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A fresh purpose is in store for a 1960's commercial building overlooking Sydney's Barangaroo precinct.

On the western periphery of Sydney's CBD, the Kent Street site was earmarked by Barana Group as suitable for redevelopment. The development outfit is attempting a second bite of the cherry with 189-197 Kent Street which the diversified property outfit acquired in December 2002.

After securing approval during 2014 to demolish the office block and deliver 146 apartments, Barana Group has once more taken the property to planning.

Just shy of $70 million, the newly submitted Stage 1 Development Application mirrors the initial application in that apartments are expected with an 80 metre tower. Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp were enlisted for Stage 1 design duties.

<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/image49_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kent Street perspective. Image: FJMT"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="671" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image49_12.jpg?itok=979o9WUb" title="Kent Street perspective. Image: FJMT" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kent Street perspective. Image: FJMT</figcaption></figure>The new application effectively adheres to the earlier approved envelope, with the bulk of changes centred around meeting current Apartment Design Guideline expectations.

Although the current application doesn't seek approval for internal layouts or exterior finishes, the 80 metre envelope would allow for 144 apartments over 24 levels. The indicative apartment mix sees 5 studio, 52 single, 74 double and 13 triple bedroom apartments.

Dual street frontages frame the 1,195 square metre site that encompasses 4 basement levels. Dual retail tenancies totalling 217 square metres round out the design's main attributes.

<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/image48_17.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A view from Barangaroo. Image: FJMT"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="653" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image48_17.jpg?itok=4imGQkDE" title="A view from Barangaroo. Image: FJMT" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A view from Barangaroo. Image: FJMT</figcaption></figure>Barana Group's existing property portfolio is weighted toward commercial properties, although 189-197 Kent Street is not the only of the developer's stable that is earmarked for conversion.

Having overseen the reworking of Novotel St Kilda into an approved residential scheme, the scheme's sales campaign saw ended abruptly. Melbourne developer GURNER subsequently joined Barana Group as a project partner for the site, with the intent of demolishing existing buildings for the $550 million apartment development.

The project's approved 236 apartments are expected to be cut to approximately 130 high-end dwellings.
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silvermb

Barana Group sees opportunity on Sydney's Kent Street

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It's not South Yarra's imposing Capitol Grand, nor is it one of the gaggle of Box Hill residential towers progressively redefining that suburb's skyline.

Yet there is a suburban Melbourne skyscraper on the rise, so to speak. The jump form and initial floor plate formwork has appeared above ground for Rise Moonee Ponds. Part of the wider Mason Square development that replaces what was once the Moonee Ponds Market, Rise will become one of suburban Melbourne's tallest buildings.

The 30 level tower is the crowning component of developer Caydon's wider Mason Square precinct. Above a commercially focused podium, Rise includes hundreds of apartments and associated amenities.

<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/image270.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="One of suburban Melbourne's tallest towers is on the way up. Image: Fender Katsalidis"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="215" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image270.jpg?itok=m791NpHO" title="One of suburban Melbourne's tallest towers is on the way up. Image: Fender Katsalidis" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>One of suburban Melbourne's tallest towers is on the way up. Image: Fender Katsalidis</figcaption></figure>Rise is the final and most imposing of the seven buildings which make up the Mason Square project.

The former Moonee Ponds Market site covers 1.34 hectares and will provide in excess of 1,000 apartments and a serviced apartment contingent operated as The Sebel Moonee Ponds. That component includes 97 serviced apartments within a mid-rise north-facing building.

Addressed 15 Everage Street, Rise is one of three jump forms rising simultaneously from the northern half of the site.

It and the Sebel building's form are joined by that of Focus on Mason, with the trio being delivered as the second phase of the overall built. Builder LU Simon has taken on construction of the entire Fender Katsalidis-designed 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/image59_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rise as rendered and construction progress onsite"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="303" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image59_6.jpg?itok=_O0dprpN" title="Rise as rendered and construction progress onsite" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rise as rendered and construction progress onsite</figcaption></figure>Upon its completion which is scheduled for the end of next year, Rise will stand above all other towers at Mason Square and the wider North Western region of Melbourne for that matter. Longer term it may be joined by a handful of equivalent sized residential towers in nearby Footscray.

In a more immediate context, LU Simon has all but completed works on the initial Margaret Street and Hall Street components of Mason Square, consisting of four residential buildings.

That initial construction phase sees buildings range between 6 and 22 levels. Rise upon its completion will distinguish itself within Mason Square as being the only tower to sport a curtain wall façade.

<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_6607.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mason Square's Hall Street build is nearing completion"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_6607.jpg?itok=pBmN9dsH" title="Mason Square's Hall Street build is nearing completion" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mason Square's Hall Street build is nearing completion</figcaption></figure>
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Melbourne's 'other' suburban skyscraper gets moving

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Entity <a href="/developers/nine-dings-pty-ltd">Nine Dings Pty Ltd</a> is seeking approval for an expansive apartment project that would account for Doncaster Hill's largest development site.

<a href="/new-apartments/584-588-doncaster-road-doncaster">584-588 Doncaster Road</a> which also fronts Elgar Road and Briar Court spans some 8,176 square metres and has been subject to development overtones in the past. The long term car dealership lot is now likely to make way for the project in waiting which is costed at $122 million.

For that price Nine Dings Pty Ltd hopes to realise as many as 260 dwellings within an undulating <a href="/architects/hayball">Hayball-designed complex</a>. With site elevation in its favour and closer to the CBD that any other existing or proposed apartment building's within Doncaster Hill, the apartment mix reflects the project's prime location and unfettered views.

The 11 storey structure will be capped by 7 penthouses. Other high end residences within the proposal include two, three and four bedroom duplexes, with traditional apartments seeing 55 single, 140 double and 31 triple bedroom options.

<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/image250_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Briar Court frontage. Image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image250_0.jpg?itok=N8aST8nR" title="Briar Court frontage. Image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Briar Court frontage. Image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>584-588 Doncaster Road's dwelling mix is reflective of more recent trend toward larger apartments with more bedrooms across Doncaster Hill and Melbourne at large. Metro Equity's recently approved 90-96 Tram Road nearby sees only 4 of 158 apartments designated as single bedroom formats.

Hayball's design for the oversized site incorporates two distinct built forms above common lower levels.

