Jewell Station is a precinct-based approach to Placemaking. The design encompasses a more holistic approach to urban regeneration that builds upon the local character and delivers a benchmark solution for inner-city living. The creation of an urban village will act as a catalyst for positive change and future high-quality development in the area. The project was won through a competitive VicTrack bid process where BKK were the master-planners for the site and architects for the northern apartment building.

The outcome is a design led solution that incorporates the latest in community consultation, sustainable practice, access for all, integrated living and adaptability. The process for realising this project has been a highly collaborative one that involves an expansive team of consultants including, among others, MA Architects, Glas Landscape and Neometro.
<cite>BKK website</cite>
</blockquote>

SK: We're also doing an interesting one in Fitzroy actually, which I think <a href="/news/bkks-latest-far-from-mundane">Urban.com.au touched upon in a piece</a> a few weeks ago. The current owners bought the site with a permit for 14 or 16 apartments, and there were issues with the design so we completely reworked them into eight townhouses and that is firmly aimed at the downsizer market - every townhouse has an internal lift inside so you get four levels plus a rooftop terrace of a really high quality.

We're working on the interiors at the moment and we think they're as good as any house we have designed previously. The big difference though is how many ways can you plan out a 3.5m long kitchen for example - it's so formulaic.

<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/fitzroy_townhouses.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Fitzroy Townhouses. © BKK"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="309" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fitzroy_townhouses.jpg?itok=RKoDL45B" title="Fitzroy Townhouses. © BKK" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Fitzroy Townhouses. © BKK</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
A collection of eight luxury, 4-level, vertical dwellings. The project draws upon the local character and various dwelling typologies to create a new type of housing for this gritty, inner-city suburb of Melbourne. High levels of environmental design, vertical green spaces and extra-large dwellings are clustered around a tranquil courtyard garden. Every aspect of this project is considered in detail to achieve a benchmark well beyond the standard.
<cite>BKK website</cite>
</blockquote>

SK: I think people are coming to architects like us wanting to get something different and hopefully the likes of Kerstin (Thompson) and those other residential architects get recognised for that, in favour of some of the others. Don't get me wrong though there's certainly a place for investor driven apartments and I don't have a problem with them.

Upper House by JCB, I've been to it a couple of times and I've taken our students in there as well - now they're not lavish apartments in size and they're pretty stripped back in terms of what the interiors are but they've done a really good job with the project. In terms of borrowed light the one bedders you can open it all out which I think is what I'd rather have - something that's more of a studio space. On top of that it's a great location to live in.

I also think there's a cultural shift in the works; it's not just the empty nesters but also younger people who are not wanting to live in the outer suburbs. That's the overseas experience too, it just hasn't quite fully taken grasp in Australia yet but people in general are spending more time out, whether it's for coffee or breakfast etc. Generally you need to be close to activity hubs to get that.

The interesting thing will be getting into the 3 bedders. Everyone keeps talking about the need for more three bedroom apartments yet developers say "we put these 3 bedders in and no one buys them" because they cost you $800-900K and people would rather buy a house. I think we're starting to see that shift where eventually more families will be drawn into apartments.

LD: A number of developers tested the waters with regard to the higher end product about 3-4 years ago with developments like the previous incarnation of Avenue and Capitol in South Yarra which didn't garner all that much interest and in Avenue's case. It was redesigned with more apartments. If the original design was marketed say today it would probably sell in a matter of weeks. Do you feel there's more quality apartment projects now then there was a few years ago?

SK: There's definitely a march in that direction. The downside for us is everyone wants to change everything because they're going to be living in them. They want to change the robes, the kitchens, the number of bedrooms and so what we're ending up with is there's no standardisation which can be quite good in a way because it's more akin to designing a house. If it's an investor project they'd just sign off on it and move in after 2-3 years time.

LD: BKK are getting involved in the next Commons-style development?

SK: Yes we are, we're involved in Nightingale 2.0. Jeremy's a good friend and he asked us to get involved in Nightingale 1 but it just wasn't the right time for us to do so yet we're fully supportive of it and think it's a great idea. There's not that many architects involved, about half a dozen out of 24 in this case and they've got a strong group of professional colleagues associated. I think there'll be an ongoing market for it, and the next version promises to be interesting

LD: Thanks again for your time Simon, much appreciated.
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Discussing apartment living with BKK's Simon Knott

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<blockquote>
It's a really interesting discussion and I think it really is an ongoing discussion. I know the guys from Assemble Papers are working on something in relation to it which I'm participating in and they're asking some interesting questions; not necessarily about asking people if they want a larger apartment because a lot of people will say yes, but they're asking would you be willing to sacrifice size for design. For instance would you rather a 45sqm well designed apartment over a 50sqm stock standard apartment?
<cite>Michael McCormack, Milieu co-founder and Director</cite>
</blockquote>

Touched on briefly during Apartments.com.au's <a href="/news/an-interview-with-milieus-michael-mccormack">interview with Milieu's Michael McCormack</a>, the above quote relates to the ongoing debate within the industry regarding apartment design standards and how best to tackle the issue.

