Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Architecture

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A newly built Portsea home, cantilevered on something like a lawned sand dune, has been sold.
It was listed with $3.5 million to $3.75 million hopes. 
It was sold by Simonds Group director Rhett Simonds.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-portsea-127389710" target="_blank">The glass house</a>, mostly concealed from view, was crafted with simple clean lines to create a seemingly endless home.
It sits on land that was part of the subdivision of Tintagel Farm which dated back to the 1800s.
Designed by FGR Architects Melbourne, it is described as Portsea's own modern marvel by Kay &amp; Burton Portsea listing agents Liz Jensen and Lorna Duffy.
Close to the Back Beach with sweeping coastal views, the single level plan has five bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The sleek open plan living and kitchen areas open to a gas heated pool.
The vacant 3,460 square metre Wildcoast Road parcel sold for $1,125,000 in 2015.
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

New Portsea trophy home sold by Simonds Group's Rhett Simonds

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A house designed by Alan Thomas, from the renowned Sydney School of architecture, has been sold for $1.5 million.
It sold through Kevin Dearlove of Stone Real Estate Beecroft.
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-beecroft-127477482" target="_blank">68 Bambara Crescent, Beecroft</a> has a bushland reserve location.
It sits on a 746 square metre parcel.
The home has family retreat spaces plus a home office.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Beecroft bushland offering with Sydney School design

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In a departure from architecture’s traditional hierarchies, the benefits of adopting a more collaborative approach to design within practices is becoming increasingly apparent.

A key part of this is mentoring which is critical to ensuring this new culture becomes a reality within architectural practice, according to Technē Architecture and Interior Design director Steve McKeag.

McKeag highlights the culture at Technē, where team leaders will often ask younger staff to identify goals and key tasks early on, as providing staff with the confidence to undertake projects of any size and budget.

The creative side of architecture can be very time exorbitant, so communicating with staff in a way that gets them to lift their heads up and identify the critical task at hand is very important.

McKeag is keen to share a number of initiatives the practice has implemented; initiatives he believes can improve culture across the sector.

Additionally, the studio follows a deliberate policy of project exposure and knowledge building. Wherever possible, junior staff are brought in on meetings with clients and contractors.

<a href="/news/technes-steve-mckeag-discusses-his-appointment-as-director-and-his-favourite-pubs">Speaking previously</a> with Apartments.com.au McKeag discussed how fellow directors Nick Travers and Justin Northrop provide a lot of autonomy which in turn fosters a supportive and nurturing workplace environment in which team members share skills, knowledge and experience.

The leadership team encourages an open dialogue between employees at all levels, creating a space where resources and knowledge can be easily shared. According to McKeag, contributing to open forum type discussions assisted his own development and progression to director. 
 

<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/techne_directors-2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Technē's directors (L-R) Justin Northrop, Steve McKeag, Nick Travers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/techne_directors-2.jpg?itok=bmi0fdZi" title="Technē's directors (L-R) Justin Northrop, Steve McKeag, Nick Travers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Technē's directors (L-R) Justin Northrop, Steve McKeag, Nick Travers</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Across the industry we’re beginning to see inspiring outcomes that are the result of intelligent collaboration, of multiple architects and designers pooling their talents, rather than as the expression of a single architect’s ‘genius’. Such collaboration begins early with mentorship

We take a collaborative approach on our projects that is almost the reverse of the old-fashioned model. When they establish a new project, Technē founding directors Nick [Travers] and Justin [Northrop] might outline the core challenges along with the client’s needs, but from there we open it up so that whoever comes up with the best concept is given the opportunity to develop that in collaboration with the project leaders. It’s design led and not top-down. 
We give everyone as much exposure as possible to the different facets of the decision making process. It’s part of learning on the job.

Opening up a project to studio-wide feedback has the advantage of inviting a fresh perspective. Brainstorming outside the project’s known constraints can generate new ideas, which the team can then tailor within the boundaries of the brief or the client's expectations.

And if you’re retaining staff that’s a competitive advantage, because of the flow-on effects of greater corporate knowledge, which in turn leads to innovation.

These are skills so important to project communication and which senior practitioners can cultivate simply by helping their mentees.

It’s really bringing back some of those tactile processes and focusing on the concepts – then sharing that through conversation and mentoring – rather than concentrating on photo-realistic renders from the outset.

