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

<html><body>
Earlier this month Apartments.com.au <a href="/news/a-first-look-inside-hayballs-south-melbourne-primary-school">highlighted the recent completion</a> of the South Melbourne Primary School, located on Ferrars Street within the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area. Designed by Hayball, the new vertical school is the first to be constructed in Victoria and forms part of a wider community hub being developed in the Montague precinct, which will also include the now under construction Montague Park.

Apartments.com.au asked Hayball Director Richard Leonard to provide further insight on the practice's design methodology and process for designing South Melbourne Primary School (SMPS). 

With over 30 years’ experience in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Richard provides expertise in helping schools integrate modern education philosophies into the design of new educational facilities. Providing design leadership to support contemporary models of learning, Richard champions collaborative and research-driven design, and regularly collaborates with leading education design specialists

Richard will also be Apartments.com.au's guest on this week's podcast where we'll be continuing the conversation on the evolving design of schools and the vertical learning model. In the meantime see below for our Q&amp;A focusing on South Melbourne Primary School.

<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/smps_diannasnape_print_02_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The design features plenty of light and sweeping views back to the city. Image : Dianna Snape"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/smps_diannasnape_print_02_0.jpg?itok=VapyNSeZ" title="The design features plenty of light and sweeping views back to the city. Image : Dianna Snape" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The design features plenty of light and sweeping views back to the city. Image: Dianna Snape</figcaption></figure>Apartments.com.au: South Melbourne Primary School has the distinction of being both the first vertical school completed in Victoria but also the first public building constructed within the Fishermans Bend Precinct. Was the idea of legacy in terms of the vertical learning model and SMPS as an exemplar of this typology a key consideration?

Richard Leonard: As the first public vertical model school in Victoria and the first public building in Fishermans Bend Precinct, Hayball’s design of South Melbourne Primary School rethinks the education model for densifying urban environments and how a school operates in its community. These were, however, deliberate design decisions informed by extensive consultation, research and years of architecture experience in education – the concept of “firsts” didn’t play into our approach. For example, extensive consultation with the public and school community informed the amenity mix for the six-level building.

UM: How do you design for an area which is mooted for significant change? When the surrounding context is set to evolve what qualities of the area do you draw upon and what opportunity was there to potentially influence the identity and character of the Montague Precinct?

RL: In a precinct that is one of Australia’s largest urban renewal areas and expected to swell to a community of 80,000 over the next 40 years, future proofing educational facilities was a critical factor in ensuring the suburb can evolve and behave according to the needs of its residents. 

South Melbourne Primary School incorporates 21st Century learning spaces for students to learn and grow in their evolving and dense inner-urban environment. For example, students have the opportunity to learn in a series of vertical spaces that embrace contemporary education thinking, while maintaining elements essential to typical schools like active play spaces, natural light, interconnected areas and pick-up/drop-off zones.

We were fortunate too that the Department of Education &amp; Training and the City of Port Phillip decided to opt for a fully integrated school and community facility. The school will be a key community hub - remaining open after-hours to encourage community interaction and providing spaces that are both community-based and shared with the school.

<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/smps_diannasnape_print_17_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="South Melbourne Primary School's design sits within a very urban setting. Image : Dianna Snape"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/smps_diannasnape_print_17_0.jpg?itok=y2dIgTej" title="South Melbourne Primary School's design sits within a very urban setting. Image : Dianna Snape" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>South Melbourne Primary School's design sits within a very urban setting. Image: Dianna Snape</figcaption></figure>UM: Hayball was involved in some concept and feasibility work for a vertical school down at Docklands. How much of that work and learnings from that project were useful in informing the design of SMPS? 
RL: Hayball has been involved is several conceptual studies for vertical schools, including one for the Docklands area. This study considered a variety of inner-urban school models including a stand-alone vertical school and a dispersed model where the “home base” school facility could be supported by a series of satellite facilities spread around an urban precinct.  But in all cases, the central ideas of providing a school that responds to its urban context and community was consistent. In other words, the school would also act as a community hub.