Our friends at <a href="http://assembleprojects.com.au/">Assemble</a> have taken it upon themselves to go the extra mile and have conceived a highly detailed survey by asking people what their expectations of apartment design are based on their lifestyles, needs and desires. The findings of the survey will form the basis of a report that Assemble will submit to the State Government as part of the consultation process.

Having been invited to review, comment and provide any additional points on the draft format of the design I can honestly say that it is nothing short of comprehensive. We ask you, our readers, on behalf of Assemble to take the time to complete the survey, which provides a great opportunity for everyone to have a say and help inform apartment design in Melbourne.

<h2>Help redefine the great Australian dream</h2>

To understand what makes for great medium and high density living, and to contribute to the <a href="http://assemblepapers.com.au/2014/09/19/the-great-apartment-design-debate/">current debate on apartment design standards</a>, Assemble is reaching out to you to tell them how you live now – and how you’d like to live in the future – via a national small footprint living survey. Once you’ve shared your thoughts and experiences, you can throw your hat in the ring to win a weekend at <a href="http://www.hotel-hotel.com.au/">Hotel Hotel</a> in Canberra. The survey should take no more than 15 to 25 minutes to complete and all responses will be recorded anonymously.

Assemble is a Melbourne-based residential property developer focused on small footprint projects. They work with like-minded developers to share and realise their vision for sustainable cities. Assemble’s values and ideas find a voice in <a href="http://assemblepapers.com.au/">Assemble Papers</a> – an online and biannual print journal about the culture of living closer together, across art, design, architecture, urbanism, the environment and financial matters. The three directors of Assemble are Giuseppe Demaio, Joachim Holland and Ben Keck. Between them, they also provide to clients architecture services via <a href="http://www.fieldworkprojects.com.au/">Fieldwork</a> and brand communication services via <a href="http://www.localpeoples.com/">Local Peoples</a>.

<blockquote>
The quarter-acre block we once aspired to is no longer affordable for most Australians, nor does it match up to our 21st century vision for well-connected, culturally diverse, sustainable and smart cities. To live better in cities, we need to live smaller. However, the capacity to do so is necessarily affected by government regulation. The Victorian and NSW governments are currently reviewing policies that will have a significant impact on the way we live in years to come, and we have a chance to be part of the process.
<cite>Ben Keck, Assemble Director</cite>
</blockquote>

Assemble’s Small Footprint Living Survey follows the release of <a href="http://delwp.vic.gov.au/planning/policy-and-strategy/better-apartments">‘Better Apartments, A Discussion Paper’</a> by the Victorian Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne MP, on 14 May 2015 – a fresh start to the discussion following the leak of the proposed Victorian Apartment Design Standards in July last year.

Assemble will prepare a report on the survey findings that will be made publicly available on their website. Assemble will also submit the report to the Victorian Government as part of the consultation period for ‘Better Apartments, A Discussion Paper’ and use it as a conversation-starter to engage with industry stakeholders and policymakers across the country.

<blockquote>
Our hope is not only to influence policymaking, but also to provide a useful resource to assist decision-making by home-buyers, renters, developers, planners, architects and city-lovers alike. This is a vital, complicated and passionate debate for our cities. There don’t appear to be any silver bullet solutions. Close consultation between government and the property, planning and architecture communities will be necessary to strike the delicate balance of encouraging new and affordable apartment supply and a high standard of living for current and future generations.
<cite>Ben Keck</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Come stay at Hotel Hotel</h2>

Hotel Hotel is a place of collaborative craftsmanship made by artists, makers, designers and fantasists. It is the brainchild of the Molonglo Group who are also responsible for the NewActon precinct within which Hotel Hotel resides. NewActon is a series of landscaped and edible gardens, commissioned art, cafes, bars and restaurants, residential and commercial spaces, cinemas and ongoing cultural programs designed to make the everyday special.

