Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<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/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

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The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Rainbow Bay apartment doubles in price since off the plan sale during pandemic

apartment design

<html><body>
As the City of Melbourne declares a climate emergency, we are seeing a rise in environmentally conscious and human-centric developments as residents yearn for a sustainable future. 
Here are five new developments across Australia implementing water, energy and waste efficiency into their buildings and providing residents with facilities to alleviate our car dependency.

<h2><a href="/buildings/west-end-185-rosslyn-street-west-melbourne">WEST END, WEST MELBOURNE</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/buildings/west-end-185-rosslyn-street-west-melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="280" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image_39.jpg?itok=kumCn2h9" title="Rendering of West Melbourne's West End by cht architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of West Melbourne's West End by cht architects</figcaption></figure>Located in one of Melbourne’s emerging urban renewal precincts, West End in West Melbourne combines five apartment buildings and one hotel into a community structure separated by vibrant laneways and tree lined pathways. 
The urban sanctuary comprises of 377 apartment dwellings, laneways with restaurants, bars, cafes and a supermarket with fresh produce store, day spa, medical centre, 24/7 pharmacy, gym, pools, private cinema, wine storage, public art galleries and public parks.

West End is a leading example of new sustainable projects in Melbourne with each building within the precinct designed specifically with affordability, comfort, community or downsizing in mind. <a href="/architects/carr-design">Carr Design Group</a>, Hecker Guthrie, <a href="/news/urban-com-au-profiles-10-of-melbourne-s-top-luxury-apartments">Mim Design</a> and <a href="/architects/six-degrees-architects">Six Degrees</a> all collaborate with <a href="/architects/cht-architects">CHT Architects</a> to create West End with people and the environment in mind. 

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1983]

The open park and laneways lined and landscaped with native trees and shrubs encourage residents to walk and engage with active lifestyles. With 200 bicycle spaces and integrated community spaces, West End demands to reach a 5 star Energy Rating as well as providing residents with the tools to continue their connectivity beyond the complex.

More than 83 per cent of <a href="/news/melbourne-s-largest-inner-city-apartment-west-end-commences-construction">City of Melbourne</a>’s residents live in apartments. Each year apartment living contributes to:

<ul>
<li>22 per cent of the city’s water usage</li>
	<li>Nine per cent of Greenhouse Gas emissions</li>
	<li>More than 20,500 tonnes of waste</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="/developments/sydney-nsw-2000">QUAY QUARTER TOWER, SYDNEY CBD</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/developments/sydney-nsw-2000"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="387" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/quay_1.jpg?itok=UHa17KJv" title="Quay Quarter's rooftop garden, rendering by 3XN" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Quay Quarter's rooftop garden, rendering by 3XN</figcaption></figure><a href="/architects/3xn">3XN</a> along with local partner <a href="/architects/bvn-architecture">BVN</a> and Arup bring Quay Quarter Tower to Sydney’s CBD, a mixed use vertical village that rises 200 metres above the iconic Harbour. 
The large open space atriums within the tower connecting all stacks to each other provide a sense of community with visual transparency offering social interaction amongst people.  
The design of the tower incorporates ⅔ of the existing structure on site. The existing AMP centre was in much need for a revamp so the team at 3XN, BVN and Arup found a solution to incorporate its shell and core into the new tower.

Retaining the old core and recycling the facade and remainder of the floor plates to create 45,000sqm of new floor space will save 10,000 Sydney to Melbourne flights worth of carbon. 
As the new building rises, it rotates in five stacks enhancing views and maximising light for all workers and residents within the building and on street level. Rotating the tower has also been beneficial to providing exterior terraces and communal park spaces for visitors, immediately enhancing the quality of interaction city dwellers have with their environment by providing much needed green space.

The tower is targeting 6 Star Energy rating as the facade’s sun shading hoods eliminate the need for blinds and the electricity to run lights during the day time. With residents and workers becoming more environmentally conscious, the tower becomes a highly desired place to work and live. 
“We’ve found this green correlation is very popular with the market, leading to higher demand for green buildings, low vacancy rates and better returns,” - Chris Nunn, head of sustainability, AMP Capital Investors.

