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Melbourne-based interdisciplinary design firm ODO has been appointed to design the interiors of Australia’s first 1 Hotel in Melbourne.
Situated on the northern bank of the Yarra River, 1 Hotel Melbourne will form part of Seafarers, a $450 million mixed-use project by Riverlee.
The precinct will end up comprising luxury residences, a waterfront public park, state-of-the-art events venue, food and beverage offerings and 1 Hotel Melbourne; offering 280 guest rooms.
The nature-inspired and sustainably-designed hotel, operated by SH Hotels &amp; Resorts, an affiliate of renowned hotel and private investment firm Starwood Capital Group.
Each 1 Hotel is designed to highlight the beauty of nature, fusing luxury with sustainability and environmental responsibility, with a focus on local sourcing and the communities in which it operates.
“We were pleased to discover ODO while conducting our nationwide search for the right design studio that would embrace 1 Hotel’s design philosophy and sensibilities,” said Vice President, Design, SH Hotels &amp; Resorts, Tony Machado.
“We are looking to create an environment and ambience that is rooted in these local narratives,” said Samson Tiew, Co-Founder and Director of ODO.”
ODO joins a line up of consultants on Australia’s first 1 Hotel, including Fender Katsalidis on the overall design of Seafarers and Oculus who are responsible for bringing nature into the precinct. 
Placing a strong emphasis on urban renewal and restoring the site’s historical elements, Riverlee has worked closely with the state government to ensure the Malcolm Moore crane, the wharf and the Goods Shed No.5 are incorporated into the redevelopment of the site.
1 Hotel Melbourne will open in 2022.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Melbourne-based ODO appointed to design Australia’s first 1 Hotel interiors