- Steve McKeag, Director Technē Architecture &amp; Interior Design
</blockquote>

Mentoring benefits both parties, McKeag stresses, and the benefits for both the mentor and the wider practice have been shown to result in a better workplace culture, improved staff morale and reduced turnover. 
For the mentee, working collaboratively has shown to improve career advancement, job satisfaction, promotion and pay increases. Additionally, those who receive mentoring are far more likely to persist with their chosen career.

The industry’s peak body, the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA), recognises the importance of mentoring, with various state chapters overseeing different schemes. Mentoring can help overcome barriers to gender diversity and, 
alongside a focus on graduates entering the industry, the AIA Victorian Chapter looks for mentors to mature-age women returning to the field after a period away, perhaps after parental leave.

Other advocacy groups such as Parlour have also long lobbied and promoted equity in the industry and fair rights for all irrespective of age or gender. Parlour is also a strong proponent and advocate of mentoring, with the topic discussed in a series of essays on their site which you can read <a href="http://archiparlour.org/topics/mentoring/">here</a>.

Other initiatives implemented at Technē which are designed to encourage collaboration and enhance project outcomes are the Friday design reviews. These present an opportunity for studio members to express their interest in joining a project team, or simply to share relevant experience or ideas.

Technē’s Carlton studio also features pin boards which run the length of the work area and exhibit projects currently in progress, encouraging staff to share their insights and experience to colleagues passing by throughout the day.

The office's workshop provides a space where physical models and prototypes can be tested and has been designed to facilitate and promote both digital design and older more traditional methods of learning, something McKeag considers to be a point of difference with many other studios.
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Laurence Dragomir

Technē's Steve McKeag discusses the importance of mentoring within architectural practice

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With more than half of Melbourne's architecture fraternity currently overseas to see <a href="http://wp.architecture.com.au/venicebiennale/">Baracco + Wright &amp; Linda Tegg's exhibition</a> at the Australian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale, the announcement of the shortlist for the 2018 Victorian Architecture Awards took a slight backseat to social media (boasts) posts all over Venice.

The 2018 awards program, run by the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, saw a record 268 entries received, with the shortlist comprising a total of 108 projects across 14 categories ranging from residential to public, commercial and educational architecture.

<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/bunjil_place_exterior_-_fjmt_photo_glenn_hester.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Bunjil Place by FJMT. Photo: Glenn Hester"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="189" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bunjil_place_exterior_-_fjmt_photo_glenn_hester.jpg?itok=wiLpTSQr" title="Bunjil Place by FJMT. Photo: Glenn Hester" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Bunjil Place by FJMT. Photo: Glenn Hester</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Truly exceptional architecture has the power to improve how people experience life, both in their own private spaces and in the public realm. As reflected in this year’s awards, it’s been a significant year for architecture.

In Victoria we have a rich and ingrained culture supporting strong and diverse architectural endeavours. It is always so encouraging to see architects continuing to challenge the status quo in order for our cities and communities to evolve.

This shortlist defines the many forms outstanding design can take, from projects that provide innovative educational spaces offering varying ways for students to learn and engage, to new housing typologies that create a platform for better community engagement.

The common denominator in successful projects is supportive and engaged clients who acknowledge the value that quality architecture interventions can bring to building strong and successful communities.

Carefully considered buildings, urban design interventions and infrastructure projects can take many years to procure. The awards program is an opportunity to celebrate the passionate and cohesive teams of architects, clients, consultants and builders who bring them to fruition.

- Amy Muir, Victorian Chapter President
</blockquote>

The most significant themes to emerge from this year’s shortlist were the emphasis on the importance of the public realm and the far-reaching contribution that architecture makes to daily life.

<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/atrium_of_holy_agels_mausoleum_-_harmer_architecture_photo_jonathan_hadiprawira.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Atrium of Holy Angels Mausoleum by Harmer Architecture. Photo: Jonathon Hadiprawira"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/atrium_of_holy_agels_mausoleum_-_harmer_architecture_photo_jonathan_hadiprawira.jpg?itok=KT5kVK-h" title="Atrium of Holy Angels Mausoleum by Harmer Architecture. Photo: Jonathon Hadiprawira" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Atrium of Holy Angels Mausoleum by Harmer Architecture. Photo: Jonathon Hadiprawira</figcaption></figure><h2>2018 Victorian Architecture Awards Shortlist </h2>