The larger apartment building is configured loosely as a curving cross whilst a smaller building fronting Briar Court is defined by its exterior. Consisting of the duplexes, the smaller 6 storey form is veiled in aluminium screening battens carrying a wood grain finish; the honeycomb-shaped screening is in contrast to the main building form which employs a greater degree of precast elements, synonymous with Hayball's signature design look.

The application's most active frontages hold the Doncaster and Elgar road intersection, with 823 square metres of retail either side of an entry plaza.

<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/image251.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Differing development perspectives. Image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="345" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image251.jpg?itok=3i_Ds9VF" title="Differing development perspectives. Image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Differing development perspectives. Image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>584-588 Doncaster Road's unveiling comes at a time when Doncaster Hill's overall development activity is in somewhat of a lull.

Although a number of projects on Doncaster Hill's periphery are at construction, the only site within the designated development zone witnessing any construction action is <a href="/buildings/the-point-doncaster-hill-600-doncaster-road-doncaster">The Point Doncaster Hill</a>. Basement and site retention works continue over that site although builder's signage has yet to appear.

The recent completion of <a href="/news/ring-a-ding-ding-doncasters-largest-development-site-edges-toward-fruition">Nest at the Hill</a> has added 253 dwellings to Doncaster Hill's mix, and aside from The Point the next most likely project to reach construction is <a href="/developers/accord-property-group">Accord Property Group's</a> Mercure Melbourne Doncaster. Recently announced as Doncaster's first dedicated hotel, the complex will include 190 rooms over six floors on a Doncaster Road site adjacent to Westfield Shopping Centre.

<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_3655.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The freshly completed Nest at the Hill"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="378" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3655.jpg?itok=U6Vz3wlk" title="The freshly completed Nest at the Hill" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The freshly completed Nest at the Hill</figcaption></figure>
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Ring a ding-ding! Doncaster's largest development site edges toward fruition

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Brisbane's Albion Station is the latest rail hub set to maximise surrounding surplus and underutilsied land tracts via a transit oriented development.

Submitted to Brisbane City Council yesterday, the application dubbed Albion Exchange seeks approval for the initial stage of a far reaching mixed-use development spanning 3.5-hectares, with the station at the heart of the overhaul. The application also formally makes good on the Queensland Government's $750 million election pledge to renew the station and its surrounds.

Residential, commercial and extensive public uses aside, the station's transport infrastructure will also receive an overhaul.

The initial precinct's rebirth is to be delivered jointly with Albion-based developer Geon Property. Whilst works are slated to commence prior to 2020, the full delivery lifespan of the projects is expected to span 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/image159_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A highly activated ground plane. Image: Hames Sharley"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="317" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image159_5.jpg?itok=wdxeCLGV" title="A highly activated ground plane. Image: Hames Sharley" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A highly activated ground plane. Image: Hames Sharley</figcaption></figure>At the time of Geon Property reaching agreement with the Queensland government, Geon Property Managing Director Ben Griffin said:

<blockquote>
Redeveloping Albion train station allows us to deliver a truly world-class transit oriented development. This project will be more than just a property development – our vision is to create a precinct that is a genuine destination. 

This project will be defined by a seamless integration of high-quality apartment living, retail, food and beverage outlets with genuine character, modern commercial offerings and vibrant public open spaces. It will offer access to Brisbane’s transport networks, integrating with one of South East Queensland’s busiest train lines, connecting to the bikeway network and providing accessible parking options.
</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/image164_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The wider Albion precinct. Image: Hames Sharley"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="444" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image164_1.jpg?itok=rlIItGwM" title="The wider Albion precinct. Image: Hames Sharley" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The wider Albion precinct. Image: Hames Sharley</figcaption></figure>Architecture firm Hames Sharley were announced at the practice of choice for the revamp earlier this year, and have gone about creating dual high-rise towers across the 6,458 square metre site which constitutes Stage 1. 

Combined the towers hold as many as 333 apartments, split between 96 single, 178 dual, 56 triple and 3 quadruple bedroom options. Their respective heights are pegged at 23 and 30 storeys, with the latter reaching beyond the 100 metre mark.

Both towers will stand adjacent to The Husdon, an existing 14 storey apartment tower cornering Hudson Road and the Albion Overpass.

Retail gross floor area for the initial stage spans 2,140 square metres and is supplemented by commercial space covering 3,777 square metres. In line with the size of the development, basement accommodations are made for 573 vehicles and 461 bicycles.

<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/image161_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Residential towers will play their part in the development. Image: Hames Sharley"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="612" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image161_0.jpg?itok=ykljP6kC" title="Residential towers will play their part in the development. Image: Hames Sharley" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Residential towers will play their part in the development. Image: Hames Sharley</figcaption></figure>It is the design's public features though which distinguishes the application; relative to its total gross floor area of 37,665 square metres, the open space provisions are particularly high. Public open space amounts to 4,770 square metres, whilst communal open space and private open space measure 2,657 square metres and 4,207 square metres respectively. 

Albion Exchange's landscaped designer Dunn + Moran made the following observation in terms of what the project is seeking to achieve from a public context:

<blockquote>
People associate inner city railways with concrete and the sound of heavy steel. Our vision is for a new precinct that looks at the rail environment differently.

Albion Exchange will be an active hub where people can meet conveniently, recreate comfortably and feel at ease when engaging with the railway. The prominence of usable green space and ornamentation should swathe the precinct in a manner that allows people to forget what the old style of train station used to feel like. 
</blockquote>

Albion Station is one of a handful of current transit oriented developments being backed by Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads; other stations receiving substantial developments include Coorparoo Junction, Buranda, Cleveland and Ferny Grove.
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Albion Station's supersized transit oriented development revealed

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Much like Parramatta, Liverpool will become another satellite CBD for the Harbour City, having been rezoned by the State's Planning Minister.

Anthony Roberts has officially announced the rezoning of 25 hectares in and around Liverpool that will further entice development to the locality. Already no stranger to high-rise residential development in Liverpool's fringe, the passage of higher density and mixed-use applications for the heart of the suburb will be made all the more easier under the rezoning.

The move comes as both the State Government and Liverpool Council seek to attract additional commercial and residential activity to the expanding hub. Liverpool's core stands to gain bigger developments under the rezoning, but also increased ground floor uses such as cafes, bars, restaurants and retail.