UM: What examples did you look to both nationally and internationally when designing the school? 
RL: When designing South Melbourne Primary School, we looked at European models and particularly in Copenhagen where some of the most innovative vertical schools had been developed. Our site visits reinforced in our minds the need to define learning communities, to consider transparency and visibility between levels, and to creatively resolve the challenges of vertical circulation and external space. More broadly, we experienced how successfully vertical schools can work and how well education can, in fact, be delivered within them.

Translating those lessons into the Australian context was important as was embracing the nuances of our pedagogical approaches, physical locality and urban fabric.  In this sense, the South Melbourne school very much responds to locality and the philosophies of contemporary education promoted and supported by the Victorian Schools Building Authority.       

UM : We're only a few weeks into the 2018 school year but what has the feedback been from students and staff? Is there anything that surprised you in terms of how spaces are used that you may not have expected?

RL: It’s early days and, under the Department’s rolling program to enrol students over time, the school will not reach its full enrolment for several years – in fact, only about a quarter of its full student intake of 525 students is enrolled currently. However, I understand that the early learning centre is running at full capacity already.

The gradual expansion of the enrolments allows the school students and staff to settle in and for the leadership team to develop their management and professional development structures over time.  An important element in this process has been the school’s engagement of new teachers and staff specifically selected for their commitment to contemporary teaching and learning within the vertical facility. The matching of education pedagogy and practices is critical in contemporary environments such as South Melbourne and I am sure that the process of engaging committed staff will ensure the success of the school.    

UM: The SMPS is a great example of schools taking on a greater role in the community with its facilities available to community groups and members outside of school hours. How do you see the roles of schools within communities evolving in the future and the potential for what they can offer particularly in inner-city areas where land is sparse?

RL: The densification of cities and new urban developments is coinciding with the re-imagination of what schools are providing, what they deliver and how they work within the urban and the community context. School buildings are going to have to be more than just a school and with the need for cost effective social infrastructure, these are prime opportunities to develop different models. Whether it’s the school design itself, or how it fits in the community, what size or height it is, or the amenities offered – it’s all around reimagining a new model of school and community. It is vital to design facilities that can be used outside of school hours and have a greater use to the community.

UM: There was a figure quoted on Q&amp;A about the number of schools Victoria needs to build in the next 10 years to keep up with demand - about 220 - do you think the vertical school model can assist in providing greater opportunity in developing inner-city schools particularly with site identification and acquisition? 

RL: In dense inner urban areas there is a need to define the best use of budget and what that means in terms of both 21st century education and in making facilities accessible to the wider community. We should accept that high-density schools are going to be part of our landscape in inner, middle and outer ring suburbs. However, a school is basically a critical community facility that has learning happening in it – so locating it in the right place is much more important than how much land area it has.

 
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Laurence Dragomir

Hayball's Richard Leonard provides insight into the South Melbourne Primary School

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The recent rush of Chinese-backed development in Australia has created inroads for some of the country's architecture firms to also export their design expertise.
DBI Design team has just won the tender to the masterplan of a $3 billion development for a new financial district in Shantou, 300 kilometres north-east of Hong Kong - billed as a new 'micro city'.
The project will include 10 commercial buildings, 16 apartment and residential towers, two hotels , a shopping centre, cultural precinct and marina.
The new micro city will house more than 7,000 permanent residents, accommodate more than 2,000 tourists and support a working population of more than 22,000.
The new community, which is being developed on the 68 hectare site of an abandoned theme park, will be known as the Shantou Overseas Financial Centre.
DBI Design director Raith Anderson says Shantou Overseas Financial Centre is the company's next headline international development, following on from the $1.5 billion Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, which was completed in 2012 and has won accolades in the 2011 World Travel Awards and 2012 Emporis World Skyscraper Awards.
It will take about eight years to develop.
"This clearly shows that it is a two way street in terms of Australian-Chinese property development.
"While we have seen a lot of Chinese-led projects in Australia recently, the Chinese are very receptive to high quality design proposals from Australian firms," he said adding China was increasingly moving away from design conformity and embracing creativity.
"It's all about big picture thinking - creating a whole new space where people can live, work and play. While this project is branded a financial centre and the emphasis is on the two signature 380 metre high commercial and hotel towers, the vision is to attract permanent residents and tourists too - it will be a new destination in its own right."
The Shantou Overseas Financial Centre is being developed by  JinFeng Group, a large Guangdong-based private enterprise headquartered in central Hong Kong.
<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/2018/3/21/Shantou_0009.jpg" alt="">
With a registered capital of RMB200 million and total assets worth over RMB10 billion, the Group’s operations have grown from its core real estate business into diversified areas including construction, tourism, mining and financial investment. 
<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/2018/3/21/Shantou_0012.jpg" alt="">
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Australia's DBI Design overseeing new $3 billion micro city in China