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GUEST OBSERVATION
As Australians seek to <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-two-decades-to-avoid-the-most-damaging-impacts-of-climate-change-104409" target="_blank">control rising energy costs</a> and tackle the damaging impacts of climate change, rooftop solar has boomed.
To manage the variability of rooftop solar – broadly, the “no power at night” problem – we will also see a rapid increase in battery storage.
The question is: what will happen to these panels and batteries once they reach the end of their life?
If not addressed, ageing solar panels and batteries will create a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/waste-crisis-looms-as-thousands-of-solar-panels-reach-end-of-life-20190112-p50qzd" target="_blank">mountain of hazardous waste for Australia</a> over the coming decades.
Our research, published recently in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652618336321" target="_blank">Journal of Cleaner Production</a>, looked at the barriers to managing solar panel waste, and how to improve it.
A potentially toxic problem
Solar panels generally last about 20 years. And lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, which will be the most common battery storage for solar, last between five and 15 years. Many solar panels have already been retired, but battery waste will start to emerge more significantly in 2025. By 2050 the projected amount of waste from retired solar panels in Australia is over 1,500 kilotonnes (kT).
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275370/original/file-20190520-69189-10eryit.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Mass of end of life solar panels (a) and battery energy storage (b) 2020-2050. Salim et al. 2019
Solar panels and batteries contain valuable materials such as metals, glass, ruthenium, indium, tellurium, lead and lithium.
Recycling this waste will prevent environmental and human health problems, and save valuable resources for future use.
Product stewardship
Australia has a <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/product-stewardship/consultation-review-ps-act-incl-ntcrs" target="_blank">Product Stewardship Act</a>, which aims to establish a system of shared responsibility for those who make, sell and use a product to ensure that product does not end up harming the environment or people at the end of its life.
In 2016, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems were added to a <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/product-stewardship/legislation/product-list-2017-18" target="_blank">priority list</a> to be considered for a scheme design. This includes an assessment of voluntary, co-regulatory and regulatory pathways to manage the waste streams.
Sustainability Victoria (on behalf of the Victorian state government and with the support of states and territories) is leading a national investigation into a system of shared responsibility for end-of-life solar photovoltaic systems in Australia. Our research project has supported the assessment process.
Industries play a crucial role in the success of any product stewardship scheme. As we move into assessing and testing possible schemes, Australia’s PV sector (and other stakeholders) will have critical input.
A preferred product scope and stewardship approach will be presented to environment ministers. Scheme design and implementation activities are tentatively set to start in 2020.
Moving towards a circular economy
Federal and state environment ministers recently agreed to update the <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/d523f4e9-d958-466b-9fd1-3b7d6283f006/files/national-waste-policy-2018.pdf" target="_blank">National Waste Policy</a> to incorporate the principles of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-circular-economy-23298" target="_blank">circular economy</a>.
This approach aims to reduce the need for virgin raw materials, extend product life, maintain material quality at the highest level, prioritise reuse, and use renewable energy throughout the process.
Businesses in Australia currently have little incentive to innovate and improve the recycling rate. By helping implement circular business models such as lease, refurbishment and product-service systems, we can boost recycling, reduce collection costs and prolong tech lifetimes.
Requiring system manufacturers, importers or distributors to source solar panels and batteries designed for the environment makes both economic and environmental sense. By doing so, recyclers will recover more materials and achieve higher recirculation of recovered resources.
Consumers need to be provided with proper guidance and education for responsible end-of-life management of solar panels and batteries.
Immature domestic recycling capability
Now that <a href="https://theconversation.com/chinas-recycling-ban-throws-australia-into-a-very-messy-waste-crisis-95522" target="_blank">China is no longer accepting waste for recycling</a>, Australia needs to rapidly develop its domestic recycling industry. This will also spur job creation and contribute to the green economy.
Given Australia is struggling to recycle simple waste, such as cardboard and plastics, in a cost-effective way, we need to question our capability to deal with more complex solar PV and battery waste.
Australia currently has little capacity to recycle both <a href="http://reclaimpv.com/" target="_blank">solar panels</a> and <a href="https://envirostream.com.au/" target="_blank">batteries</a>.
And even if China were to suddenly start accepting Australia’s waste – an unlikely proposition – we cannot simply export our problem. As a signatory to the <a href="http://www.basel.int/Countries/StatusofRatifications/PartiesSignatories/tabid/4499/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Basel Convention</a>, exporting hazardous materials requires permits.
A previous study suggests half of Australia’s scrap metal is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0892687514003707" target="_blank">exported for overseas processing</a>, which indicates the lack of incentives for domestic recycling.
Even if we build domestic recycling capability for solar panels and batteries, it will be underused while landfills remain available as a low-cost disposal option.
It’s promising that South Australia and the ACT have banned certain e-waste categories from entering landfill, while Victoria will implement an all-encompassing e-waste landfill ban from July 1 2019. This means any end-of-life electrical or electronic device that requires an electromagnetic current to operate must be recycled.
Creating a circular economy for solar and battery waste will need a strong commitment from policymakers and industry. Ideally, we need to prioritise reuse and refurbishment before recycling.
If we combine sensible policies with proactive business strategy and education to promote recycling rates, we can have a reliable and truly sustainable source of renewable energy in this country.
The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Michael Dudley from Sustainability Victoria to this article.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117421/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Rodney Stewart, Professor, Griffith School of Engineering, Griffith University
Hengky Salim, PhD Candidate, Griffith University
Oz Sahin, Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-a-looming-waste-crisis-from-australias-solar-energy-boom-117421" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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There’s a looming waste crisis from Australia’s solar energy boom