The final piece of the NewActon precinct is the series of Nishi buildings – conceived and designed by Molonglo Group, working with Fender Katsalidis Architects, Japan’s Suppose Design Office, March Studios, international engineering consultants Arup, and urban and landscape designers Oculus. It is one of the most radically sustainable buildings in Australia – both environmentally and socially. This is where Hotel Hotel lives – a conduit for NewActon’s communal culture and the product of countless collaborations with artists and designers from all over the country. From Perimeter’s books in the library to Kris Coad’s ceramics in the restaurant, every object and experience is curated to create a supremely pleasurable stay.

Assemble have made friends with Hotel Hotel so one of you will get to go on a weekend away – what better way to thank you for your feedback than by giving you the opportunity to experience small footprint living first hand. The prize includes two nights’ accommodation for you and a friend in the month of September, return flights to Canberra from your nearest Australian capital city and some goodies during your stay.

<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/hotel_hotel_illustration_by_alice_oehr_for_assemble.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hotel Hotel © Alice Oehr"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="403" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/hotel_hotel_illustration_by_alice_oehr_for_assemble.jpg?itok=5AI_pOHO" title="Hotel Hotel © Alice Oehr" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Hotel Hotel illustration © Alice Oehr</figcaption></figure>http://survey.assembleprojects.com.au/ #smallfootprintlivingsurvey

The The Small Footprint Living Survey will be open for submissions until Monday 20 July, 5.00pm.
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ASSEMBLE Small Footprint Living Survey

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Designed by BKK Architects, for developer <a href="http://www.cubikdevelopments.com.au/welcome">Cubik</a>, Cirqua is located at 206 Lower Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe East and comprises 44 bespoke and expansive 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments which offer owners the choice of one of 36 individually articulated interior floor plans.

<blockquote>
We have chosen to build Cirqua to this level of design quality because we wanted to have an inherent sense of architectural beauty about it.
<cite>Jim Fagan, Cubik</cite>
</blockquote>

A key design feature of the building are the circular portal windows which are a reference to the rich architectural landscape of Ivanhoe East and its Arts &amp; Craft and Queen Anne Federation residences. The 20th century Arts &amp; Craft movement conceived homes as part of a total ensemble that also included not only the architecture, but also the garden and it was these principles that provided the inspiration for Cirqua.

Landscape designer John Patrick has carefully considered the surrounding landscape and private courtyards encompassing Cirqua. He specified a proliferation of native plants and trees for the garden and some courtyards will be as large as 100 SQM.

In front of Cirqua, an established Yellowbox gumtree will create a sense of place for the building, while native evergreens will soften the perimeters of the property, providing privacy and enclosure while encouraging a feeling of being amongst the native flora and fauna of the area.

<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/img_4001.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Cirqua facade close up. © BKK"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="869" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_4001.jpeg?itok=tlDctj5F" title="Cirqua facade close up. © BKK" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Cirqua facade close up. © BKK</figcaption></figure>Apartments.com.au caught up with BKK director Simon Knott at their offices on Russell Street initially to discuss Cirqua, but also to gain a general over view of the work the office is producing. The latter aspect will appear in a <a href="/news/discussing-apartment-living-with-bkks-simon-knott">separate article</a> on Apartments.com.au.

​Laurence Dragomir: Can you tell us a little bit about the project Simon? It seems specifically designed to respond to the owner occupier market.

Simon Knott: The project was firmly aimed at owner occupiers with the main driver being creating homes for people, for us that market has shifted quite dramatically in a fairly short period of time. It wasn't long ago when the Grattan Institute released a couple of reports talking about the state of the market and what was out there, particularly in the middle ring suburbs which weren't really being catered for.

Perhaps people who want to live in slightly smaller developments, who don't want to live in 300 apartment-type developments. They want bigger apartments, they want bigger living spaces and in the end what they really want is for them to be homes. At the time the reports were released, most of the developments going up in Melbourne featured smaller apartments, with the exception of a number of developments in Docklands, St Kilda Road or detached housing out on the periphery.

That has suddenly shifted quite dramatically and I think it's a cultural shift and I think it's partly driven by economics.

It's also young people looking to enter the market as well as that downsizer market where people have the family home, particularly if you're in places like Ivanhoe, Glen Iris, Hawthron, Kew, Birghton etc. All those places where you can sell a house for $3-4m, and they've probably got 100% equity in it but then buy a really nice place in an apartment building for say $1m in the same area. They have all the benefits of that in addition to security, low maintenance, lifestyle; all the benefits that come with those types of developments and people are really making the move.