<blockquote>
I am pleased to announce this plan which will transform Liverpool’s commercial areas and unlock the city’s potential as a thriving and well-connected place to live, work and play.

Changes to the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) will open the door for Liverpool to fulfil its potential as the next significant city centre in Sydney. Liverpool’s transformation has the potential to be enjoyed by locals and international visitors, with the city centre being on the doorstep of the future Western Sydney Airport.

The rezoning enables increased building heights for selected key sites and will ensure people have easy access to public transport, the city campuses of both Western Sydney University and University of Wollongong and Liverpool Hospital’s $740 million redevelopment.
<cite>Planning Minister Anthony Roberts</cite>
</blockquote>

The rezoning's positive aspects have been lauded by the Planning Minister, Liverpool City Council Mayor Wendy Waller and Urban Taskforce Australia's Chris Johnson.

Not content with Liverpool's emergence behind Sydney's heart and Parramatta as true Central Business Districts, Chris Johnson insists that rezoning should be applied to other suitable suburban Sydney locations.

<blockquote>
The announcement by NSW Planning Minister, Anthony Roberts, that the Liverpool city centre has been rezoned for mixed-use is a good model for all centres across Sydney, says the Urban Taskforce. The 25 hectare city centre in Liverpool is now planning to house 10,000 new homes and 22,000 new jobs as a result of the change from commercial only zoning to mixed-use zoning.

The Urban Taskforce has been critical of the zoning of strategic centres as outlined in the Greater Sydney Commission’s District Plans that did not support mixed-use zoning but preferred separate zones for housing and for jobs. Most cities in the world are moving away from restrictive single use zoning towards a mixed-use approach that gives incentives to ensure a viable mixture of uses related to market needs.

The Liverpool model is following this approach.

A similar approach to mixed zoning should be considered for city centres like North Sydney, St Leonards, Chatswood, and Parramatta. Each of these city centres needs the vitalisation that comes from people living, working and shopping in an urban centre.
<cite>Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson</cite>
</blockquote>

Liverpool already has a substantial presence in the Apartments.com.au Project Database, and this is set to grow once rezoning is ratified. The rezoning is as much about changing the balance of uses within any given development as it is about realising larger developments.

Prime developments come in the form of 277 Bigge Street which was <a href="/news/mackycorp-lines-up-a-major-liverpool-office-development">recently profiled</a> by Apartments.com.au. It involves the construction of a purely commercial tower containing in excess of 27,000 square metres of Gross Floor Area.

Also fresh to Liverpool is an application looking for the realisation of a residential tower at 402 Macquarie Street for developer Kingdom Towers. Spanning 17 levels and designed by GCCV, the applications includes 145 apartments.

To date Liverpool has 31 predominantly residential projects listed within the Apartments.com.au Project Database.
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Liverpool rezoned and earmarked as becoming Sydney's third largest CBD

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"With Melbourne’s ageing population forecast to almost triple from 2011 to 2051, there is an increasing demographic seeking a future home that offers world-class design and facilities, beautiful residences, and an exceptional level of service."

Australian Unity's Kevin McCoy succinctly sums the perceptible shift in independent living and aged care design that is sweeping across Melbourne. The heightened sophistication across an increasing number of Melbourne projects is headed by Australian Unity's transformation of their former Albert Road headquarters in South Melbourne.

The $120 million vertical retirement community dubbed The Grace Albert Park Lake at 128 Albert Road is intended to be the most prestigious address of its kind in Australia.

Fender Katsalidis Architects and Mim Design jointly conceived the design of the complex which includes 79 one, two and three bedroom residences plus a penthouse.

'Courtyard Community Clubs' run through the building, effectively designed to provide engaging break out spaces for residents.

<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/image100_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Common area within The Grace. Image: Australian Unity"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="413" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image100_2.jpg?itok=GnkBtbki" title="Common area within The Grace. Image: Australian Unity" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Common area within The Grace. Image: Australian Unity</figcaption></figure>“Our focus for the design was to ensure residents of The Grace Albert Park Lake can interact and engage with the building’s stunning surroundings, regardless of where they are in the building. With floor-to-ceiling windows and breathtaking views of Albert Park Lake, the single and double height spaces offer different experiences and a continuous connection with nature," says David Sutherland of Fender Katsalidis.

Projects such as The Grace Albert Park Lake are now keeping pace with high end contemporary apartment developments in the array of amenities on offer. Australian Unity's pursuit will include an artists’ studio, games room, explorers' den, edible garden, piano lounge, theatrette, health and fitness centre, pool, dedicated dining space and rooftop terrace.

Whilst The Grace Albert Park Lake has been positioned to lead the pack, a new rash of retirement living and aged care developments are also on the horizon, with both typologies closely aligned often developed alongside one another.

Provider TLC is backing a stylish new facility in <a href="/new-townhouses/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc </a>that has yet to be decided upon by Council. The Via Architects design at 113 McDonald Road includes 150 aged care spaces in a sweeping design that meets two street frontages, also incorporating an integrated medical centre, child care centre and community facilities.

Via Architects notes "The scheme aims to provide a high quality integrated care development including: aged care beds, child care centre, medical centre, a retail/cafe space as well as community therapy and wellness facilities. The 1 scheme also provides external 1 communal gardens to be shared with neighbouring properties."

This comes on the back of TLC overseeing the finishing touches to their Clifton Hill Integrated Health Care Hub, simply known as Clifton Views. Reflective of the progressive design being applied to the sector, the development nabbed an award for 'The Most Innovative Aged Care Housing Design Globally' at the Over 50s Global Housing Awards.

<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/image110_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mordialloc and Clifton Hill. Images: TLC"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="415" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image110_4.jpg?itok=Vgcd3wVt" title="Mordialloc and Clifton Hill. Images: TLC" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mordialloc and Clifton Hill. Images: TLC</figcaption></figure>Capitalising on the growth of the retiree sector, prolific apartment developer Steller has also elected to drive into aged care developments. Recently Steller Managing Director Nicholas Smedley said the firm <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/steller-builds-aged-care-development-pipeline-20180821-p4zysv">now has a pipeline of 14 aged-related assets</a> in various stages of development.

One such development is Oakleigh's 735-771 Warrigal Road which is at planning with City of Monash, and is another Via Architects design.