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Australian prime home-loan arrears rose again in April, according to a recently published report by S&amp;P Global Ratings.
The Standard &amp; Poor's Performance Index (SPIN) for Australian prime mortgages, rose to 1.53% in April from 1.51% a month earlier. Arrears in April were up 17 basis points year on year.
Arrears were mostly up nationwide. The Australian Capital Territory was the only place to record a decrease in arrears during the month, falling 0.11%.
Western Australia and Queensland recorded the largest month-on-month increases, rising to 3.10% and 1.94%, respectively.
Around 35% of loans in Australian residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) portfolios are domiciled in Queensland and Western Australia.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/6/19/Arrears%20SP.JPG" alt="">
Investor arrears rose to 1.52% in April from 1.46% a month earlier and owner-occupier arrears reached 1.76%, up from 1.73% a month earlier.
Investor arrears have increased at a faster rate than owner-occupier arrears this year.
This could partly reflect the repayment shock of interest-only loans converting to amortizing loans.
Interest-only periods are more common among investor loans. Around 30% of the loans in Australian RMBS prime and nonconforming portfolios are for investment properties.
"Most of the increase has been for loans more than 90 days in arrears," the report authors stated.
"Recent rate cuts will help with debt serviceability, but we expect it to make more of a difference in the earlier arrears categories.
"Borrowers who are deeper in arrears are more likely to struggle due to the diminished refinancing prospects in the current lending environment."
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Western Australian home loan arrears worsening: S&P

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Banks continue to turn their backs on riskier home loans, as the value of new interest-only and low doc loans hit record lows, according to APRA data released today.
APRA’s Quarterly ADI Property Exposures for the March 2019 quarter shows the value of new loans to owner-occupiers fell by 17.6 per cent from the previous quarter, while the value of new loans to investors fell by 18.7 per cent in the same time frame.
The value of new interest-only loans fell by 22.5 per cent between December and March to 14.9 per cent of all loans, the lowest percentage share in APRA’s records dating back to 2008. 
RateCity.com.au research director Sally Tindall said banks were continuing to be hyper-vigilant in the wake of the Royal Commission, despite the easing of regulations.
“APRA might have loosened the strings on interest-only and investor lending but the banks are still ultra-cautious when it comes to high risk loans,” she said.
“APRA had wanted less than 30 per cent of new loans written to be interest-only. The banks have well and truly smashed this out of the park.
“Not only do interest-only loans represent just 14.9 per cent of all new loans written, they also represent just 23.3 per cent of the banks’ entire loan books, according to the most recent data,” she said.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/6/19/Riskier.JPG" alt="">
 
The data released today by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority showed that over the past 12 months the customer owned banking sector’s housing loans have increased by 8 per cent while the major banks grew by just 2.6 per cent.
Australia’s customer owned banking institutions now hold more than $119 billion in assets, an increase of 1.6 per cent compared to the previous quarter.  Consumers are also choosing to place their deposits with customer owned banking institutions. The sector now holds more than $101 billion in deposits. The growth in deposits shows a 6.5 per cent year on year increase in deposits. Customer Owned Banking Association CEO Michael Lawrence said consumers are sending a clear signal to the major banks. “Consumers are sending a very clear message to the major banks; either put our interests first, or we’re going somewhere that will. “The latest figures from APRA paint a clear picture of a sector that is continuing to grow as more Australians begin considering who it they choose to bank with. “Australians want banking institutions they can trust to put their interests first and to do the right thing by them. After the findings of the Financial Services Royal Commission it’s no surprise people are looking beyond the ‘Big Four’. “Consumers can see through the spin of the major banks. They know a leopard can’t change its spots, that’s why they’re taking their banking elsewhere"
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Banks continue to turn their backs on riskier home loans: RateCity

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A three bedroom two bathroom Dandenong North, Vic mortgagee home has been sold for $570,000.
Built in 1975 it sold a notch above the price guide of $500,000 - $550,000.
Chris Zhang of Harcourts held the listing.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-dandenong+north-131098546" target="_blank">41 First Avenue</a>, the property sold in 21 days just over half the median for the Dandenong North which is 37 days, according to Corelogic.
Set on 532 sqm, the home features ducted heating and a double garage.
It last sold in 2013 trading for $450,000.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median price for a home in <a href="/developments/dandenong-north-vic-3175">Dandenong North</a> is $621,000, according to CoreLogic, which calculate its annual change in median price over the past 10 years as 7.1%.
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Three bedroom Dandenong North, Vic mortgagee home sold