<h2><a href="/buildings/east-brunswick-village-3-bluestone-way-brunswick-east">EAST BRUNSWICK VILLAGE, MELBOURNE</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/buildings/east-brunswick-village-3-bluestone-way-brunswick-east"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="294" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1419_gabrielsaunders-bancogroup-villageavenue-ext-similar_1.jpg?itok=vpbq5fMD" title="Rendering of EBV East Brunswick Village" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of EBV East Brunswick Village</figcaption></figure>EBV, East Brunswick is a development that has been designed with sustainability, quality of life and environmental consciousness at the forefront. During the first construction phase alone, 15,000 trucks worth of material have been recycled from the site that has helped create rock products, road bases with recycled concrete and recycled bluestone for pavements. 
An average of 7.5 Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme NatHERS will be achieved with smart metering, LED lighting and appliances installed with automatic controls, occupancy detectors, daylight sensors and programmable timers. Double glazing and rooftop Solar panels lessens the need for energy usage throughout winter.

Drought tolerant and native plants have been used for landscaping of the project to minimise water usage as there will also be rainwater tanks for flushing, a highly efficient gas centralised hot water system and smart metering so that residents can accurately monitor energy and water consumption. Recycling facilities within the precinct provide healthy waste management and with good access to public transport, residents are encouraged to use the large amount of bike racks, flexi car pods, charging stations for electric vehicles to promote walkable, green neighbourhoods.

As well as rooftop gardens and children's playground, residents will enjoy the apiary, maintained by a qualified bee keeper, providing free local honey. 

<h2><a href="/buildings/443-queen-street-brisbane-443-queen-street-brisbane">443 QUEEN STREET, BRISBANE</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/buildings/443-queen-street-brisbane-443-queen-street-brisbane"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="364" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/queen_st_0.jpg?itok=Sx-lWZtU" title="Rendering of 443 Queen Street by Architectus" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of 443 Queen Street by Architectus</figcaption></figure>The 185 metre Architectus and <a href="/architects/woha">WOHA</a> designed tower gracing the Brisbane river waterfront offers more than just spectacular, uninterrupted views of the iconic city. 
443 Queen Street will be Australia’s first building to achieve a Generosity Index of 80 and Green Plot ratio of 197% with naturally light filled foyers, lobbies, and ventilated gardens throughout the tower. 
The tower embraces sub-tropical living with overhanging native plants over the podium balconies and a garden environment for each and every apartment. With a structure that resembles a living, breathing organism in a sub-tropical climate, it responds to its natural environment by catching the breeze and shade from the sun with a smart, calculative designed facade. 
The 264 high quality residential apartments enjoy natural green ventilation through a carefully thoughtful sealed square floor plan and will achieve a 5 star energy rating when completed in late 2020.

“443 Queen Street is about shading, sheltering, greenery and sustainability - a building that ‘breathes’ with natural ventilation and light” - Adrian Pozzo, CEO <a href="/developers/cbus-property">Cbus</a> Property.

<h2><a href="/new-apartments/lt-miller-nightingale-55-nicholson-street-brunswick-east">LT.MILLER, BRUNSWICK EAST</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/new-apartments/lt-miller-nightingale-55-nicholson-street-brunswick-east"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="266" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/lt_miller_1.jpg?itok=epJDeLd_" title="Lt. Miller's rooftop garden, rendering by Gabriel Saunders for ClarkeHopkinsClarke" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Lt. Miller's rooftop garden, rendering by Gabriel Saunders for ClarkeHopkinsClarke</figcaption></figure>The set of boutique apartments located in Brunswick East, Melbourne, offer a 100% fossil fuel free environment with a 7.5 NatHERS Rating average. 
Electricity will be supplied by an embedded network which will use a variety of renewable sources to power all apartments as well as common areas. Lobbies and corridors will be naturally ventilated with plants on every level and a 20,000 litre water tank to collect rainwater to assist in irrigating the natural surrounding landscape.  
Designed by <a href="/architects/clarke-hopkins-clarke-0">Clarke Hopkins Clarke</a>, in collaboration with <a href="/architects/breathe-architecture">Breathe Architecture</a> and developed by <a href="/developers/lucent-capital">Lucent Capital</a> and <a href="/developers/nightingale-housing">Nightingale Housing</a>, the boutique apartment building has a specific environmental approach within the design, becoming yet another important socially and environmentally conscious complex within Melbourne. With amenities such as a garden rooftop, integration and social interaction between residents is encouraged which greatly impacts positively on the quality of life.  
Natural materials will be used between private and common spaces within the complex, with carefully selected recycled timber and floor materials. The 100% natural renewable carpets for residents are made from cactus fibre and is also 100% biodegradable at the end of its life cycle with natural colouring.  
These are just a few of the ways that Lt. Miller impacts the neighbourhood and sets a standard in conscious design. 