The sweeping low-rise design has capacity for 136 beds and various amenities such as a dining room, lounge and café, gym, theatre, activity rooms and outdoor terraces.

<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/image106_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Steller's aged care Oakleigh intention. Image: Via Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="261" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image106_3.jpg?itok=iYcTBMyh" title="Steller's aged care Oakleigh intention. Image: Via Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Steller's aged care Oakleigh intention. Image: Via Architects</figcaption></figure>
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Sophistication the decisive factor in Melbourne's retiree development boom

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Brisbane’s largest integrated CBD development continues to take shape at 300 George Street.

Backed by Shayher Group and being built by Multiplex, the development consists of three towers containing residential apartments, commercial office space and what is now the first 5-star hotel to open in Queensland’s capital in more than 20 years. Overseen by parent company Marriott International, W Brisbane Hotel is open for business and includes 312 guest rooms.

The importance of the chic hotel brand's arrival in Brisbane was not lost on the development team. Along with project architects ZENX International and DBI Architects, Melbourne-based Studio Ongarato were enlisted to provide W Brisbane with a unique, and arguably quirky identity.

Having already worked on other W branded hotels such as W Shanghai, Studio Ongarato was already in the position of understanding and delivering on W’s unique brand of playful luxury.

<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/image94_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="W Brisbane's reception area. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="346" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image94_5.jpg?itok=0EH40kEJ" title="W Brisbane's reception area. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>W Brisbane's reception area. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>Co-founder Fabio Ongarato explains "Our first narrative-led hotel was for the W Hong Kong back in 2010. Using narrative at that time was uncommon. It successfully injected greater vibrancy into the brand and rewrote the rulebook for narrative-led hotel design.

It also successfully set the tone for all the W hotels since."

In this regard four Brisbane-inspired sub-narratives were created for W Brisbane by Studio Ongarato. The implementation of bold and immersive environmental design narratives is an emerging trend in the hotel and hospitality space, but taken to the enth degree within W Brisbane.

On the wider aspect of providing a story or direction for hotel guests, Ongarato says "It’s important for design to tell meaningful stories that customers, users and guests can respond to. Defining and building a thematic framework is the first step for holistic and narrative-driven design to take shape.

A brand foundation enhances a guest’s experience by encouraging them to become more aware and engaged with their environment. It offers a world within a world for experience hunters but ultimately it aims to engage, delight and transport.”

<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/image92_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Pool area backdrop. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image92_7.jpg?itok=t3QQHdSb" title="Pool area backdrop. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Pool area backdrop. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>Also playing a hand in W Brisbane's interior expression was Ronnen Goren, who alongside Ongarato has been at the forefront of the studio for the past 25 years. The long standing partnership with W Hotels flows from the ability to marry unique design outcomes with commercial objectives.

“Studio Ongarato’s engagement with W Brisbane strengthens the design studio’s relationship with a truly international brand, showcasing our ability to interpret myriad social and cultural contexts as design outcomes, imbuing the W brand with a sense of place and personality” says Goren. Guest rooms aside, areas that received the Studio Ongarato touch included communal zones such as the dining room, bar, pool, spa and yoga facility.

The main narrative within W Brisbane centres around A River Dreaming, a theme developed by Nic Graham and Associates. This is a nod to the indigenous Turrbal people which sees the (Brisbane) river as the giver of life.

Thereafter Studio Ongarato conceived four sub-narratives: Native Allure, Tropical Eden, Brisvegas and Dark Paradise. How they manifest themselves via W Brisbane's interiors is a subjective matter, but Studio Ongarato hope the interplay of ideas creates a "tribal meets pop hybrid personality that electrifies in its many incarnations."

<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/image95_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Typical bedroom design feature. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image95_6.jpg?itok=ut4WyYW2" title="Typical bedroom design feature. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Typical bedroom design feature. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>Fabio Ongarato says “For W Brisbane we looked at the W brand DNA, which is bold, witty and shows a lust for life. And we studied the context of the site – its physical, social and historical parameters.

We looked carefully at many aspects of the Brisbane identity to create our themes. Taking ownership of that originally derogative nickname Brisvegas, Brisbanites are celebrating their tongue-in-cheek persona. From giant fruit landmarks to slogans, slang, stubby shorts and caftans, we deeply absorbed the Queensland vernacular to create our design narratives.”

Whilst W Brisbane remains the nation's sole W branded outlet for now, construction continues on both new Sydney and Melbourne locations. Sydney's The Ribbon will host 402 hotel rooms upon its completion next year whilst <a href="/buildings/collins-arch-447-collins-street-melbourne">Collins Arch will see 294 rooms</a> under the W Melbourne banner.

<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/image96_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Common area hallway. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image96_2.jpg?itok=Y1qI2nA6" title="Common area hallway. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Common area hallway. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>
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Profiling Studio Ongarato's quirky and incredible W Brisbane interior designs

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Apartment developer Aria Property Group has added another major project to its catalogue of Brisbane developments.

On this occasion Rothelowman has been utilised in the design of West End's 107-117 Jane Street. Reaching planning only last week, Jane Street looks to build upon Aria's self described vision of "create iconic residential and retail projects that we will be proud to walk our families past in 20 years' time."

To that end Rothelowman have conceived two distinct buildings above a common podium, with the intent of adding 145 apartments to the West End market. The apartment mix consists of 23 single, 91 double and 28 triple bedroom apartments.

An onsite warehouse and office will make way for the development, which is expected to be delivered over separate stages.

<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/image78_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Design Perspective. Image: Rothelowman"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="335" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image78_5.jpg?itok=fhAdmlVj" title="Design Perspective. Image: Rothelowman" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Design Perspective. Image: Rothelowman</figcaption></figure>Rothelowman's design narrative for the project surrounds the ideas of architecture as a backdrop to nature and life in a treehouse.

Consequently 107-117 Jane Street's facade employs the notion of a vertical park, and is heavy with greenery planters plus mature trees which run its full height. Rothelowman have also sought to introduce a layered canopy above street level, with its form and materiality said to reference the fig tree form.

Reflective of all Aria projects, the Jane Street application is heavy with communal facilities. An outdoor gym, playground, dining pavilion, sun deck and lounge, infinity pool and barbecue area constitute the more typical amenities, although more natural features also play their part in the design.

Not so regular features such as a 'tree house canopy boardwalk', stream and waterfall are also present and look to extend upon the project's location opposite Davies Park and adjacent to the Brisbane River.