We're excited by it because it means for us as a practice - whose foundations have been in houses - firstly renovations and then single houses which all provide an opportunity to create really good living environments for people that aren't just the base unit.

Cirqua features 36 different types of apartment which are bigger than what you would normally expect, typically 70-80sqm for 1 bedders, and even given that people are still buying them and then combining them into larger apartments which we're quite staggered by. This is clearly empty nesters that are doing this but we had some 3 bedders, one of which would have been about 110sqm and they want to take out the third bedroom replace it with a small study nook and increase the size of the living area, because that's what they want, they want a large living space; it's got a good view, it's got a great aspect and it's difficult to get apartment developments up in these areas.

Cirqua provides a really good opportunity to buy into the area and with the new zoning rules it will probably make it even more difficult.

LD: I suppose areas like Ivanhoe East are also more sensitive in terms of the established neighbourhoods and so are more likely to see opposition to this type of development?

SK: We wouldn't have gotten this up under the current zoning rules, it took a long period of time and was an exhaustive process but we lodged a year or so before the new zoning was implemented. Had it have gone to VCAT the danger would have been that the determination is made based on the laws of the day.

Now the planning permit will be assessed against the rules that were in place when the application was submitted but that's not the case with VCAT. But we managed to get it through which is quite amazing.

LD: Ivanhoe is generally associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and the houses of Harold Desbrowe - Annear. How much influence did that have over the development's architecture?

SK: We did a bit of a study of the vernacular in the area looking at the streetscape and the typical sort of Queen Anne Federation, bungalow 1920's inter-war style architecture and that really tough, muscular form, with highly articulated facade, masonry etc. that is then offset by this fine level detail and recessed balcony / verandah spaces. Those were the sort of elements that really stood out to us and with Cirqua we tried to provide, I guess a contemporary interpretation and one other important feature was how the houses related to landscape and that as really fundamental to the garden city terrace house.

We wanted to create a highly articulated facade that broke down the scale. Essentially trying to make it read as two large houses of 4-4.5storeys due to the sloping nature of the site which slopes quite steeply to the rear of the site. So it's a little deceptive in its scale. There's a gun barrel entry which people were a bit skeptical about initially, which surprised us because we thought it would be fantastic, you would be able to look right through the building to the other end.

At the moment the proposal is for those Whitney Museum sort of lights, so a whole series of lights just running down the centre of the space.

​The way the landscape was then drawn into the plan was via these deep recesses so we can get natural light, cross-ventilation through into the apartments; we don't do bedrooms with borrowed light. All living areas get a great aspect and the bedrooms all get some sort of internal courtyard space with quality amenity, then there are the sizeable decks. All in all we're pretty happy with the design outcome.

<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/img_4002.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Bedroom interior with view to internal courtyard. © BKK"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_4002.jpeg?itok=JrFhCY7j" title="Bedroom interior with view to internal courtyard. © BKK" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Bedroom interior with view to internal courtyard. © BKK</figcaption></figure>Next week, <a href="/news/discussing-apartment-living-with-bkks-simon-knott">we continue our chat</a> with Simon Knott about BKK's work, the lure of apartment living and the ever changing apartment market landscape.
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BKK's Simon Knott talks Cirqua, Ivanhoe East

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Urban.com.au recently spoke with <a href="http://milieuproperty.com.au/">Milieu Property</a> co-founder and Director of Milieu Built (Milieu’s associated construction company) Michael McCormack about the company's ethos and values, their work and how Milieu was conceived.

The discussion with Michael began with his career post schooling as a carpenter; despite enjoying the trade wanted to become far more involved in the entire development process. He subsequently went back to study construction and it was during this time that he landed a position with Sinclair Brook, a project management firm that focuses on property development on behalf of large scale institutional clients, and which also supervised some of the larger scale projects in Melbourne.

Michael plied his trade there for seven years but came to realize that large scale projects weren't at his heart. Michael wanted to focus on something that he could relate to, such as the family home, something he believes everyone can relate to, and is of a scale that is far more relatable. Subsequently Michael shifted to BPM who are now much more of a large scale developer, but at the time were developing the types of projects that Michael and Milieu are currently pursuing - small scale apartment and townhouse projects.

<blockquote>
I realized pretty quickly that it was the scale that I wanted to work at - the scale that I live in and can relate to.
<cite>Michael McCormack</cite>
</blockquote>

Laurence Dragomir: Looking through Milieu's body of work, would it be fair to say that you develop a product that is geared more towards the owner-occupier market than say the investor?