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An Australian owned and operated energy storage company has secured a brand new speculative built warehouse facility in Darra to house their operations.
RedEarth Energy Storage have leased the 2,024 sqm space located at 15 Fienta Place for $120 per square metre, in a seven year deal negotiated by Chris Young of Savills.
Executive of Savills Industrial and Business Services, Chris Young said the transaction was negotiated with a fitout incentive in place.
“An ‘innovation centre’ will be built, from which RedEarth will conduct research and development, there will also be a control room built for the monitoring of its battery fleet, plus a staff training room,” Mr Young added.
RedEarth engineer and manufacture a range of solar battery systems, including both on and off-grid storage and hybrid energy storage.
Executive Director of RedEarth Energy Storage, Charles Walker reports that they plan to make and sell over $70 million of Australian-made energy storage systems by 2022.
The property is set to benefit from the next stage of the Ipswich Motorway upgrade, which will see a new off ramp onto Kimberley Street built.
“This will make the site accessible from the motorway within minutes,” Mr Young said.
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Savills secure Darra warehouse lease for RedEarth Energy Storage

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The NSW government has handed down the state budget for 2019-20, which contains a record-breaking spending of $93 billion on infrastructure over the next four years to 2022-23.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s third NSW Budget sees more than half of this figure go toward road and rail, $55.6 billion for road and transport projects.
Other major expenditures are, $10.1 billion for over 40 new and upgraded hospitals and $7.3 billion towards over 190 new and upgraded schools.
The Property Council's William Power said Treasurer Perrottet’s third budget "delivers on the Government’s election commitments and provides a solid foundation for future economic, job and productivity growth through a $93 billion infrastructure investment, however it’s a budget that reflects tightened purse strings necessitated by a slower residential housing market.”
“Sydney and NSW will always grow but we must invest in the right infrastructure in the right places so that we grow well – this budget does this and supports new and growing communities with much needed social infrastructure,” Mr Power said.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said some of the highlights from the 2019-20 Budget included:
<ul>
<li>$1.5 billion over four years for the Pacific Highway upgrade program towards completion of the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade which is on track to progressively open to traffic in 2020, and to progress the Coffs Harbour bypass.</li>
<li>$1.2 billion over four years to continue work on existing Princes Highway projects, including the Albion Park Rail bypass, the Berry to Bomaderry Upgrade, the new Nowra Bridge, and the Batemans Bay replacement bridge. Additionally, there is a further $322 million over four years, as part of the Government’s commitment to upgrade the Princes Highway between Nowra and the Victorian border.</li>
<li>Commence work to duplicate the 31-kilometre section of the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Lithgow, delivering a safer, faster trip over the mountains.</li>
<li>$44.3 million to continue sealing the most remote highways in NSW, the Silver City and Cobb Highways.</li>
<li>$145 million for upgrades on the Newell Highway, including overtaking lanes, pavement upgrades.</li>
<li>$38 million to progress the new Regional Rail Fleet including construction of a rail maintenance facility in Dubbo.</li>
<li>$373 million to improve road safety including a significant increase in investment through the Road Safety Plan 2021 targeting high risk areas with a regional focus. </li>
<li>Start of the $250 Seniors Travel Card in January 2020.</li>