<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/image80_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Design Perspective. Image: Rothelowman"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="338" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image80_7.jpg?itok=7VQNr0v9" title="Design Perspective. Image: Rothelowman" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Design Perspective. Image: Rothelowman</figcaption></figure>107-117 Jane Street joins a handful of additional <a href="/developments?developer=ARIA%20Property%20Group">Aria projects within the Urban.com.au Project Database</a>.

South Brisbane's <a href="/new-apartments/waterfall-77-hope-street-south-brisbane">77 Hope Street</a> is perhaps the most recognised of Aria's pending projects, after approval was granted for the 33 storey apartment tower mid year. A 120-metre waterfall originating from the tower's rooftop terrace and running down the flank of the building is the design highlight, although a 750 square metre public park, community garden and cinema will also be included.

With <a href="/buildings/valencia-232-wellington-road-kangaroo-point">Valencia</a> and <a href="/buildings/the-drapery-64-logan-road-woolloongabba">The Drapery</a> approaching completion, Aria Property Group have moved to initiate construction on another residential tower. Hutchinson Builders have picked up <a href="/buildings/the-standard-13-17-manning-street-south-brisbane">The Standard</a>; the curvaceous tower which is due for completion during 2020.

<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/image84_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Waterfall, Oxley + Stirling and The Standard in clockwise formation. Images: Aria Property Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="775" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image84_13.jpg?itok=af0sel4j" title="Waterfall, Oxley + Stirling and The Standard in clockwise formation. Images: Aria Property Group" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Waterfall, Oxley + Stirling and The Standard in clockwise formation. Images: Aria Property Group</figcaption></figure>
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Aria Property Group extends its style-driven portfolio to Brisbane's West End

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447 Collins Street, the commercial component of the wider Collins Arch project backed by Cbus Property and ISPT, has become the country's third development to receive a platinum level WELL Precertification.

Overseen by the International WELL Building Institute, precertification amounts to acknowledgement of design characteristics that demonstrate leadership in health and wellness. WELL Precertification is effectively a nod toward the design of commercial buildings which improve the nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep patterns and cognitive performance of its occupants.

To date the only other developments to receive an equivalent precertification rating in Australia are the nearby 477 Collins Street and Circular Quay Tower in Sydney. Further enhancing the sustainability credentials of 447 Collins Street, the development team have also put if forward for a 6-star Greenstar accreditation and 5.5 star NABERS energy rating. 

According to the International WELL Building Institute, Geelong's freshly completed 1 Malop Street office development is Victoria's sole project to date that has achieved Platinum level certification upon completion.

<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/image10a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Latest imagery for the landmark mixed-use development. Image: Cbus Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="638" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10a.jpg?itok=HXSIUJ1g" title="Latest imagery for the landmark mixed-use development. Image: Cbus Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Latest imagery for the landmark mixed-use development. Image: Cbus Property </figcaption></figure>Design features that aided in 447 Collins Street's WELL Precertification include indoor air quality monitoring, interiors fitness circulation, superior natural lighting and ventilation, varied amenities and services offered to those working within the building and the promotion of bicycle access and associated services.

<blockquote>
WELL is moving the focus of the building rating tool world from an environmental and building focus to a human health focus. This is really important in an age where people are spending over 90% of their time indoors.

If you are trying to attract and retain a tenant, you need to create a work place environment that is aligned to your life beyond just work. Our tenants are also vying to attract the best talent in their respective industries. Workplace wellness programs help define your employer brand and set it apart from the competition.

Showcasing an intentional culture that genuinely supports employee health and well-being is powerful — and can help to attract, secure and retain talent”.
<cite>Lorraine Moore, Cbus Property Sustainability Manager</cite>
</blockquote>

447 Collins Street's commercial component incorporates 50,000 square metres of premium grade office space, and has been popular with Melbourne's legal fraternity.

To date 80% of 447 Collins Street's available space has been accounted for, apportioned to future tenants Minter Ellison, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, Gadens and Hong Kong-headquartered King &amp; Wood Mallesons.

<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/p8140790.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="August construction progression. 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/p8140790.jpg?itok=IoluZ4hh" title="August construction progression. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>August construction progression. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure>Collins Arch's physical manifestation continues at pace. 

The larger footprint of <a href="/buildings/collins-arch-447-collins-street-melbourne">447 Collins Street</a> has become evident as its westerly form rises above Collins and William streets. Created by Woods Bagot &amp; SHoP Architects, Collins Arch's other tower form is rising jointly at 433 Collins Street; it will include a W Hotel-branded 5-star hotel with 294 rooms, 1,000 square metres of dedicated high end retail and 185 apartments.

2,000 square metres of public open space including a tiered amphitheatre will sit at the projects eastern doorstep, incorporating for a portion of Market Street.
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All good and WELL for 447 Collins Street

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Two firms with a history of development within the Monash National Employment and Innovation Cluster (MNEC) are angling for bigger projects.

Both Salta Properties and Cedar Woods are pushing plans which are larger than their previous respective developments within Monash. Salta is all but assured of the right to build a substantial office complex as an extension of its Nexus Corporate precinct whilst Cedar Woods is pushing for hundreds of new dwellings within its Jackson Green development.

At either end of the MNEC, both intended developments speak to the increasing scale of development expectations in the area. These expectations would only be enhanced by the State Government's proposed Melbourne orbital rail proposal which has two stations in the heart of MNEC.

<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/image70_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image: Gray Puksand"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="287" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image70_11.jpg?itok=QGVFLamR" title="Image: Gray Puksand" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image: Gray Puksand</figcaption></figure>Salta last week received backing for its proposed office complex at 633-647 Springvale Road, after nabbing the corner site for a reported $11 million during 2015.

Adjacent to Salta's existing Nexus Corporate precinct and spanning 2.4 hectares, the first phase of the Springvale Road development site found favour with Monash City Council and encompasses 21,226 square metres of net leasable area. That space is configured over two separate buildings with Gray Puksand undertaking the design.

Existing campus-style buildings within Nexus Corporate have traditionally been smaller in stature to date; the freshly completed Nexus 10 building holds in excess of 6,000 square metres of net leasable area. 

The upsizing of expectations for 633-647 Springvale Road also includes a very substantial 785 basement vehicle spaces, end of trip facilities and provision for 197 bicycle bays.