<a href="http://greenstrata.com.au/">Green Strata</a> is a not-for-profit organisation that helps apartment owners and corporations improve sustainability in their buildings.
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Nick Dante

5 new Sustainable Apartment Developments in Australia 2019

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GUEST OBSERVATION
With a global rise in the number of people aged 65-plus, it will be increasingly important to have appropriate housing that allows them to remain in their familiar communities and “age in place” for as long as possible.
However, as experience shows in New Zealand and other parts of the world, including Australia and the United Kingdom, housing for many people in this age group is far from appropriate.
In our research, we explore different design solutions to convert existing housing into shared living spaces for people approaching their later years.
Housing in New Zealand
The majority of the housing stock in New Zealand is a three-or-more-bedroom house. Stats New Zealand found that 80% of people aged 65-plus either lived with their partner or alone. This implies that as the ageing demographic grows, houses designed to accommodate more people are increasingly occupied by one or two.
This is a waste of housing resources, especially when combined with the slow rate (around 1% per year) of homes being added to the housing stock. Furthermore, older people are often on restricted incomes. They may not be able to maintain or heat these houses as much as needed.
In response, we set out to find ways of altering larger houses to make them more suitable for ageing in place, while at the same time ensuring the conversions are energy efficient and affordable.
A new solution for ageing in place
The current market response of private retirement villages is not suitable for many older people who want to stay in their own neighbourhoods. At the same time retirement villages offer a much needed sense of community and alleviation of loneliness for some people. The idea was, therefore, to look at various design solutions that could provide a sense of companionship.
One is co-housing. Although most existing co-housing is multi-generational, senior co-housing is a new trend. Community Housing in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, is a great example of a new purpose-built house where five older women share. Abbeyfield’s supported housing is based on the same idea.
Subdividing an existing section and building a suitable unit, known as accessory dwelling unit or ADU, is another option. For our research, we focused on the possibility of converting existing houses with various degrees of sharing of the internal and external spaces.
Vetting designs
We investigated two New Zealand housing types: early 20th-century villas with a central corridor and 1940–60s single-storey state houses. For each house type, we produced three designs, ranging from subdivision (conversion to two smaller units), to having some shared spaces such as a guest bedroom, to private en-suite bedsitting rooms and sharing of all living spaces. To meet the accessibility needs of an ageing person, New Zealand level three Lifemark standards, a rating to show how well a home will suit a person’s needs over a lifetime, were incorporated in all designs.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/233986/original/file-20180828-86132-10ey91r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
This floor plan shows how a villa can be converted into two separate units, with some shared spaces. Fatemeh Yavari​, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND</a>
We examined the proposed conversions through a questionnaire-based survey, a focus group of experts on the built environment and ageing as well as two focus groups of potential clients aged 55-plus. Whereas comments from the former were focused on viability aspects of the proposed conversions, such as fire regulations and sound proofing, the latter groups were voluble about the various degrees of sharing.
Two schemes emerged as preferences: dividing a villa into private units or private units with limited shared space (entry and guest room). This indicates that, despite living in small, often single-person households, participants still wanted a sense of space in their homes. Women tended to rate both schemes higher than men, suggesting they are more ready to share.
Who people shared with was also important. Some people would be prepared to live with their children, relatives or close friends in a shared house. But they preferred the small house converted into private units over a large house with all living spaces shared. This suggests that privacy is preferred over space if both cannot be achieved.
Sharing and saving energy
Our findings show that people aged 55 to 85 have very specific housing needs when it comes to ageing in place. Therefore, engaging potential users with the design process at an early stage might be a good idea to make conversion and modification more effective.
Although converting a small state house proved unpopular, we used a life-cycle energy approach to calculate the resource implications of two such conversion schemes based on seven different occupancy scenarios. This included subdivision of a state house into either two one-bedroom units or two en-suite bedsits with shared living areas and laundry cupboard.
With four occupants in the latter option, it led to a 27% reduction in life-cycle energy per person (calculated over 50 years) compared with the original house with two occupants. But none of the other scenarios resulted in significant savings.
We discovered that although converting houses into smaller, easier-to-heat units that meet Lifemark standards seems a good idea, it does not necessarily lead to improved energy use. The potential resource saving comes from sharing rather than living in smaller units.
We also considered potential health issues and access to support services funded by District Health Boards for older people who wish to age in place to maintain their independence and quality of life. As our research shows, it is possible to convert existing houses to provide homes similar to those in purpose-built retirement villages.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/101598/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;">
Fatemeh Yavari, PhD candidate in Architecture, Victoria University of Wellington
Brenda Vale, Professorial Research Fellow, Victoria University of Wellington
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/flatting-in-retirement-how-to-provide-suitable-and-affordable-housing-for-ageing-people-101598" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Flatting in retirement: how to provide suitable and affordable housing for ageing people