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The winners of the City of Port Phillip Design &amp; Development Awards 2018 were announced on Tuesday 20 March at the NGV International, as a part of the programme for Melbourne Design Week 2018.

Hosted by Tim Ross and Mayor Cr Bernadene Voss, and presented by jurors Professor Donald Bates, Shelley Penn, Deputy Mayor Cr Dick Gross, Cr Katherine Copsey and Cr David Brand, the event brought together community, industry and Council to celebrate and promote design excellence in the municipality.

<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/20180321_234958.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The evening was hosted by Tim Ross and Mayor Cr Bernadene Voss with awards presented by jurors"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="412" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/20180321_234958.jpg?itok=vQJ_CaKm" title="The evening was hosted by Tim Ross and Mayor Cr Bernadene Voss with awards presented by jurors" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The evening was hosted by Tim Ross and Mayor Cr Bernadene Voss with awards presented by jurors</figcaption></figure>This year's list of winners included a community park for all ages, the renewal of the iconic Palais Theatre, the restoration of a Victorian timber worker’s cottage and the conversion of Port Melbourne’s first post office.

<blockquote>
This year’s Design Week theme, Design Effects, recognises the importance of design excellence and thoughtful development in balancing growth and maintaining the unique character of diverse and distinctive neighbourhoods.

I can’t think of a more relevant theme for Port Phillip as we are very proud of our much-loved neighbourhoods and have pledged in our long-term vision to do our utmost to keep our City’s character as Port Phillip continues to grow.

- Bernadene Voss, Mayor City of Port Phillip
</blockquote>

The winners of each category and commendations are listed below:

Mayor's Choice Award

<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/maritime_oculus.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Maritime Cove Community Park. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="389" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/maritime_oculus.jpg?itok=kJoPa--O" title="The Maritime Cove Community Park. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Maritime Cove Community Park. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>Winner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>The Maritime Cove Community Park - OCULUS Landscape Architecture &amp; Urban Design with Port of Melbourne</li>
</ul>
Residential dwelling - alteration or new build

<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/acute_st_kilda_mixed.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Acute House and St Kilda Mixed Use House. Images : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="213" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/acute_st_kilda_mixed.jpg?itok=9FNBy6z1" title="Acute House and St Kilda Mixed Use House. Images : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Acute House and St Kilda Mixed Use House. Images : Supplied</figcaption></figure>WInner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>Acute House – OOF! Architecture with Mitty Price, and;</li>
	<li>St Kilda Mixed Use House – DDB Design Development &amp; Building with Matt Gibson Architecture &amp; Design</li>
</ul>
Commendation(s) :

<ul>
<li>Baffle House - Clare Cousins Architects</li>
	<li>Myrtle Tree House - MAKE Architecture</li>
</ul>
Multi-unit and mixed use development

<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_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Elwood House. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="359" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/elwood_house_0.jpg?itok=gAMsN9aV" title="Elwood House. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elwood House. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>WInner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>Elwood House – Piccolo with Hecker Guthrie &amp; Woods Bagot</li>
</ul>
Commendation(s) :

<ul>
<li>House and a half - Three C Architects</li>
</ul>
Place making

Winner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>The Maritime Cove Community Park - OCULUS Landscape Architecture &amp; Urban Design with Port of Melbourne</li>
</ul>
Non-residential development