Residential Architecture – Houses (New) 27 entries / 16 shortlisted projects 

Tucks Ridge House - Adrian Bonomi Architect | Moonah Home - Bellemo &amp; Cat | Shrouded House - BKK Architects | Humble House - Coy Yiontis Architects | DATUM HOUSE - FIGR Architecture | Park House -  Kerstin Thompson Architects Compound House - March Studio | Triangle House - Molecule Studio | Two Halves - Moloney Architects | Ross - Ola Studio | First Lessons House - Ray Dinh Architecture | House on the Coast - Sean Godsell Architects | Lauriston House - Seeley Architects | Bellerine Pavilion House - Tecture Architecture &amp; Interior Design | Matilda - Templeton Architecture | Towers Road House - Wood Marsh Architecture

Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing 25 entries / 9 shortlisted projects 

35 Spring Street - Bates Smart | Nightingale 1 - Breathe Architecture | Campbell Street - DKO Architecture and SLAB | Parkville Townhouses - Fieldwork | McAuley Community Services for Women - Hede Architects Pty Ltd | Averi - Jackson Clements Burrows | Banksia, NewQuay - McBride Charles Ryan | Elwood House - Woods Bagot | C.F. Row - Woods Bagot

Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations &amp; Additions) 50 entries/ 11 shortlisted projects 

Hatherlie - Andrew Simpson Architects | The Kite - Architecture Architecture | King Bill - Austin Maynard Architects | St Vincents Place Residence - B.E Architecture | Old Be-al - FMD Architects pty ltd | Boneo Country House - John Wardle Architects | Dark Light House - MRTN Architects | Highbury Grove - RITZ&amp;GHOUGASSIAN |Station Street House - Robert Simeoni Architects | Fawkner Street - Workshop Architecture | Tiger Prawn - WOWOWA Architecture

Small Project Architecture 30 entries / 8 shortlisted projects 

Sound Field - BLOXAS with Arup | Campbell Street - DKO Architecture and SLAB | Gertrude Contemporary - Edition Office | Multipurpose Centre - Kosloff Architecture | Garden Wall (NGV Architecture Commission) - Retallack Thompson and Other Architects | Elgin Street Residence - Sonelo Design Studio | Koondrook Wharf - TERROIR | Sorrento Visitor Centre - Workshop Architecture

Urban Design 14 entries /5 shortlisted projects 

Monash Transport Interchange - John Wardle Architects | New Academic Street, RMIT University - Lyons with NMBW Architecture Studio, Harrison and White, MvS Architects and Maddison Architects | Caribbean Park, Public Realm Stage 1 and 2 - Peter Ryan Architects with OCULUS Landscape Architecture and Urban Design | Koondrook Wharf - TERROIR | Deakin Link - watsonarchitecture+design

Heritage Architecture 14 entries / 8 shortlisted projects 

St Vincents Place Residence - B.E Architecture | James Street Residence - B.E Architecture | Carlton Court House - HLCD Pty Ltd with Somerville Design | Longsong - Jackson Clements Burrows with John van Haandel | Elberfeld House - Jane Riddell Architects | Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables - Kerstin Thompson Architects | North Melbourne Terrace - Matt Gibson Architecture + Design | 'Cassiope' alterations &amp; additions - RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants

<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/entry-mrnlbpwx-649202.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects. Photo: Trevor Mein "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/entry-mrnlbpwx-649202.jpg?itok=7AYYA9so" title="Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects. Photo: Trevor Mein " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables by Kerstin Thompson Architects. Photo: Trevor Mein</figcaption></figure>Commercial Architecture 17 entries / 5 shortlisted projects 

Jackalope - Carr | Barwon Water - GHDWoodhead | Mercedes Me - Jackson Clements Burrows | Pt Leo Estate - Jolson Architecture &amp; Interiors | GMHBA Stadium - Populous

Interior Architecture 58 entries /12 shortlisted projects

Jackalope - Carr | Henry Street House - Eugene Cheah Architecture | Passage - Honeyman + Smith | Boneo Country House - John Wardle Architects | Monash University Caulfield Library Refurbishment - John Wardle Architects | Monash University Learning and Teaching Building - John Wardle Architects | Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables - Kerstin Thompson Architects | Our Lady of Good Counsel Church Deepdene - Law Architects | New Academic Street, RMIT University - Lyons with NMBW Architecture Studio, MvS Architecture, Harrison &amp; White and Maddison Architects | Armadale Residence - Rob Mills Architecture &amp; Interiors | Station Street House - Robert Simeoni Architects | Space &amp; Time - Russell &amp; George