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This week on our weekly podcast I sit down with <a href="/architects/cht-architects">CHT Architects</a> Director David Carabott and Associate Directors Mark Spraggon and Felipe Strahovsky to discuss the changing landscape of the Melbourne apartment market, and their collective experience and observations working on multi-residential projects.

As part of a wide ranging discussion we cover topics such as;

<ul>
<li>the impact of Better Apartment Standards (BADS) on apartment design and affordability the need to develop more diverse housing typologies to cater to a wider cross-section of society including families;</li>
	<li>the perception of apartment living and how it has gradually evolved over the last few years;</li>
	<li>the need to unlock the inner and middle ring suburbs for development, rather than relying on the Melbourne CBD, Southbank and Docklands to do all the heavy work and;</li>
	<li>we also briefly touch on Fishermans Bend and the work CHT have undertaken within the urban renewal area, and how critical </li>
</ul>
Listen below to find out more and remember to subscribe via Soundcloud or iTunes. Also in case you missed it here's <a href="https://soundcloud.com/urbancomau/weekly-podcast-episode-26">Episode 26 with Alastair Taylor.</a>

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Laurence Dragomir

Weekly Podcast: Episode 27 - CHT Architects discuss Melbourne's changing apartment landscape

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Urban.com.au recently sat down to chat with Woods Bagot  Principal Peter Miglis to discuss the firm's more recent residential projects and to get Peter's insight into the apartment market.

<blockquote>
Peter provides a strong commitment towards the design quality of each project’s solution, from its initial conception through to its construction process. Recognised for his innovative design skills, he has been responsible for many award winning projects.

As a Designer, Peter is engaged on a range of key design projects for Woods Bagot globally and is currently working on projects covering the sport, education, residential and commercial sectors.

- Woods Bagot
</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/cf_row.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="515" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cf_row.png?itok=WVdaHUF4" title="CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: There has been a noticeable shift away from high rise to more boutique or bespoke developments of a lower density in the last 18 months. What do you put this down to? A cooling of the investor market? A more maturing apartment market?

Peter Miglis: I think it's definitely all of the above, and what we're finding is that there is a market that is maturing, that has become comfortable with the idea of living in apartments. But apartments not as we've traditionally known them, as these minimal requirements and getting the yield up.

It's now about apartments that adopt qualities of living in a home, and what I mean by that is having more area internally, having a social network within the complex as well.

There's also a pre-requisite that you've got to have a balcony and if you use minimum requirements then they only have to be one-and-a-half to two metres deep - is it practical? Generally it isn't and what you need to do is make the balcony even deeper and go beyond the minimum requirements and make it an extension of the living space.

One thing we've been looking at is how does the balcony or open space almost behave like a courtyard space for a house? So we always circle back when we look at apartment planning - how would a house perform and function? And how would we take those attributes and put that into an apartment plan.

Maybe one day we don't call them apartments, maybe we adopt another name for them as a fusion between house and apartment coming together. 

U: Three recent low to medium density examples that Woods Bagot have worked on are CF Row in Fitzroy with Deal Corp, Elwood House with Piccolo, and Short Lane in Sydney with Komplete Construction. The projects are unique in the sense that both internally and externally each has a tactile quality in terms of the materiality, a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, in addition to expansive outdoor balconies, that you wouldn't necessarily associate with apartment projects. What were some of the key drivers for these projects for Woods Bagot?

PM: Each of those examples that you cited are all in different locations and so for us it's a question of how do you harness the DNA of those neighbourhoods and fuse it into the design of the apartments? So that there's a sense of belonging to that place.  It was about grafting these places into their context and allowing them to organically contribute to those areas. People want to live in these locations because they authentically want to live and be a part of those particular neighbourhoods.

The other thing these projects do is they consider the choice of materiality and how we approach them from that angle. For example, Short Lane in Sydney was about creating this 'urban oasis' in this very urban context, and providing people with that relief of green spaces in their apartments. 

