First look: Melbourne developer plans new Kangaroo Point apartments

Melbourne property developer Fadil "Butch" Sadikay, who made the transition from surfwear retailing to developing one of South Yar​ra's most expensive apartment projects, is behind the latest luxury apartment plans lodged in Brisbane's increasingly sought-after Kangaroo Point.

Sadikay, the founder of retail brands Osmosis and Surf, Dive 'n Ski, is best known in property circles for The Botanic Collection in South Yarra, an exclusive residential development overlooking Melbo​urne's Royal Botanic Gardens.

His Sadikay Group is now planning a boutique luxury apartment building at 16 Hamilton Street in Kangaroo Point, comprising just 13 large-scale residences across nine storeys.

Architecture firm Bureau Proberts, which designed the building, said in its design statement submitted to Brisbane City Council that Kangaroo Point was architecturally a place of contrasts and layers.

"Kangaroo Point is one of Brisbane's most distinctive residential settings, defined by its peninsula condition, dramatic topography and unusually close relationship with the river, landscape and city," the statement read.

"The robust presence of the Story Bridge, historic masonry and remnants of the cliffs sit alongside traditional Queensland housing and an increasingly sophisticated collection of contemporary apartments."

Bureau Proberts has sought to reflect those contrasting characteristics in the design of 16 Hamilton, combining the solidity of the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point cliffs with the softer, more fluid character of the Brisbane River and surrounding landscape.

The result is a building defined by sweeping curved balconies, extensive glazing and cascading greenery, with just three and four-bedroom apartments planned across the nine levels, including two larger penthouses occupying the upper floors.

Typical floorplates will accommodate two apartments per level, with internal areas of around 165 sqm, complemented by generous outdoor terraces.

The apartments have been oriented to maximise outlooks towards the Brisbane River, CBD skyline and Story Bridge, with operable screening incorporated to give residents greater control over privacy, shade and natural ventilation.

A communal rooftop will provide additional resident amenity, while landscaping is planned throughout the building, from the ground-level entry to the upper floors.

The development would replace an existing single-storey home on the Hamilton Street site, immediately beside the state heritage-listed Sunnyside residence at 255 Main Street.

Built in the mid-1890s, Sunnyside is one of the few surviving nineteenth-century homes in Kangaroo Point and was used as the Chilean Consulate in Brisbane for more than four decades.

Its proximity has been a key consideration in the design, with a heritage impact assessment concluding that the proposed building would not affect views of Sunnyside from Main Street and would have minimal impact on views from the historic home's rear towards the city.

The plans arrive during another particularly active period for Kangaroo Point, where developers are continuing to target both the suburb's waterfront and established residential streets for increasingly high-end apartment projects.

Pikos Group has been among the most active, recently completing its luxury Skye Residences development at 8 River Terrace, where 69 residences were delivered across three buildings overlooking the Brisbane River and City Botanic Gardens.

Pikos is also progressing Gaia at 108 Lambert Street, a two-tower waterfront development comprising 237 residences, with extensive private riverfront parkland and wellness facilities.

Mosaic Property Group has also been particularly active in Brisbane's inner-city apartment market, with several major projects under construction.

The developer recently launched The Riversdale in neighbouring South Brisbane, recording more than $400 million in sales in the first two months of its marketing campaign.

The Riversdale follows Mosaic's The Bedford on Prospect Street in Kangaroo Point, which is almost sold out of its 125 apartments. Both projects are currently under construction.