Public Architecture 11 entries / 4 shortlisted projects 

Atrium of Holy Angels Mausoleum - Harmer Architecture | Bendigo Hospital - Silver Thomas Hanley with Bates Smart | Bunjil Place - fjmt | North Fitzroy Library and Community Hub - GroupGSA

Educational Architecture 21 entries / 13 shortlisted projects

Artemis Centre, Melbourne Girls Grammar School - BVN Monash University | The Sir Louis Matheson Library Refurbishment - Cox Architecture | The Geoff Handbury Science and Technology Hub, Melbourne Grammar School - Denton Corker Marshall | Monash University Learning and Teaching Building - John Wardle Architects | Monash University Caulfield Library Refurbishment - John Wardle Architects | Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables - Kerstin Thompson Architects | 18 Innovation Walk Revitalisation Project - Kosloff Architecture + Callum Morton + MAP (Monash Art Projects) | New Academic Street, RMIT University - Lyons with NMBW Architecture Studio, Harrison and White, MvS Architects and Maddison Architects | Trinity Grammar School, Centre for Business and Social Enterprise - Mc Intyre Partnership Architects | Monash Business School Redevelopment Caulfield - NH Architecture | Camberwell Grammar School Sports Centre and Chapel - Peter Crone Architects | Ruyton Girls School, Junior School Campus - Sally Draper Architects with DP Toscano Architects | University of Melbourne Academic Services - Six Degrees Architects

Sustainable Architecture 6 shortlisted projects 

Nightingale 1 - Breathe Architecture | Barwon Water - GHDWoodhead | North Fitzroy Library and Community Hub - GroupGSA | 18 Innovation Walk Revitalisation Project - Kosloff Architecture + Callum Morton + MAP (Monash Art Projects) | New Academic Street, RMIT University - Lyons with NMBW Architecture Studio, Harrison and White, MvS Architects and Maddison Architects | Space &amp; Time - Russell &amp; George

Regional Prize 3 shortlisted projects

Barwon Water - GHDWoodhead | Koondrook Wharf - TERROIR | Sorrento Visitor Centre - Workshop Architecture

COLORBOND® Award for Steel Architecture 4 shortlisted projects 

King Bill - Austin Maynard Architects | Compound House - March Studio | Bugiga Hiker Camp, Grampians National Park - Sean Godsell Architects | Unfolding House - Sibling Architecture

Melbourne Prize 4 shortlisted projects 

Nightingale 1 - Breathe Architecture | North Fitzroy Library and Community Hub - GroupGSA | McAuley Community Services for Women - Hede Architects Pty Ltd | New Academic Street, RMIT University - Lyons with NMBW Architecture Studio, Harrison and White, MvS Architects and Maddison Architects

 
The winners of the 2018 Victorian Architecture Awards will be announced at the awards dinner on 29 June 2018. Winners of each category will then progress to compete in the National Architecture Awards program.

Lead image: New Academic Street RMIT University, Peter Bennett
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2018 Victorian Architecture Awards Shortlist announced

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DKO Architecture and SLAB Architecture's Campbell Street project in Collingwood has claimed gold in Architectural Design (Commercial and Residential), at the Good Design Awards hosted in Sydney.

The 60th Anniversary of the Awards attracted a record number of entries, with only 260 projects selected to receive a Good Design Award, after being whittled down from 536.

The jury commented that the project was a “great use of space, wonderful use of exterior, wonderful use of the metal-as decoration”, with the project's location in Collingwood playing an important role in the design approach.

<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/120_campbell_highres-28.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Campbell Street's rooftop terrace encompasses views of its Collingwood context."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/120_campbell_highres-28.jpg?itok=eY6Wk8l6" title="Campbell Street's rooftop terrace encompasses views of its Collingwood context." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Campbell Street's rooftop terrace encompasses views of its Collingwood context.</figcaption></figure>Designed by Jesse and Seada Linardi (DKO Architecture/Slab Architecture) the house is a study in pushing multi-residential architecture and vertical living to the limits, within its environment while offering an alternative typology to living in a contested urban landscape.

<blockquote>
The project provokes questioning and curiosity and challenges conventional notions of multi-residential development … if everyone was this creative in designing high density housing on small inner city sites our cities would be better places. Collingwood is almost cult-like in its community. It’s active, eclectic, unpretentious and accepting of culture, values and diversity.

- Jesse Linardi, Design Director from DKO Architecture
</blockquote>

The Campbell Street project cleverly configures this space in Collingwood into two light filled, three-bedroom vertical dwellings with footprint dimensions of 4m in width and 9m in length, totalling 36 sqm per dwelling across a site area of only 72 sqm.