Ultimately, each solution is bespoke for its location and I think that's that 'magic' that gives it a real spirit as a place, rather than it being something that lacks any sense of identity and could be anywhere. For us it's fundamental that there's a strong contextual connection back to its neighbourhood.  

<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/short_lane.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/short_lane.png?itok=YEYpdt2g" title="Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot</figcaption></figure>U: Building on that, from a design perspective it would appear that a greater degree of rigour and care is required in the design of apartments than maybe we have seen previously. What do you need to distinguish a project in such a competitive market?

PM: I think it's definitely the internal spatial amenity of the apartment, providing spaces which function and are larger than the minimum standards, but then there's also the care to detail, even right down to the kitchen door handles. Moments like that where they are bespoke and they have a sense of individual character and care about them, people have an affinity to that level of detail. 

For example, at CF Row which was previously a furniture store, we took that idea of craft and timber and applied that to our joinery. The handles in the kitchen are shaped in a way that caress the hand so that it's almost like a piece of furniture.

So it's those little moments that people connect with and realise are special.    

U: What effect (if any) do you think the new Better Apartment Design Standards (BADS) will have on the quality of apartments being built moving forwards?

PM: I think the experience of natural light and ventilation in the interiors. Again these are attributes that you would expect to experience in a home, so I applaud the ability to reduce southern facing apartments, greater natural light penetration and ventilation.

U: There's been a bit of recent discussion around BADS and how it has raised the standard and quality of apartment design at the lower end, but has potentially had the unintended consequence of stifling innovation at the upper end. Do you agree?

PM: Yes, in some cases it has. For example, what we have done at Elwood House is where we had a saddleback bedroom, that would be highly undesirable with BADS. So what we did in that case there, we have a perimeter balcony which becomes this garden space and allows natural light and creates a usable area which the bathroom interfaces with as well.  

When you experience it in the flesh, you understand it, but if you were to show someone on a plan it wouldn't comply. So going back to the original question I thin (BADS) does have its limits and I recall when we were presenting that project to the City of Port Phillip we had to show them Garden House in Carlton which had that same scenario, and it wasn't until they saw it in-situ that they could understand how it operates.

I think we have to demonstrate very carefully the benefits when we break away from those BADS requirements.

<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/elwood_house.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/elwood_house.png?itok=56-hySaV" title="Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>U: We're also seeing community engagement and a more fluid design process becoming more common with developers and their respective design teams as part of both the approval and marketing sales process. What are your thoughts on that shift towards a more targeted and engaging process with community and prospective buyers?

PM: It makes common sense. It's like if you were to do your own home, you would consult with your neighbours. Think about it just on those terms, you need to consult with your neighbours and get their buy in and sometimes it can enhance  the proposition you put forward.

We have on a number of project whether it's medium density housing, commercial or mixed-use, we've held major community consultation meetings. One in particular was the Kensington mixed-use project Younghusband where we even received a letter of support from the community once submitted the application.

Another more recently was in Richmond on Lennox Street, where we had community consultation as well. At the beginning people are always a bit apprehensive but then when the transparency and the trust comes in, people start to feel more comfortable.

People are quite clever and they know medium density is going to continue and a good way to stop the urban sprawl, people are conscious of the urban sprawl so they do want to foster some medium density so I guess it's a balance isn't it?        

U: Looking at the Nightingale model, for example, where some of the smaller and emerging architecture firms are steering the ship both in terms of capital and design for the projects. Do you see some of the larger architectural practice's such as Woods Bagot becoming involved in these community driven projects and even potentially funding them either under the Nightingale brand or as part of a JV with a developer as we're seeing with Nightingale Brunswick East?

PM: An interesting challenge for a large global organisation like Woods Bagot through its corporate structure to be able to fund a project, the ambition would be great but I think the logistics would be somewhat inhibiting. 

We're definitely in admiration of architectural practices that are putting their money where their mouth is, and influencing outcomes by funding these projects. I absolutely applaud that approach, and I think we need examples like that to show the shift that can happen.  