<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/albert_park_6degrees.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="304" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/albert_park_6degrees.jpg?itok=tZiGLSM8" title="Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>Winner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub – Six Degrees Architects</li>
</ul>
Commendation(s) :

<ul>
<li>The Gipson Commons, St Michael's Grammar School - Architectus</li>
	<li>Point Ormond Amenities Block - Garner Davis Architects</li>
</ul>
Interior fit out

<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/dogs_bar_st_kilda.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Dog’s Bar St Kilda. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/dogs_bar_st_kilda.jpg?itok=X6Y2jocx" title="Dog’s Bar St Kilda. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Dog’s Bar St Kilda. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>Winner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>Dog’s Bar St Kilda with Colin Sheppard &amp; Grant Amon Architects</li>
</ul>
Commendation(s) :

<ul>
<li>MeatworksCo, South Melbourne</li>
</ul>
Heritage Conservation

<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/palais_copp.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Palais Theatre restoration. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="366" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/palais_copp.jpg?itok=ji3QU_y2" title="The Palais Theatre restoration. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Palais Theatre restoration. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>Winner(s) : 

<ul>
<li>Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub – Six Degrees Architects</li>
	<li>Palais Theatre – Development Victoria with DELWP and City of Port Phillip</li>
</ul>
Commendation(s) :

<ul>
<li>Acute House - OOF! Architecture</li>
	<li>Beetson-Reid House -  RBA Architects &amp; Conservation Consultants</li>
</ul>
Out of Bounds Citation

<ul>
<li>Icon, St Kilda - Pace Development Group</li>
</ul>
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Winners of 2018 City of Port Phillip Design & Development Awards announced

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Technē Architecture and Interior Design's move into larger premises on Rathdowne Street in Carlton has also coincided with the appointment of a new director to assist managing the office's growth. Steve McKeag joins founders Justin Northrop and Nick Travers, as the third director at the tightly knit studio, whose name and philosophy means ‘to make, poetically’.

McKeag’s promotion from senior associate reflects strong growth at Technē, which has recently <a href="/news/garden-state-hotel-previously-known-as-rosati">Garden State Hotel</a>, <a href="/news/raising-the-bar-techne-revamps-rooftop-bar-and-cinema">Rooftop Bar and Cinema</a>, and Brunetti Flinders Lane. The practice has also been recently announced as the architect for The Esplanade Hotel, St.Kilda; Tribe Hotels in Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne; and several projects at Glenvill’s YarraBend development in Alphington.

<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/garden-state-07.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Garden State Hotel opened in late 2016. Image: Technē"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/garden-state-07.jpg?itok=flEnzEk_" title="Garden State Hotel opened in late 2016. Image: Technē" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Garden State Hotel opened in late 2016. Image: Technē</figcaption></figure>McKeag has demonstrated his ability across a range of project sectors, from hospitality to commercial developments. A registered architect, he has almost 20 years’ experience, including three years working in the UK for Richard Rogers Partnership (now known as Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) and Reid Architects. For Technē,

Apartments.com.au asked Steve to provide a bit of background on his appointment, in addition to some of the joys of working in the hospitality sector within Technē - he has previously worked as lead architect on major projects including Richmond Club Hotel and the Prahran Hotel.

Apartments.com.au: Your appointment to director has also coincided with Technē's recent move into a new office space on Rathdowne Street in Carlton North. Were both moves as a result of the office's growth? And what are the office's plans for the future in terms of expansion in both staff numbers and other sectors?

Steve McKeag: Yes absolutely. We’ve had the good fortune of an amazing amount of growth since I started at Technē – evolving from 12 people in the Hardware Lane office to 35 in a very short amount of time.

As you can imagine, the amount of desk space has almost halved in that period so the move to Rathdowne Street heralds the chance for us to spread our wings in more ways than one.

The new office signifies a new era for Technē Architecture and Interior Design, acting as a line in the sand that we’re looking at as a catalyst for change as we look towards future growth. UM: Part of your role involves bringing in new projects to the office - are there particular projects you're targeting or areas you would like to further develop experience in?