Each six-level apartment features a basement, ground-floor garage and rooftop terrace plus a light well spanning the height of the property that illuminates each home. Campbell Street’s exterior has a jewel-like appearance with metal studs and a perforated, powder coated, operable steel screen.

<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/122_campbell_highres-14.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The warmth and softness of the interiors is in contrast to the dark steel exteriors."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/122_campbell_highres-14.jpg?itok=zeaos21h" title="The warmth and softness of the interiors is in contrast to the dark steel exteriors." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The warmth and softness of the interiors is in contrast to the dark steel exteriors.</figcaption></figure>The interior design of Campbell Street is a deliberate and curated juxtaposition between the bold exterior presentation, and the softness and calmness of the interior living experience.

The project represents a density of 140 dwellings per hectare compared to the average Melbourne city lot size in 2016 of 400 sqm.

Winners of the Awards will be showcased to the general public during Vivid Sydney, from 25-27 May 2018 at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay. DKO will display a model of Campbell Street as part of the showcase.
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DKO and Slab Architecture snare gold for Campbell Street

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Four years after a fire tore through the Stokehouse, the popular venue has reclaimed its prominent location on St Kilda's foreshore. The new design which reimagines the Stokehouse’s exterior, is the result of a collaborative effort between Sydney-based Industrial Design studio TILT, Robert Simeoni Architects and owners, the Van Haandel Group.

The building doesn’t try to imitate its predecessor, instead, the design draws on cues taken from the site's beachside context, paying homage to the jetty via a blackened timber-clad façade. Raw elements such as leather, concrete and brick form a connection between the building and the artificial sand dunes. The dunes conceal the ground floor from street level, while also raising Stokehouse and creating the sense of a floating volume.

<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/20170536_jg_0511.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stokehouse appears to float above the sand dunes. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170536_jg_0511.jpg?itok=LsP8pDjR" title="The Stokehouse appears to float above the sand dunes. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stokehouse appears to float above the sand dunes. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>The restaurant is spread over two levels, and has been provided with a fresh new look, taking advantage of the views over St Kilda beach, just a few metres away.

The new precinct also houses casual bar and grill Pontoon, and fish-and-chip kiosk Paper Fish. TILT undertook the façade design, manufacturing and installation process which is expressed as a series of horizontally bi-folding screens located outside the restaurant’s windows. The screens provide protection from the sun, and can be raised to encompass unobstructed bay views.

<blockquote>
TILT was engaged to design, manufacture and install a series of bi-folding screens for the iconic Stokehouse restaurant rebuild in Melbourne. The screens sit outside the restaurant windows and provide protection from the sun, but can be raised to highlight beautiful ocean views. The beachside location is a demanding environment for mechanical structures.

The design utilises marine grade stainless steel for the fabricated structural elements, which is paramount for longevity and reliable performance. The screens provide a distinctive yet functional façade that offers uninterrupted views. This unique design retains the character of the building, while considering the comfort of patrons – a combination that results in the greatest commercial success.

- TILT
</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/20170536_jg_0686.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stokehouse's operable facade controls the comfort of patrons. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20170536_jg_0686.jpg?itok=It0NELtn" title="The Stokehouse's operable facade controls the comfort of patrons. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stokehouse's operable facade controls the comfort of patrons. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>The coastal location is a demanding environment for mechanical structures and so the use of marine grade stainless steel was used for the façade’s fabricated structural elements essential for durability and reliable performance within a beachside context.

TILT and Robert Simeoni Architects have created a new identity and recognisable aesthetic for the Stokehouse, with the operable screen, which has a practical application that considers and ensures the comfort of patrons.
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St Kilda foreshore's Stokehouse reborn

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Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA) have transformed the former Victoria Police Mounted Branch stables on Southbank into world-class teaching and learning facilities for students of the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Music following an $18 million make-over.

The refurbishment is an exemplar of adaptive re-use and continues KTA's affinity with working with the fabric of heritage structures, since its inception in 1994. The stables were purpose-built in 1912 as part of the old Police Depot, which included a hospital, barracks and drill hall.

<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/the_stables_jg.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Stables within its Southbank context. Image: John Gollings"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/the_stables_jg.jpg?itok=3X75ARas" title="The Stables within its Southbank context. Image: John Gollings" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Stables within their Southbank context. Image: John Gollings</figcaption></figure>The Stables were officially open on Monday 14 May by Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley, who said the re-purposing and redevelopment of The Stables was part of a long-term plan to transform Southbank into "one of the world’s leading arts precincts."