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Duvpzg78L7Q" width="560"></iframe>
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Discussing apartment design with Woods Bagot's Peter Miglis

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Rothelowman Associate Principal Jonathan Cowle and Principal Jeff Brown
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Previously unbuildable buildings have become a reality thanks to advances in parametric design. 
As any architect will attest, attempting to make a pencil thin tower stand up on a small parcel of land in the middle of a city is no small feat. Nor is the humane architecture that’s needed to create highly liveable places where people aspire to reside. 
Yet as land becomes scarcer in our cities, developers continue to search for ways to innovatively accommodate growing communities within easy reach of existing infrastructure. They look to their architects for a range of intelligent and precision-based approaches that will enable them to make these buildings as good as they can possibly be. 
Historically expensive to create and commercialise, slender towers must achieve tight feasibility width-to-height ratios in excess of 1:12 despite highly complex wind loadings, planning, engineering and site specific matters; often enough to put off those without the deepest pockets. 
Two such towers are underway in Queensland, where our team is working on game changing designs in Surfers Paradise and Brisbane. 
The first, a picturesque but elementally exposed waterfront site in Wharf Rd, Surfers Paradise (above) involves the design of a 42-storey, 12m wide premium residential project at a ratio of 1:13. 
The second, in Brisbane’s Ann St (below), is a proposed 147m high, 9m wide apartment project that, at a ratio of 1:16, would become one of the world’s thinnest buildings.
<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/2017/10/03/Rothelowman_WharfRd.jpg" alt="">
 
There are no general rules or principals when it comes to designing slender towers, other than to be specific to the site and local environmental and planning restraints. What matters most is the design process itself, open collaboration, understanding of science and parametrics, and a willingness to push the design envelope.
With a brief to create whole-floor subtropical beach houses in the sky for the Wharf Rd project, our team set about making viable a site that might previously have been deemed too tricky to develop.
Assembling a team of market-leading partners and consultants, we relied on science to create significant structural efficiencies that were then digitally tested and analysed in detail. We then humanised the design to create a highly resolved building that is feasible, liveable and beautiful.
From a parametric design perspective, the Wharf Rd process involved capitalising on an articulation zone within the planning scheme that enabled us to move what would have been a traditional inboard structure to the building’s exterior.
In creating this exoskeleton, we were able to alter the tower’s structural dimensions to achieve a commercially viable ratio of 1:13. In other words, we kept the same floor space and tower height but decreased the width-to- height ratio to achieve a more stable building.
The exoskeleton design meant we now had the ability to cross-brace the building externally via a diagrid, rather than being reliant on sheer walls and strong boxes for stability. This enabled us to open up the facade and create a truly three-dimensional building, with windows on all sides and enough asymmetries to mitigate the prevailing winds.
Importantly, we were able to provide highly articulated beach houses with stunning views and wonderful cross ventilation while ensuring the developer received a viable design that exceeded their commercial expectations by delivering an extra two floors.
It is our view that projects such as this are a precursor to what may come in Australian cities, where ownership of land is increasingly fractured, consolidation of land difficult to achieve, and populations rapidly growing.
When a site seems impossibly narrow, any building designed for the space will be so complex that nothing can be left to chance. These projects require the highest level of design input and management, from the facades to the car parks. Their success is dependent on architects’ ability to assemble teams that are willing to think outside the square and fine-tune each parameter along the way.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

How parametric design enables previously unbuildable buildings to become a reality