Two additional future buildings are slated for the balance of 633-647 Springvale Road, whilst Salta also has an eye toward delivering a high-rise hotel at <a href="/news/salta-pursues-mulgraves-first-hotel">12 Nexus Court</a> which sits within the initial Nexus Corporate precinct.

<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/image74_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Cedar Woods' latest alongside Gardenia Apartments progress during late August. Image: DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="205" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image74_2.jpg?itok=xH7zTD8G" title="Cedar Woods' latest alongside Gardenia Apartments progress during late August. Image: DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Cedar Woods' latest alongside Gardenia Apartments progress during late August. Image: DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure>Cedar Woods too is after more within their Jackson Green estate in Clayton South.

Midway between Westall and Huntingdale stations, the residential development has to date seen townhouse and small scale apartment stages built onsite. The gradual upswing in development size now sees the DKO Architecture-designed Gardenia Apartments under construction; it includes 74 dwellings over six levels.

Cedar Woods are now seeking approval for two additional residential buildings housing a combined 165 apartments. Also designed by DKO Architecture, the taller of the duo reaches 9 levels.

The intended apartment split for the project at planning which is sited over 1408-1418 Centre Road sees 20 single, 131 double and 12 triple bedroom apartments.

<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_6168.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A small section of the M-City site"><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_6168.jpg?itok=Ah9uT4MP" title="A small section of the M-City site" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A small section of the M-City site</figcaption></figure>Whilst the above duo seek bigger development outcomes they are minuscule relative to the largest current development within the MNEC, which also happens to be the largest mixed-use development being delivered outside of Melbourne's CBD. Clayton's M-City is now at full construction with Multiplex overseeing works for the $1 billion project over a 35,000 square metre site.

Backed by Saraceno Group and Schiavello Group, M-City includes 643 apartments and serviced apartments, a 4.5 star Mantra hotel, up to 60 specialty retail spaces, 17,330 square metres of office space and 1,905 car parks supporting a projected population of about 4,000 residents, workers and shoppers.
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Salta and Cedar Woods upsize their Monash intentions

Lewis Land's latest apartment release within its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan is targeting one of the Gold Coast's fastest-growing buyer groups, with almost a third of apartments at Solis priced below $1 million.

The seven-storey building at Biggera Waters will comprise 91 apartments, including 24 one-bedroom residences starting from $778,000, a price point Lewis Land says is aimed squarely at first home buyers struggling to enter the Gold Coast market.

<img alt="Harbour Shires" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e7486e37-22f6-4c92-b212-9b0622070b8f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-08%20at%209.09.34%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=W8MJwJUCf6HkIyl_EVSksnd.QI6MZryY" />

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lewis-land-group">Lewis Land</a> Head of Development Michael Long said the developer deliberately allocated a significant proportion of the project to more affordable apartment types.

"First home buyers have been priced out of many parts of the Gold Coast, and we saw a clear opportunity to address this and play our part in a longer-term housing solution," Long said.

"That's why 24 of the 91 apartments being delivered at Solis have been designed and priced for the city's next generation of homeowners, quality one-bedroom apartments, half of which include an additional multipurpose room to maximise space and flexibility.

"This approach places 30 per cent of apartments in Solis under $1 million, and with close proximity to Harbour Town's future light rail extension connecting residents to the city's major employment and knowledge hubs, it's a win for buyers looking to secure their first property."

<img alt="Sores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="550526d3-73ba-4710-9739-c5f4294a30ef" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-08%20at%209.09.29%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cQQdXHt9wS0UXwZEm5Py5bH_3kAmzyhu" />

Designed by BDA Architecture, Solis will deliver a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with residences ranging up to 232 sqm. Apartments feature generous balconies and contemporary finishes, while residents will have access to Harbour Shores' lagoon pool, clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga studio and sauna.

The focus on first home buyers resonated with purchaser Holly Humphreys, who said she and her boyfriend spent more than a year searching for their first property before shifting their attention from houses to apartments.

"We fell in love with the first house we bid on and got our hopes up, but after repeated knockbacks we learned not to get too attached," Humphreys said.

"We offered at the high end of price guides, but sales kept going even higher. That's where we really struggled and we needed to re-evaluate our budget and our expectations. Standalone houses were off the table, and we pivoted to apartments and townhouses."

Humphreys said it was encouraging to see developers recognising the growing demand from first home buyers.

"There's a growing number of young buyers looking to enter the market earlier because they understand that getting in now can make a real difference as prices continue to rise," she said.

"It's fantastic to see a developer recognise this and then actively take measures to deliver an apartment with us in mind."

Solis is the first development planned within the second stage of the Harbour Shores masterplan, with early works expected to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Joel Robinson

Lewis Land targets first home buyers at latest Harbour Shores release, Solis

Luxury apartment developer Abadeen has recorded $19.25 million in apartment sales across two of its Lower North Shore developments in the lead-up to the end of the financial year, headlined by the sale of a $6.75 million penthouse at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/koyo-crows-nest-5-rodborough-avenue-crows-nest-nsw-2065">KOYO in Crows Nest.</a>

The transactions also included the sale of a newly completed three-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences in Cremorne</a> for $6.35 million, with the residence selling shortly after the project's first public inspections following completion.

The sales come as completed, owner-occupier-focused apartments continue to attract strong demand across Sydney's Lower North Shore, particularly from buyers looking for certainty and immediate occupancy.

The penthouse at KOYO spans 491 sqm across a single level and was designed by architect Koichi Takada. The development is one of Abadeen's flagship boutique projects in Crows Nest.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108800 project_image_fid=370093]

Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said buyer activity lifted noticeably in the lead-up to the end of the financial year.

"We saw a clear increase in enquiry levels, inspection numbers and buyer engagement across our completed projects leading into the end of the financial year," Brown said.

"Buyers have become far more decisive over the past six months. The combination of improving confidence, limited supply and the ability to physically inspect completed residences is creating strong competition for premium apartments in the best locations."

Brown says the&nbsp;response to Park Residences following completion has been particularly strong.

"Buyers want certainty and are responding positively to the opportunity to walk through a finished product, inspect the quality firsthand and move in immediately," Brown suggested.