</ul>
Road and Transport Infrastructure?
<ul>
<li>An undisclosed amount of funding is going towards the Sydney Metro City and Southwest rail, which will connect Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo, opening in 2024</li>
<li>$6.4 billion is going towards the Sydney Metro West rail, which is planned to provide an underground network between the Sydney CBD and the Greater Parramatta area, with construction starting in 2020 and an estimated completion date in the second half of the 2020s</li>
<li>An undisclosed amount of funding is going towards the North South Metro Rail Link - Stage 1, which is planned to connect St Marys to the upcoming Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, with completion predicted for 2026</li>
<li>$695 million is going towards technology upgrades to reduce congestion</li>
<li>$450 million towards 12 pinch points at intersections along major arterial roads and regional links around Sydney</li>
<li>$1.3 billion towards improving the roads in Western Sydney, which includes: <ul>
<li>$404 million towards upgrading The Northern Road between Narellan and Penrith</li>
<li>$145.3 million towards planning and preconstruction costs for the M12 Motorway</li>
<li>$561 million towards the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1</li>
<li>$107 to the M4 Smart Motorway to improve trip reliability and road safety</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>$1 billion over five years towards fixing regional bridges, which includes: <ul>
<li>$500 million for the Fixing Country Bridges program</li>
<li>$500 million for the Fixing Local Roads program</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Education infrastructure
Over $6 billion is planned to go towards school-related infrastructure over the next four years, which includes:
<ul>
<li>$917.4 million towards building eight schools and upgrading 32 government schools, which will go to future schools or existing schools located in: <ul>
<li>Ashtonfield</li>
<li>Belmont</li>
<li>Bungendore</li>
<li>Byron Bay</li>
<li>Coffs Harbour</li>
<li>Jerrabomberra</li>
<li>Jesmond</li>
<li>Kingscliff</li>
<li>Lake Cathie</li>
<li>Lennox Head</li>
<li>Murwillumbah</li>
<li>Newcastle East</li>
<li>Nulkaba</li>
<li>Old Bar</li>
<li>Pottsville Beach</li>
<li>Queanbeyan</li>
<li>Rutherford</li>
<li>South Nowra</li>
<li>Speers Point</li>
<li>Tamworth</li>
<li>Tweed Heads</li>
<li>Wagga Wagga</li>
<li>Wangi Wangi</li>
<li>Wauchope</li>
<li>Wollongong</li>
<li>Worrigee</li>
<li>Yass</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>$500 million towards the construction, extension or upgrading of non-government schools</li>
<li>$79.6 million over four years towards a new TAFE Western Sydney Construction Hub to be built near the Western Sydney Airport</li>
<li>$61.7 million over four years towards constructing eight new TAFE Connected Learning Centres located in Byron Bay, Nelson Bay, Bateman’s Bay, Jindabyne, Nambucca Heads, Hay, Cobar and West Wyalong</li>
</ul>
Health infrastructure
Over $10 billion is planned to go towards health-related infrastructure over the next four years, which includes:
<ul>
<li>Over $4.4 billion for the upgrading and construction of 29 hospital and health facility projects. Some areas receiving this funding are located in include:</li>
<li>Albury</li>
<li>Bankstown</li>
<li>Blacktown</li>
<li>Bowral </li>
<li>Campbelltown</li>
<li>Concord</li>
<li>Cooma</li>
<li>Dubbo</li>
<li>Eurobodalla</li>
<li>Gosford</li>
<li>Goulburn</li>
<li>Grafton</li>
<li>Griffith</li>
<li>Inverell</li>
<li>Lidcombe</li>
<li>Lismore</li>
<li>Liverpool</li>
<li>Macksville</li>
<li>Maitland</li>
<li>Manning</li>
<li>Mount Druitt</li>
<li>Mudgee</li>
<li>Nepean</li>
<li>Randwick</li>
<li>Ryde</li>
<li>Shellharbour</li>
<li>Shoalhaven</li>
<li>St George</li>
<li>Tumut</li>
<li>Tweed</li>
<li>Wagga Wagga</li>
<li>Westmead</li>
<li>Wyong</li>
</ul>
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Where is NSW spending its record $93 billion infrastructure budget