SM: I do pride myself on my ability to grow and maintain client relationships. Bringing in new clients, as well as servicing and assisting existing clients is a highlight of my role.

In terms of particular projects, I think that hotels are a natural progression from hospitality projects, plus I would like to continue to build upon our growing portfolio of workplace design work. UM: <a href="/news/getting-to-know-techne-profiling-the-dynamic-design-practice"> In an interview with Urban.com.au</a> Nick previously cited the office's pub work as some of his most enjoyable projects in particular the fact that unlike other projects the pubs can be enjoyed by the design team socially and they present a unique opportunity to see first hand how people are making use of the spaces they have designed. What are your most enjoyable projects within the office?

SM: The Espy has been an incredibly exciting project to work on. The location combined with its status as a Melbourne icon has made it particularly rewarding and we’re all thrilled to be involved with its reinvigoration.

I have great memories of visiting the venue in my 20’s so returning the Espy to its former glory in order for a new generation to create fresh memories continues to be an honour.

<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/steve_mckeag_photo.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Steve McKeag was recently appointed as director at Technē. Image: Supplied "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/steve_mckeag_photo.jpg?itok=GRCvGqoj" title="Steve McKeag was recently appointed as director at Technē. Image: Supplied " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Steve McKeag was recently appointed as director at Technē. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>UM: On the topic of pubs do you have a favourite pub? (Doesn't have to necessarily be a new or Technē designed pub?

SM: I think we’re really spoilt for choice in Melbourne for pubs as pub culture is a big part of our city, so it’s very hard to decide. In the city it would have to be a tie between The Gem and Fox Hotel in Collingwood because both are old school favourites. The Gem has a really cool and authentic Americana aesthetic, and the Fox Hotel has a welcoming, quintessentially Melbourne vibe. Both always seems to strike the right tone for a good night.

When I have the chance to get out of the city I can’t go past visiting the Dinner Plain Hotel. Summer or winter, it’s definitely the mountains best pub and you can’t go past the views. Keeping with the alpine theme, the Cardrona Hotel in New Zealand after a day on the slopes is spectacular.

Rumoured to be the most photographed building in the country, the combination of its incredible beer garden and sense of history make it a go-to destination.

UM: Justin previously talked about how the Directors are able to delegate to senior team members, allowing them to take the lead on projects, entrusting them with a level of responsibility to represent the office in meetings. Did you find this approach assisted your development and progression to Director?

SM: Nick and Justin give a lot of autonomy and this creates a supportive and nurturing workplace. Together, they’ve fostered an environment in which team members are able to share experiences and learn from one another.

By asking questions as simple as ‘how would you approach that?’, the leadership team is able to encourage an open dialogue between employees at all levels and create a space where resources and knowledge can be easily shared. Contributing to this open forum type discussions has definitely helped my development and progression to director. UM: How important do you believe mentoring is within architectural practice and how does Technē foster and nurture talent to give staff the confidence to tackle projects of any size and budget?

SM: Mentoring is critical within any architectural practice. 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.

At Techne, team leaders will often ask younger staff to identify goals and key tasks early on, so that the confidence to takes projects of any size and budget can be built upon early on. UM: Lastly, UM asked both Nick and Justin this so I'll ask you as well - is there a project either here in Melbourne or globally that you'd like to work on? What would your dream project be?

SM: My dream project would definitely my own house. If the sky’s the limit then extend the fantasy to include a coastal location and a limitless budget. That would be perfect!
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Technē's Steve McKeag discusses his appointment as Director (and his favourite pubs)