"Projects such as Park Residences and KOYO demonstrate that when the product is exceptional and the location is irreplaceable, buyers are prepared to act quickly."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=370116]

Abadeen CEO Joe Tack said quality continued to differentiate projects in the current market.

"Today's buyers are incredibly discerning," Tack said.

"They are seeking larger floorplans, premium finishes, walkability, lifestyle amenity and confidence in the developer delivering the project. Well-designed boutique developments continue to outperform because they offer something genuinely difficult to replace.

"The enquiry we are seeing across our completed and recently completed Lower North Shore portfolio is very encouraging, and we expect this momentum to continue into spring."

The sales follow increased enquiry across Abadeen's Lower North Shore portfolio which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/northcote-collective-naremburn-2-northcote-street-naremburn-nsw-2065">Northcote Collective in Naremburn</a> which also completed recently.

KOYO penthouse headlines Abadeen's $19.25 million EOFY sales flurry

The City of Sydney has approved plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/billbergia">Billbergia Group</a> and Metrics Credit Partners’ $3.5 billion Castlereagh Place project in the heart of the Sydney CBD

The towers will be among the tallest in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw-2000">Sydney</a>'s CBD, with more floors than any other residential tower in the city.&nbsp;

The 6,000 sqm site was acquired by the joint venture partners in 2024. It is the largest amalgamated land parcel in the Sydney CBD and comprises eight individual sites fronting Castlereagh, Pitt and Liverpool Streets.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castlereagh-place-sydney-324-348-pitt-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Castlereagh Place</a> will transform an underutilised city block into a landmark mixed-use destination, anchored by two 82-storey towers comprising 607 luxury residences above an 8-level podium housing a 209-room luxury hotel. A 1,000 square metre civic park on ground level features a curated mix of food, beverage and retail.

The plans have been refined over the past year to rebalance the residential and hotel offering, and reconfigure the retail footprint to create a stronger, more dynamic dining experience.

A three-level flagship building on the prominent corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets will be the gateway to the Castlereagh Place lifestyle precinct. Set to become a Sydney icon, the building is capable of housing multiple hospitality venues.

“Castlereagh Place is designed to be the City's next great urban oasis - an energetic mixed-use precinct that pulses with life, day and night,"&nbsp;said Joseph Kinsella, Group Director of Billbergia.

"It will bring the vibrancy of places like Barangaroo and Darling Quarter into a more accessible, central destination at the very heart of Sydney."

Kinsella said the project will build on&nbsp;Sydney’s growing laneway culture with the City’s largest network of new activated lanes - an expanded, next-generation take on precincts like Angel Place, Palings Lane and Ash Street in Wynyard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374401]

Castlereagh Place has been designed by architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">fjcstudio</a> in collaboration with Trias Studio, Aileen Sage and Polly Harbison Design, joint winners of an international design competition in 2018.&nbsp;

Signature design elements from the original scheme remain unchanged, while the public domain has been significantly enhanced, delivering 60 per cent more open-to-sky space.

Pedestrian access will also be enhanced through new laneways linking Pitt, Liverpool and Castlereagh Streets, drawing people into a new civic park with outdoor seating, landscaping and integrated public art.

With activated laneways supported by strong hospitality offerings, Castlereagh Place is tipped to become a vibrant new dining destination in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

It marks the largest undertaking to date for the Billbergia and Metrics Credit Partners partnership. Together they are developing other underutilised Sydney sites into mixed-use precincts, including the $2.2 billion Concord Central and the $1.3 billion Chatswood Grand Residences.

Metrics Managing Partner and Group CEO Andrew Lockhart said Castlereagh Place is a landmark project that will redefine Sydney’s skyline.

"As the tallest residential high-rise development, the revitalised site will offer panoramic views across the CBD and surrounds. We are excited to partner with Billbergia to reinvigorate an underutilised site and create a sophisticated and contemporary mixed-use offering situated in the heart of Sydney.”

Total apartments within the towers have increased to 607 dwellings, with a focus on larger floorplans. Aligned to growing market demand, Castlereagh Place now comprises 299 three-plus-bedroom apartments, 198 two-bedroom units and 110 one-bedroom configurations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374402]

Resident amenities will include an exclusive residents club containing a gym, rooftop pool, dining rooms, co-working spaces, library, golf simulator, games room, cinema room, and access to an exclusive concierge service. There will be around 500 basement car spaces below the towers.

The development will also include a state-of-the-art wellness centre, set to feature a bathhouse with magnesium pools, hot/cold plunge pools and premium amenities.

&nbsp;

According to fjcstudio, the towers will feature distinctive yet elegant architectural design reflecting Sydney’s geometry and urban character, with a network of through-site links and intimate public spaces activating the streetscape.

"Castlereagh Place is a city-making project of significant scale and ambition," said Richard Francis-Jones, Design Director at fjcstudio.

"It will create a rich urban complex of public open spaces, landscaped gardens, and vibrant laneways. Defining these new public spaces and the important streetscape of Castlereagh Street is a sequence of fine-grained, diverse retail and hotel architecture designed in collaboration with Aileen Sage, Polly Harbison Design and Trias.

“Rising above the tree-lined, human-scale streetscape are two slender residential towers that will transform the city skyline and look towards the Harbour, Hyde Park, and the Royal Botanic Garden.”

Demolition and early construction works have commenced onsite at Castlereagh Place.

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Billbergia, Metrics, approved for $3.5 billion Sydney skyscrapers

International developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/spg-land">SPG Land</a> is preparing to re-launch its long-awaited $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/paradiso-place-surfers-paradise-103-ferny-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Paradiso Place</a> development at Budds Beach, bringing a new price point to the Surfers Paradise apartment market.

The developer will release one-bedroom apartments from $825,000 and two-bedroom apartments from $1.24 million in the three-tower development.

According to Urbis, the starting price for the two-bedroom apartments is more than $400,000 below the weighted average sale price for comparable two-bedroom apartments in Surfers Paradise during 2025, which was pinned at $1.7 million.

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Urbis reported quarterly average sale prices for new two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments ranged from around $1.2 million to $1.7 million throughout 2025, peaking in the December quarter.

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Paradiso Place is now moving into its formal sales campaign, with a limited early-release opportunity available ahead of the public launch.

The development will comprise 845 apartments across three towers rising 40, 41 and 44 storeys from a 1.15-hectare site spanning an entire city block. The towers will sit above a new retail precinct.