The University of Melbourne’s acquisition of The Stables site was made possible through the significant support of the State Government, with the $18 million refurbishments undertaken through the significant support of generous philanthropists including The Ian Potter Foundation, The Myer Foundation and Martyn &amp; Louise Myer. 

The Stables feature a new visual arts wing with 170 studios and flexible exhibition spaces and the former riding school has been converted into a 260-seat multipurpose arts wing for theatre, dance, music theatre and music performances.

The heritage features of the former police stables had been maintained through the preservation of its bluestone mounting yards, red brick façade and iconic octagonal roof and skylight, formerly referred to by Mounted Branch staff as ‘The Dome’.

<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/the_stables_dome_tm.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The iconic 'dome' has been preserved within the 8m refurbishment. Image: Trevor Mein"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/the_stables_dome_tm.jpg?itok=Wh65a8_B" title="The iconic 'dome' has been preserved within the 8m refurbishment. Image: Trevor Mein" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The iconic 'dome' has been preserved within the 8m refurbishment. Image: Trevor Mein</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The Former Mounted Police Stables and Former Riding School have been transformed to VCA’s School of Art. Once home of the horse is now home of 150 under- and post-graduate students. One of the largest metropolitan stables, this heritage-listed building is significant for its police use and distinguished by cellular organisation of its stalls, sublime repetition of structure and light-filled volumes by way of clerestory windows. Its bones formed an ideal fit with the university’s need for studios and a performing arts space.

An urban cornerstone of the university’s Southbank campus, the distinctive form of the octagon marks the intersection of Dodds and Grant Streets. It hinges the two wings of the facility into a v-formation to create the southern end of the central courtyard. The Dodd Street wing – former stables – is dedicated to studios and the Grant Street wing – former riding school – to performing arts space. It’s linked with the existing Grant Street theatre via a new steel canopy. The ground floor of the octagon forms the ceremonial entry and access to both wings and the campus courtyard. Exploiting its geometry, it can be divided into seminar, exhibition and event spaces as required through a series of sliding panels.

- Kerstin Thompson Architects
</blockquote>

KTA's transformation of the stables involved a series of interventions to the heritage fabric which required a delicate balancing act of careful conservation and restorative works to existing floor surfaces and stall fronts, and significantly more transformative changes in the sectional qualities of the space in order to accommodate new programme.

Staff offices, seminar rooms and a central conference room characterised by the now-revealed original steel trusses, are located at the first floor, with an oculus framing the structure from the entry below.

The original double-storey central void was partly in-filled to accommodate upper level studio spaces, utilising the higher ceilings and natural light afforded via the clerestory windows with circulation moved to the perimeter. 

New studio partitions provide the school with adaptable spaces which enable flexibility of use as exhibition space, for example outside of their everyday use as studio space.

According to the architects, one of the most significant challenges was the integration of building services. The adopted solution worked two-fold - it ensured minimal impact on the original heritage fabric and provided place-making opportunities for the courtyard by locating much of the plant within a series of brick-faced panel 'urban blocks'

Other key projects in the Southbank campus redevelopment include the recently-opened Buxton Contemporary, and a new state-of-the-art nine-storey building for the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music – The Ian Potter Southbank Centre – which will open in 2019.

<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/kerstin-thompson-banner-19tlnj5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kerstin Thompson within the refurbished Stables. Image: Giulia McGauran"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kerstin-thompson-banner-19tlnj5.jpg?itok=ynI2EPT4" title="Kerstin Thompson within the refurbished Stables. Image: Giulia McGauran" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kerstin Thompson within the refurbished Stables. Image: Giulia McGauran</figcaption></figure><a href="http://precinct.finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/2018/05/11/welcome-to-the-stables-a-new-world-class-arts-facility-in-melbournes-arts-precinct/">Click here</a> for an in depth tour of the building by KTA Principal, Kerstin Thompson.