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GUEST OBSERVER
A detailed survey by the Urban Taskforce has found that Sydney design standards are adding $150,000 to the cost of the average apartment.
Sydney apartments are costing far more than those in Melbourne and Brisbane mainly because the NSW planning system requires much higher standards.
The Sydney standards are controlled by the State Environmental Planning Policy 65 and the NSW Government's Apartment Design Guide which set standards for areas, solar access, cross ventilation and other requirements that end up adding around $150,000 to the purchase price of an average 2 bed apartment compared to a Melbourne equivalent.
With housing affordability being such a big issue in Sydney we thought we should check out the relative standards that apply in Sydney compared to Melbourne and Brisbane.
We commissioned Sydney planners HDC along with architects Turner Studio and Quantity Surveyor John Ferrarin to measure the difference between the standards required between the various cities in Australia.
We were amazed at the results of this independent research that demonstrated that the average two bedroom, two bathroom apartment in Sydney that is costing $750,000 could be bought for $600,000 if Melbourne standards were applied.
The NSW / Sydney standards are from well-meaning planners wanting big apartments that get lots of sunshine but these amenities come at a cost that is forcing many purchasers out of the market. The apartment dwellers of Melbourne and Brisbane are not very different from those in Sydney so the Urban Taskforce believes we should relax the Sydney standards particularly in urban precincts so more people can live an urban life in apartments.
The biggest difference is in the square metres required for a two bed apartment with two bath rooms. Sydney standards require 75 square metres but in Melbourne 65 square metres is achievable. At the average Sydney sale price of $10,000 a square metre this adds $100,000 to the cost of an apartment.
In Scandinavia a two bedroom apartment can be even smaller at 55 sqm by using clever design.”
The other cost saving elements include reducing the requirements for cross ventilation, solar access in winter and building depth requirements which add $24,000 to the sales price in Sydney compared to Melbourne.
A combination of more flexibility for above ground car parking that is well screened, excessive ceiling heights for kitchens, and lower floors along with additional open space all add up to a further $33,000 difference in costs over a Melbourne equivalent. All up this amounts to more than $150,000 that Sydney apartment purchasers pay more than the Melbourne standards require.
On top of this the higher and less flexible Sydney standards are stopping a lot of residential projects from being built.
The requirement for 70 percent of apartments to get solar access in mid-winter for 2 hours between 9am and 3pm means many housing proposals in high rise urban areas will be rejected by zealous council planners. In Melbourne and Brisbane, where there are no such solar access requirements, high rise apartments will be feasible.
The Urban Taskforce believes that the NSW apartment controls must be relaxed for projects that contribute to 'housing affordability' so that $150,000 could be saved on the purchase price.
We also believe the NSW Apartment Design Guide should have an 'Urban Core' section that reduces standards in these locations to Melbourne levels so that urban high rise apartments can be encourages to help with housing supply.
The Urban Taskforce has an expectation that changes may be supported by the NSW Government as the recently released 'Plan to Improve Housing Affordability' included as Policy 18 'The Minister for Planning will issue guidelines to facilitate smarter and compact apartments.'
The former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Glenn Stevens, in his report on housing affordability, referred to the $150,000 additional cost figure and stated that 'If changes to regulations and charges could alleviate this, the price of shelter could, in time, be materially lower.'
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the NSW Government to get the appropriate balance between housing affordability and amenity standards. We believe that part of the reason that apartments are so much more expensive in Sydney compared to Melbourne and Brisbane is due to excessive amenity standards.
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Sydney apartments costing $150,000 more than Melbourne apartments

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In March this year, apartment design standards will be implemented into the Victorian planning system, according to Secret Agent’s latest report.
Apartment design standards will ensure all future apartments in Victoria are desirable, safe, healthy and sustainable.
New developments in Victoria will only be permitted a planning permit if they meet these standards.
A 2015 community survey found that the top concerns of apartment amenity were “access to daylight, functional space, and natural ventilation”, as well as noise and energy efficiency. (DELWP, 2)
Standards have been made for 16 elements of design: Building setback, functional layout, room depth, windows, storage, noise impacts, energy efficiency, solar access to communal open space, natural ventilation, private open space, communal open space, landscaping, accessibility, building entry and circulation, waste and recycling, integrated water and storm water management.
It is logical to think that better design standards should produce apartments of a higher quality.
This in turn should increase the sale price of these apartments.
Secret Agent was engaged to determine the price premium of better designed apartments.
That is, how much more are consumers willing to pay for an A grade apartment compared to a B grade and C grade apartment?
In order to do this, four apartment factors which influence sale price were selected.
These were sunlight, natural ventilation, open views and outdoor space.
A sample of apartment sales in inner Melbourne was then collected.
Each apartment in the sample was rated as an A, B or C grade apartment depending on how many factors they had present.
• A grade apartments had all 4 factors.
• B grade apartments had 2 or 3 factors present.
• C grade apartments had 0 or 1 factor present.
Hedonic regression techniques were used to determine the price premium of A grade apartments over B grade and C grade.
This was done for two different samples which distinguished between sales in large apartment buildings (Sample 1) and those in buildings with 5 levels or less (Sample 2).
Sample 1 consisted of 886 sales and sample 2 consisted of 510 apartment sales. Factors such as date of sale, apartment size and location were all accounted for as part of the regression.
Table 1 shows the average price impact of an A grade and a C grade rating, relative to a B grade apartment in a building of over 5 levels.
In other words, on average an A grade apartment is expected to sell for $50,837 more than a B grade apartment,
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-06%20at%201.21.29%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-06%20at%201.21.29%20pm.jpg" alt="">
while a C Grade apartment is expected to sell for $49980 less than a B grade apartment.
This means that the average price difference between an apartment with a 4/4 rating and an apartment with a rating of 1/4 or lower is $100,817.
The results are similar for smaller buildings as shown in Table 2.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-06%20at%201.21.35%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-06%20at%201.21.35%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Compared to B Grade apartments, an apartment in the sample is expected to sell for $63,728 more if it is A grade, and $39,794 less if it is C grade.
The difference between an apartment that has all four factors and one than has one factor or less is $103,522.
In smaller buildings, the positive impact of an A grade rating was of greater magnitude than the negative impact of a C grade rating.
The results also showed that if an apartment is cross ventilated, has good natural light, has an outdoor area and open views, then it is likely to sell for 21.3% more if in a small building and 17.3% more if in a larger building.
This demonstrates that better design standards will have a significant impact on apartment prices once they come in to effect.
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The price benefits of better designed apartments

