First look: Luigi Roselli designs latest plans for Double Bay Village

The edge of Double Bay village is set for a new apartment building designed by one of Sydney's most sought-after architects.

Luigi Rosselli is behind the designs of the latest plans on the desk of the Woollahra Council for a new block of 20 apartments across two adjoining sites at 351 and 353 New South Head Road, on the slope down towards the village from the south.

Levels one and two of the new eight-storey building will be dedicated affordable housing.

The unit mix incorporates one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations. Each apartment will be provided with private open space through balconies or terraces. A communal rooftop terrace is also planned.

Architecturally, the design is informed by a desire to bridge the transition between the commercial character of New South Head Road and the lower-scale residential areas behind. The proposal steps back from the street with landscaped setbacks and features a refined material palette. 

“The architectural character of the building is contemporary in style and articulated to provide visual interest and respond to the surrounding context,” the Design Statement notes.

The project includes basement parking with 23 car spaces, including two accessible bays and dedicated spaces for affordable housing units.

The site sits near significant heritage items, including the State Heritage-listed Overthorpe building next door. Dating back to the early 1900s, Overthorpe was initially part of pastoralist and politician Sir John Hay's garden before being converted into apartments.

Double Bay Village is undergoing a transformation with several new developments, both commercial and residential, under construction and in the pipeline. The most notable is the $1 billion redevelopment of the InterContinental Hotel into a new mixed-use lifestyle destination on Cross Street.