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GUEST OBSERVATION
New technologies offer new possibilities for planning and designing cities. 3D urban modelling and simulation can give a real sense of the outcomes of planning decisions. However, incorporating these technologies into planning practice has its challenges.
The possibilities of 3D modelling
A virtual 3D city model is a digital model of urban areas. It represents terrain surfaces, sites, buildings, vegetation, infrastructure and landscape elements, and other related objects belonging to an urban space.
This technique can be used to spatially design and visualise development in relation to the existing urban environment. It can also be used to compare different urban design strategies. These can be evaluated against measures such as land use, population and housing densities, building height, floor area ratio, and development costs.
Planners can use 3D modelling to analyse and communicate the impact of both existing and new (re)development plans. They can look, for example, at overshadowing, sunlight exposure, view corridors, compliance with zoning regulation, traffic gravity and solar potential of buildings – to name a few.
The 3D models also offer a new platform to involve citizens in urban planning. It is imperative that public concerns, needs and values are part of government decision-making.
How are cities using 3D models?
Local government and the private sector are increasingly using 3D city models to assist planning. An example is Virtual Brisbane. Brisbane City Council uses this computer-generated 3D model for strategic planning, development assessment and community engagement.
Singapore is launching Virtual Singapore, a 3D replica of the city-state in July 2018. This platform will offer new possibilities for urban planners.
Both Detroit in the US and Munich in Germany see realistic 3D modelling as important for planning their future.
Companies like Dassault Systems are partnering with different cities to use digital tools to develop more responsive cities. The 3DExperienceCity project allows urban planners to digitally test ideas and better consider the impact of urbanisation.
These techniques also integrate people, enabling a more personalised approach to planning to be developed.
Integration into planning education
The increasing demand from industry for spatially adept planners adds to the importance of introducing new ways of teaching and training built-environment professionals.
The University of Queensland is leading a project where researchers design and implement a sequential learning curriculum in its Bachelor of Urban and Town Planning program. By developing virtual 3D models students develop their spatial skills.
Students learn to use ESRI’s CityEngine, an industry-standard software to develop 3D city models. This enables them to visualise, plan, assess and communicate existing and new developments. Most students in our experiment were enthusiastic about this new learning opportunity to hone their spatial skills, particularly in the earlier stage of the learning process.
However, they were constrained by the limited time available to learn to use the technology. And the joy of learning and skill development is also challenged by the need to go beyond their comfort zone to secure a good grade in the course. Nonetheless, students became fully aware of the technologies and recognised the importance of spatial skills for their professional development.
The emergence of geodesign is at the intersection of geography, urban design and geospatial technologies. It helps inform when, where and how students develop spatial thinking capacities and skills.
These capabilities are critical to managing, visualising, representing and navigating a data-based world. It also purposefully exposes students to innovative learning environments that allow them to visualise design scenarios and so better manage uncertainty.
The use of interactive digital mapping in higher education is an effective instructional strategy to teach and practise critical spatial thinking.
Augmented reality technology offers students a new way to visualise urban landscapes. It develops their map-reading skills and allows them to interpret landscape representations. This enhances their ability to understand the physical and digital aspects of urban places.
The rise of geospatial technologies, sensor networks and the “Internet of Things” is transforming the urban planning curriculum, design and pedagogy. It provides students with new ways of learning critical spatial thinking skills and improves the training of spatial planners to better equip them for the age of co-creation.
It also improves their spatial literacy to co-design the built environment. This can help them become better planners, become more relevant to design practice and increase their overall competency and employability when they enter the workplace.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88635/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">3D modelling and simulation certainly offer new possibilities in designing planning solutions. City dwellers must be included in this process to develop strategies that are more responsive to sustainability challenges such as urban population growth.
Yan Liu, Associate Professor, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland; Iderlina Mateo-Babiano, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Melbourne, and Sebastien Darchen, Lecturer in Planning, The University of Queensland
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-virtual-3d-modelling-and-simulation-can-help-us-create-better-cities-88635" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Example of students’ work using ESRI’s CityEngine program. Author supplied
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How virtual 3D modelling and simulation can help us create better cities

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In response to the growing demands to remain relevant and socially progressive in the 21st century, CityLife - a contemporary church located in Wantirna South - engaged DKO Architecture to master plan their campus and design a series of new spaces and buildings.

DKO’s master plan response was to place a collection of buildings around a sheltered, north facing central plaza, which has been conceived as the heart of the church.

Located off the main street, the central plaza provides for before and after church activities, some on-site parking during peak event times and a space large enough to host outdoor events such as the church’s Moonlight Christmas Carols.