"Paradiso Place represents a rare opportunity in today's market, offering premium apartments at a price point that is significantly more competitive than anything else currently available," SPG Land Sales Director Brad McMahon said.

"When you look at comparable new developments across Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and the Southern Beaches precinct, buyers are typically paying hundreds of thousands more for a similar product.

"The scale of this project and the developer-builder construction model allows us to unlock efficiencies that smaller developments simply cannot achieve. We are passing those benefits directly to buyers, while still delivering a five-star residential experience with an unmatched lifestyle."

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Each of the three towers designed by Rothelowman will have its own podium, connected by an elevated skybridge network to create a beachside village for residents. The resident amenity has been designed to rival a five-star hotel, with private dining rooms, resident lounges and entertainment spaces.

McMahon said the pricing strategy was a deliberate response to the current market.

"What Paradiso Place offers is a unique balance, genuine value within a premium market. Buyers are not compromising on quality, design or amenity, they are gaining access to it at a more competitive price point at a time when prices across the Gold Coast continue to reach new highs."

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Located around 100 metres from the beach and within walking distance of the Surfers Paradise North light rail station, Paradiso Place occupies one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held beachfront precincts.

Construction is continuing to progress, with eight of the project's 112 foundation piles now complete. Excavation has also commenced on the first diaphragm wall panel, with the first concrete poured on 15 June, marking a key milestone in the project's early works program.

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SPG Land launches $1.5 billion Paradiso Place at attractive price point

Luxury developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a> has achieved a new Victorian benchmark for an off-the-plan apartment, with the sale of two penthouses at its ultra-exclusive Maison Savoy development in Brighton.

The two penthouses achieved a combined sale rate of $49,926 per sqm. Both transactions eclipsed the previous identified Victorian off-the-plan price-per-square-metre benchmark, set by the 449 sqm apartment at Como Toorak, which sold at $46,659 per sqm.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/maison-savoy-brighton-150-esplanade-brighton-vic-3186">Maison Savoy</a>, Lowe Living's redevelopment of the former Brighton Savoy Hotel on absolute beachfront land at 150 The Esplanade, Brighton, has gained significant momentum since launching just eight weeks ago. Around 30 per cent of the project's 19 residences have already been secured, generating approximately $45 million in sales.

"Securing two of the three penthouse sales at this stage, within eight weeks of launching to market speaks to the confidence our clients place in Lowe Living," Lowe Living co-founder Emma Lowe said.

"They know we'll be with them through every stage of the journey, and that assurance is something we've worked hard to earn and never take for granted."

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Lowe said Maison Savoy was conceived as a genuine alternative to a prestige Brighton home, combining house-scale proportions with the convenience, security and lock-up-and-leave appeal of apartment living.

Lowe Living co-founder Tim Lowe said the early sales success demonstrated the resilience of Melbourne's prestige market and highlighted the growing demand for house-sized apartments among ultra-high-net-worth buyers.

"The Melbourne market has definitely been tested in recent years, with interest rates and global economic factors all creating a period of uncertainty across the real estate sector. The sales success at Maison Savoy however demonstrates that confidence remains exceptionally strong at the top end of the market.

"The prestige market is being driven by long-term lifestyle decisions rather than short-term market sentiment, which continues to create a level of certainty that befits an absolute beachfront property in a blue-chip location like Brighton.

"Brighton's fundamentals remain among the strongest in Melbourne, with limited new supply, enduring demand from an overwhelmingly local owner-occupier market, and a rare combination of beachfront amenity and proximity to the CBD."

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According to Cotality, Brighton remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held prestige suburbs, with an average ownership tenure of 15.3 years for houses and 12.3 years for units, while more than 73 per cent of homes are owner-occupied.

Tim Lowe said selling two of the project's three penthouses so early in the campaign was an uncommon result.

"This sales result is a reflection of quality and understanding the local market. It's incredibly rare to transact the penthouses so early in a sales campaign in any project so to have sold two of the three penthouses at Maison Savoy so soon after launch, all in-house without any external sales agency appointed, is reflective of our careful consideration of our buyers' needs and lifestyle.

"This is knowledge that is accumulated not just from data and demographic analysis, but via a deeply embedded understanding of how this type of buyer wants to live and feel in their home. We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients personally, and over the last 10 years we have been able to refine our product offering by talking one-on-one with our clients about their design and floorplan preferences.

"Being a fully integrated developer-builder with an in-house design and sales team allows us to lead every part of the process and ensure the highest quality of product and service at every touchpoint. It's a really important part of our DNA and the recent sales success at Maison Savoy indicates that our clients and purchasers are resonating with this point of difference.

"It reinforces that demand remains strong for thoughtfully designed residences that offer rarity, lifestyle and long-term value in tightly held locations, which ultimately validates Maison Savoy's positioning as creating a new benchmark for house-scale, wellness-led apartment living on Brighton's beachfront."

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The residences at Maison Savoy start from 295 sqm, with most enjoying uninterrupted views across Port Phillip Bay. The project sits moments from the Brighton Bathing Boxes, Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Middle Brighton Baths and Church Street's retail and dining precinct.

A key feature of the development is its private residents-only bathhouse, curated by the founder of Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse and modelled on traditional European bathing rituals and the award-winning Sorrento bathhouse.

The wellness offering includes a hydrotherapy pool, salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, foot activation zone and a Vichy rainfall bed, one of only a handful in Australia. Residents will also have access to a Technogym studio, lounge spaces and a dedicated concierge service offering everything from morning coffee delivery and restaurant bookings to dry cleaning and home coordination.

"Wellness-led design has become a defining factor for luxury buyers," Emma Lowe said.

"Purchasers increasingly value homes that enhance wellbeing through thoughtful design, private amenity, privacy and liveability."

The penthouse purchasers are now undertaking a bespoke customisation process curated personally by architect Pete Kennon and the Lowe Living team, one of the developer's signature service offerings.

Construction on the $160 million transformation of the former Brighton Savoy Hotel site commenced last month, with completion expected in early 2028. The project has secured funding from NAB alongside development partner Monark.

Just one penthouse remains available, along with a limited number of two and three-bedroom residences starting from $3.75 million.

Lowe Living currently has eight projects on the market across Melbourne and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, having grown a $1 billion development pipeline alongside a $350 million construction pipeline.

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Mark Baljak

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