Lead image: Trevor Mein
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KTA lends its design nous to 'The Stables'

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Melbourne architect Jessica Liew is selling her innovative Armadale home that she built. 
Liew, a director at Plus Architecture, paid $762,000 for the 370 square metre property in 2010 with her husband Cavan.
Built with timber slatted walls and vast expanses of glass, the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-armadale-128152634%20%20%20%20" target="_blank">Valentine Grove property</a> has dark grey polished concrete floors.
There's three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a library overlooking a tranquil central fish pond and a temperature controlled 1,200 bottle wine room.
A walled north east garden is lined by blackboard style walls, complete with a commissioned mural.
The home has been regularly featured in magazines.
Marshall White agents Fraser Cahill and Madeline Kennedy have a May 12 auction, with a guide of between $2.5 million and $2.75 million.
The couple, now with a young child, are looking for their next project.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Architect Jessica Liew lists innovative Armadale home

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The residential Blue Mountain price record has been untouched for a decade, but that's set to change with the listing of Karoola, the 2008 Wilkinson Award-winning home in Leura.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-leura-127911334" target="_blank">The striking home</a> incorporates the existing 1900s cottage in its James Stockwell-design. 
It has a price guide of $5 million through Belle Property Leura agent Matt Grima.
<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/2018/4/27/6ae71489c964402bbbe887d50200d1f2.jpg" alt="">
It was designed for former Federal Court Judge Murray Wilcox and his wife Christine to accommodate their big family – their children, grandchildren along with friends.
Inspired by the geology and landscape of the Blue Mountains, Karoola was constructed with rammed earth, crushed sandstone, blackbutt and hoop pine timbers.
The sustainable single storey main residence was built on its 5,900 square metre Malvern Road holding.
<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/2018/4/27/9a1a9e50124b44efb22547cc8fc855e8.jpg" alt="">
The main home has five bedrooms, each with garden and bushland views. There's granite bathrooms with Japanese inspired bathtubs.
As well as an opening verandah roof, the home was created in a solar passive design, where windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject heat in the summer.
There's also a multi-purpose garden studio for painting and music.
<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/2018/4/27/f9a8903a0e8549d98f924eaf352334f5.jpg" alt="">
The house design uses a Japanese method called discontinuous unity - developed in the 1940's by architects Yoshuzaki and Sakazura - for the incomplete separation of living spaces from one another.
The home was constructed by master builder Gerald Verhoeven, with Professor Max Irvine engineering its verandah roofing. Craig Burton's landscape design saw zoning for endemic and exotic plantings. 
The Blue Mountains price record was set in 2008 when Carramar, a 1900s weatherboard at Wentworth Falls, sold for $3.3 million.
Only four homes in the Blue Mountains region sold for over $2 million last year, although that's well up on the one sold in 2016.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
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Award winning Karoola set to topple Blue Mountains price record

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Today Apartments.com.au turns the spotlight on Warren and Mahoney, an international architectural design practice based in Australia and New Zealand. With a 65-year history and a 300-strong team of outstanding talent, they’ve been recognised with more than 300 awards for work ranging from commercial developments to landmark public buildings.

The design-led practice offers core services including architecture, interior design and workplace design. The office has deep expertise in strategy and briefing, customer experience design, urban design, master planning and sustainable design

Warren and Mahoney strongly believes that identity matters: that projects designed to reflect their users’ shared identity are more meaningful and more enduring, both aesthetically and commercially. They have a deep awareness of cultural context that applies to their work, including indigenous, diversity and environmental considerations.

As a recognised leader in environmentally sustainable design, Warren and Mahoney places emphasis on sustainability as key to architectural excellence, and on finding practical ways to lessen environmental impacts.

Apartments.com.au recently sought to gain further insight into the architectural practice's design process, methodology, portfolio of work and aspirations for the future, summarised in the below Q&amp;A with Warren and Mahoney Principal Nick Deans. Keep an eye out for Apartments.com.au's follow up interview with Principals Nick Deans and Richard Weinman on an upcoming episode of the podcast.

<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/stanley_street_apartments_5_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interiors of Stanley Street apartments in Collingwood. Image: Warren and Mahoney"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="325" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/stanley_street_apartments_5_0.jpg?itok=n1RPqAk_" title="Interiors of Stanley Street apartments in Collingwood. Image: Warren and Mahoney" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interiors of Stanley Street apartments in Collingwood. Image: Warren and Mahoney</figcaption></figure>Apartments.com.au: How large is the practice and how many staff are based in the Melbourne office? 

Nick Deans: We are a practice of 300 staff across 7 studios in Australasia, and we currently employ 50 people across our two Australian studios. Our business model operates as one studio, as such we are able to draw on expertise across the studio network, and we are able to scale up/down very quickly in-house to meet client requirements.

UM: What projects is the studio currently working on locally in Melbourne?