Michael McCormack: 100%. Our target is myself, my friends, my family and when I say my family I mean my sisters. So I look at the established house prices in areas that I'd like to live in and appeal to me like Fitzroy, Carlton, North Fitzroy etc. and it's unaffordable for someone my age. I started thinking, well I can't afford an established home in that area, but I want to live in the area just not in an a large scale apartment building of say 200 apartments.

So what's the gap in the market? The gap in the market is something that I want to live in and how do I create it? That has been my focus, I suppose, since we started so that's very much why our developments are owner-occupier focused.

LD: Do you see in the foreseeable future an opportunity or desire to go up in scale, not so much high-rise but more an increase in density?

MM: Up until recently we have been doing smaller scale projects like 5 townhouses or 11 apartments for example, and we're about to launch a project in Collingwood called Peel, that is 35 apartments but again its focus is absolutely on occupiers. That has sort of been the mantra for the project - apartments to live in.

We looked at some of the apartment projects in the area and we noticed two things: there's kind of the larger scale apartment projects which are more geared towards investors and then there's a group of really nice apartment projects but they're often unaffordable. We've tried to pick the gap there and say let's focus this on owner occupiers whilst still creating apartments that are affordable.

<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/peel_by_milieu.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Peel by Milieu. "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="317" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/peel_by_milieu.jpg?itok=MpAvDuL4" title="Peel by Milieu. " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Peel by Milieu.</figcaption></figure>LD: You've worked previously with architects such as <a href="http://www.dko.com.au/">dKO</a> and <a href="http://www.fieldworkprojects.com.au/">Fieldwork</a>. What is your process in terms of engaging the architects you work with and picking the right architect for the right project?

MM: Initially we try and work with the same group of consultants, the same team consistently through our projects and we work with a select group of architects and dKO and Fieldwork are in that strand of architects. Cjoice of architect is based upon seeing whether the firm has similar ideals, aspirations and passions that we do for development. If you look at Fieldwork they've got a publication, Assemble Papers which is all about small footprint living.

Their interests in terms of development align very strongly with our own and that extends to design quality and design integrity - the guys we work with are unbelievable at what they do.

LD: I guess the hot topic at the moment in the industry is apartment standards, what is your take?

MM: It's a really interesting discussion and I think it really is an ongoing discussion. I know the guys from Assemble Papers are working on something in relation to it which I'm participating in and they're asking some interesting questions; not necessarily about asking people if they want a larger apartment because a lot of people will say yes, but they're asking would you be willing to sacrifice size for design. For instance would you rather a 45sqm well designed apartment over a 50sqm stock standard apartment? And I probably align with them on that.

I don't think you get the best outcome by prescribing a minimum apartment size. We respond to context and I think designers are very good at what they do; design is better if you do respond to context and the market rather than designing by a checked box which is unfortunately what SEPP 65 has done in Sydney. So you get apartment developments which respond to and meet all the requirements but aren't great.

What we do in inner Melbourne is try to unlock really small sites for appropriate development but often the requirements are so prescriptive that these sorts of sites cannot to be unlocked.

Ultimately I'm all for well designed apartments with quality amenity for the occupier and most of the principles the Better Apartments discussion paper talks about, but I don't think it needs to be so prescriptive.

LD: When are you looking at launching Peel? 

MM: We're going to launch it in early July. We've got a display suite on site and as part of that display suite we'll be running a series of exhibitions in a gallery within the space at the same time which is linked to <a href="http://milieuproperty.com.au/instagram">Melbourne Milieu</a> which we've launched on our website. We've sought to work with a group of photographers to catalogue Melbourne. It's not about our projects, you won't see our buildings or anything related to our projects.

Melbourne Milieu is more about hanging out in Melbourne and what inspires us. The photography exhibition is kind of an extension of that coupled with a Broadsheet publication that we're going to launch shortly.

Peel Street's a really important project for us and I think it's really the next step for us in terms of focusing on the occupier, but also moving towards trying to create something even more affordable than the work we've been doing up until now. What we have been doing to date is providing townhouses that are below an established house price but the reality is that not everyone can afford a townhouse so it's taking that next step to create apartment spaces that are very livable but are also attainable to people my age and younger.

LD: Thanks for your time Michael and looking forward to dropping in and checking out the Peel display suite.
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An interview with Milieu's Michael McCormack

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

Fortis continues eastern suburbs push with 55 William launch

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

Arada plots $2 billion Broadbeach towers in major Queensland move

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

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

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

Laurence Dragomir

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