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National residential property prices fell 3 per cent in the March quarter 2019, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Every capital city recorded falls in their property prices in the March quarter 2019, with the larger property markets of Sydney (-3.9 per cent) and Melbourne (-3.8 per cent) continuing to observe the largest falls.
The Bureau of Statistics also reported that the number of established house and attached home transfers in Sydney fell to 12,161 in the March quarter – the lowest level since March 2002.
In the March quarter 2019, property prices in Adelaide (-0.2 per cent) and Hobart (-0.4 per cent) recorded their first falls since March quarter 2013 and September quarter 2012 respectively. Falls were also recorded in Brisbane (-1.5 per cent), Perth (-1.1 per cent), Canberra (-0.9 per cent) and Darwin (-1.8 per cent).
Click <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/19/17%20year%20low.JPG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/6/19/17%20year%20low.JPG" alt="">
ABS Chief Economist, Bruce Hockman said, "these results are in line with soft housing market indicators, with sales transactions and auction clearance rates lower than one year ago, and days on market trending higher."
"A continuation of tight credit supply and reduced demand from investors and owner occupiers has contributed to weakness in property prices in all capital cities this quarter," he said.  Through the year growth in property prices fell 10.3 per cent in Sydney and 9.4 per cent in Melbourne. Adelaide (0.8 per cent) and Hobart (4.6 per cent) are the only capital cities recording positive through the year growth. The total value of Australia's 10.3 million residential dwellings fell by $172.7 billion to $6.6 trillion in the March quarter 2019. 
The average price for a home in Australia is now $636,900, and the total value of residential dwellings has fallen for four consecutive quarters, down from $6,957.2 billion in the March quarter 2018.
Residential dwellings prices has now fallen for five consecutive quarters, down from an average of $689,700 in the December quarter 2017.
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Sydney's residential sales activity at 17 year low: ABS

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Shenley Croft, an Edwardian villa located in the Golden Mile precinct of Melbourne's Canterbury, is being offered to the market.
It had an auction scheduled on June 15.
The circa 1905 home has since been listed by Jonathon O'Donoghue and Alexandra Valmorbida from Jellis Craig with a price guide of $3.9 million to $4.1 million.
Offered for the first time in 60 years, Shenley Croft at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-canterbury-131205874" target="_blank">7 Mangarra Road, Canterbury r</a>etains original features including 3.6 metre high ceilings, polished timber accents and French doors.
It comprises four bedrooms, study, living and sitting areas, dining room, kitchen and meals with fireplace and bathroom with clawfoot bath.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/5/canterbury%202.jpg" alt="">
Additional highlights of the villa include powder room, large laundry/vestibule, storeroom, hydronic heating, air-conditioning, and carport/garage plus off-street parking.
The Federation-era home offers opportunities to renovate and extend (STCA) on its two titles.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/5/canterbury%203.jpg" alt="">
It is within close proximity to private schools, Camberwell Junction retail-restaurant precinct, Rivoli cinemas, parklands, Burke Road trams and East Camberwell train station.
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Canterbury Edwardian villa Shenley Croft listed for sale

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The Casuarina Beach home that's been dubbed The Jetson House for its modern architecture has been listed for sale.
Looking more like a spaceship than a home, the striking residence draws inspiration from Googie Architecture, the exaggerated and once-futuristic style where buildings are defined by geometric shapes and bold use of glass, concrete and steel.
LJ Hooker Kingscliff agents Nick and Carol Witheriff have the listing for the vendor Greg Costello, who designed the home on Beech Lane.
The elongated five bedroom home features large custom-curved horizontal windows.
The top level, that skews 45 degrees to produce an overhang, overlooks the 840 square metre gardens which home a soccer pitch, in-ground trampoline and a 25 metre heated lap pool with adjustable Olympic-grade starting block.
The listing comes with $3.2 million hopes. The interior features minimalist style including colour, texture and selected materials of raw concrete floors, soaring white walls and dark cabinetry, and vast glass.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/5/21/casurina%201%20.jpg" alt="">
The streamlined kitchen consists of a butler's pantry, awning splashback and black Smeg appliances. 
The top level comes with 70 metres of automatic windows and an open rumpus room overlooking the lap pool.
The master suite has a dressing room, and all four secondary bedrooms come with built-in wardrobes.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/5/21/casuarina%202.jpg" alt="">
The Jetson's social and lifestyle amenities include a soccer pitch, in-ground trampoline, gated beach access, covered alfresco entertaining terrace, and a 25 metre heated lap pool. 
Other highlights of The Jetsons include Google home automation, keyless entry, zoned and ducted air conditioning, video intercom, and solar panels.
It is 15 minutes from Gold Coast International Airport, 30 minutes from Byron Bay, and close to schools, bus stop, and the new Casuarina Town Centre.
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Futuristic architecturally designed The Jetson House, Casuarina listed

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

Staff reporter

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