ND: Our Melbourne practice is currently engaged in:

<ul style="list-style-type:circle;">
<li>La Trobe University Sports Park</li>
	<li>Deakin University Central Plaza Project</li>
	<li>6 x mid-rise residential projects for Gurner, including The Spanish Club.</li>
	<li>We completed two projects for Gurner in 2017, including Stanley Street Apartments in Collingwood, and Regent Residences in Richmond.</li>
</ul>
UM: One of the more notable projects that has been in the press recently is the former Spanish Club being developed into apartments by Tim Gurner. Can you speak a bit about this project and some of the challenges involved in working in a historically sensitive context such as Fitzroy on the site of a well-known Melbourne institution?

ND: Melbourne is a melting pot of cultural diversity and we are very proud to play a part in the continuation of ‘The Spanish Club’ which is an iconic institution on Johnston Street, representing the heart of the Hispanic Festival since its inception.

We have been working with Gurner on the Spanish Club project for the past three years from early feasibility through to the receipt of Town Planning Permit. The project consists of a seven-storey building that includes 40 apartments, and a ground floor tenancy that will become the new home to ‘The Spanish Club’.  Two levels of basement carparking are accessed via a rear lane.

The proposal fully refurbishes the original façade to pay homage to both the heritage of the site and of the Johnston Street precinct.  The massing of the apartment building is set back from the street to visually soften the interface between the old and new.  The design draws on the mass and gravitas of the original façade and reinterprets the scale and portion to create an elegant interplay between both elements.

The upper floors to the building are recessed above the main parapet and feature large terraces over Johnston Street.

We are very excited to be working directly with ‘The Spanish Club’ to create a new club and function space on the Ground Floor of the development. It is great that the iconic institution will be able to continue to operate and will have a future for years to come.

The inherent challenge an infill site is the management of the bulk and massing in the context of the streetscape. Our site sits in an immediate context of largely developed properties, as such we are creating a precedent of development for the streetscape. 

We envisage that in the future it is highly likely that the entire length of Johnston Street will be home to 7-10 storey buildings. We have the responsibility to be good neighbours.  As part of our initial investigation on the site we examined the likely pattern of development from Nicholson to Brunswick Street.  This has informed our setbacks to ensure complementary relationships will exist with a view to the future. Outlook, daylight, and ventilation are fundamentals of inner city living.

The prospect of our city fringe suburbs, Fitzroy, Collingwood, etc, becoming Parisian scale is a future we face to house a growing population. The population is already demanding access to amenity and social infrastructure, ‘The Spanish Club’ is a step toward this ideal.

<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/screenshot_20180411-232750.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Warren and Mahoney's design for The Spanish Club Image: GURNER"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="427" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screenshot_20180411-232750.jpg?itok=51obeNkz" title="Warren and Mahoney's design for The Spanish Club Image: GURNER" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Warren and Mahoney's design for The Spanish Club Image: GURNER</figcaption></figure>UM: What are some of the critical thinking and processes behind the studio's projects? What would people identify a Warren Mahoney project with? 

ND: Our design vision is built on the understanding that the most authentic, successful and enduring projects are those that reflect the shared identity of their users. Our work strives to capture social and cultural identity in ways that resonate with communities and enhance a sense of belonging.

Our design capability is supported by sophisticated processes and technology that allow us to deliver projects of all scales and complexities. Integral to our work are best-practice documentation and quality management systems, a world-class rendering and visualisation division and an advanced Building Information Modelling (BIM) team.

UM: What are the aspirations for Warren and Mahoney in terms of growth and project sectors and typologies? Is there a desire to work on projects of a certain scale?

ND: Warren and Mahoney has been on a strong upward growth path for the previous 5 years, growing on average 20% per annum. Our business aspires to continue that growth and aims to further expand our studios in Sydney and Melbourne.

However, we’re not pursuing growth for growth’s sake. We believe we have a unique and valuable story and we’re excited to take that story into new cities, and to work with new clients. Hand in hand with our clients, we’ll explore the frontiers of sustainable, people-centred design and in doing so, both reflect and strengthen the communities we serve.

UM: Is there a particular project either here or anywhere in the world past, present or yet to be conceived that you wish the studio worked on or would like to work on?

ND: As a studio we look to projects that display an ethos that lies at the nexus of people and the culture of place.  We believe that identity matters so projects in the vein of The High Line in New York inspire us.

The High Line has not only established a successful activated public realm, it has also provided the framework for a progressive architectural and arts programs along its perimeter.  The project epitomises the strong interest of Warren and Mahoney in the creation of space that is embedded in the culture of the city that it exists in.
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