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GUEST OBSERVER
The benefits of creating low to mid-rise apartment dwellings in established inner and middle-ring suburbs are well documented, in terms of both urban planning and supporting the cultural health of citizens.
These developments meet the demands of buyers, mainly downsizers and first homebuyers, who have lived in established suburbs most of their lives and wish to remain in these areas for years to come.
In addition to this, the subdivision of middle-ring blue chip sites for multi-residential use has created a greater diversity of housing stock among tightly held areas, allowing more residents the opportunity to afford housing closer to the CBD
Despite the known benefits, councils and residents alike are wary of supporting new multi-residential developments, with concerns these buildings detract from the character and overall appeal of prestigious suburbs.
Design that emphasises local context is the solution here. The need to respect and respond to the context of the existing built environment may be one of the most important rules towards sensitively developing apartments in established suburbs.
At Rothelowman, we are currently developing a number of projects that both explore and honour their social, architectural and historical surroundings. In doing so, we are creating dwellings that gel with and attract the local people.
When designing an apartment building a strong focus is needed on the contextual, specific and unique elements of the site to connect it with the area, a generic formula is no longer enough.
Graceview (above), a five-storey apartment development located in the established middle-ring Sydney suburb of Turramurra, exemplifies this design philosophy.
This building takes its design cues from its neighbouring sites – the heritage-listed brick-built church, St Margaret’s, and Cameron Park. Architecturally, Graceview responds not only to St Margaret Church but also to the many large brick houses that characterise Turramurra.
Careful to preserve these much admired community spaces, our contextual design response was to build this 54- dwelling project around six beautiful, volumetric brick forms. These low, integrated brick towers respect the height of the church and sit back from the park, amid the foliage, in a manner that is unassuming yet sculptural.
Graceview gave us the opportunity to tell a tale in brick. Working with this local heritage material, as architects we were able to listen to the local story and incorporate this narrative into the design. As a result, people who have lived in Turramurra their entire lives have responded to the project in a very positive manner.
In projects such as Graceview, we are exploring new ways to provide neighbourhood connection. We are seeing higher levels of owner-occupancy from downsizers and first homebuyers looking to stay in the suburbs they already know and love. This in turn drives higher quality architecture.
For our recent development Canopy in Melbourne’s beach side suburb Elwood, we wanted to provide the experience of living in a beach road mansion, in keeping with the suburb’s ocean lifestyle.
Located in a largely single residential area, we designed Canopy as a four-storey development across two modern, geometrically inspired buildings to offer an aesthetically pleasing and proportionate response to suit the eclectic, existing architectural environment.
Graceview and Canopy are just two examples of Rothelowman projects that pay homage to their location and site history. Other examples include The Glass Factory in West End (once home to the Decorative Glass Company), Light + Co in West End (formerly The South Brisbane Gas &amp; Light Company), Tip Top in Brunswick (previously home to Northern Bakeries and later Tip Top Bakeries), and Corde in East Brisbane (which pays tribute to the Forsyth Rope Works site located adjacent – formerly the only rope manufacturer in Queensland).
It is our belief that by providing these strong links to site history and in our design, we cannot only preserve the history of established suburbs, but support population growth and future generations in a sustainable manner. 
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David Thompson and Jonothan Cowle are senior asssociates, Rothelowman and can be contacted <a href="https://www.rothelowman.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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Designing density for blue chip suburbs

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The Victorian government is seeking community and stakeholder feedback on the Better Apartments Draft Design Standards until 19 September.
The final apartment design standards will be introduced in December.
To view the draft standards, <a href="https://haveyoursay.delwp.vic.gov.au/better-apartments" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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