CityLife's brief to DKO was for a design which represented the church's inclusive and welcoming culture, with the foyer strategically located on the plaza adjacent to the car parking and major entry road providing legible community access. The foyer has been designed as a double height space with its ground floor providing a permeable interface to the plaza.

<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/0274_citylife_0120_pan.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The CityLife entry foyer provides a calm and welcoming space for visitors. Image: Tom Roe"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/0274_citylife_0120_pan.jpg?itok=1yjkySWW" title="The CityLife entry foyer provides a calm and welcoming space for visitors. Image: Tom Roe" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The CityLife entry foyer provides a calm and welcoming space for visitors. Image: Tom Roe</figcaption></figure>The building’s first floor cantilevers to provide shelter and sun shading to ground floor entry foyer, and employs apertures inspired by Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp cathedral, framing key views. Internally a two-storey “urban street” provides circulation and access to all functions rooms including the new Community Care building via an overhead bridge.

The circulation space was combined with social activities like the café and visitor’s lounges to create a social space where"chance meetings are encouraged and new relationships can be fostered."

Urban.com.au asked DKO Principal Koos de Keijzer to provide some insight on the office's growing body of work in the realms of places of worship, and how the idea of what a church is has evolved.

<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/0274_citylife_0292.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="CityLife's interiors are bathed in natural light. Image: "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/0274_citylife_0292.jpg?itok=VvVk0SFO" title="CityLife's interiors are bathed in natural light. Image: " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CityLife's interiors are bathed in natural light. Image: Tom Roe</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: DKO is renowned for its work in residential and master planning projects but has also worked on churches before. How did the interest in places of worship manifest?

Koos de Keijzer:  I come from a churched background, and spent a lot time in churches when I was young. Most churches are incredibly introverted, dated and slightly kooky. I believe that there is no reason why the spiritual part of a person’s life should not be celebrated in a contemporarily designed environment.

DKO’s first large church project was One Church in Blackburn in Melbourne’s bible belt.

The specific brief was to design a space that the younger teenagers could hang out and feel comfortable in therefore classical ecclesiastical iconography was not considered to be a part of the brief.

<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/0274_citylife_1427_pan.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The contemporary exterior of CityLife draws on Corbusier's Ronchamp. Image: Tom Roe"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="272" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/0274_citylife_1427_pan.jpg?itok=f11UtfPD" title="The contemporary exterior of CityLife draws on Corbusier's Ronchamp. Image: Tom Roe" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The contemporary exterior of CityLife draws on Corbusier's Ronchamp. Image: Tom Roe</figcaption></figure>UM: What are some of the key themes DKO tries to explore in projects such as CityLife? And how does this differ from residential or other community projects, for example, that the practice has previously worked on?

KdK: A general theme in our church buildings is an ensemble approach of elements that together make up a neighbourhood that is the church.

The key vision for churches is that we always try to make churches very accessible to the wider community – accessibility is both looked at in form and often providing a retail-like edge to the neighbouring environment. And we are always interested in contemporary spaces that inspire and feel great to be in.

Strong inside and outside connections are always looked for, and outside spaces are always used where people can meet and recreate!

Libraries and churches are similar in a lot of their key features, in particular, the desire to provide spaces where people feel comfortable, connected and can reflect.

UM: We're seeing other community buildings such as libraries evolve from the more traditional model into multifaceted buildings which play a greater role within communities than simply storing books - how do you see the role of the church evolving in the 21st century and how can architecture enrich the experience of those who visit for worship or other purposes?

KdK: Many churches that we work on are in reality multi-use entertainment /music facilities that can be used 24 hours a day – 7 days a week.

Acoustics, interior architecture and theatre staging all make the contemporary church auditorium a relevant and meaningful experience in the future.

Many contemporary churches have had an active role in the music industry. The large Hillsong church in Sydney (recently) won an award at the Grammys.
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Discussing 21st Century church design with DKO's Koos de Keijzer

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The City of Port Phillip has announced the shortlisted entries in its Design &amp; Development Awards for 2018. The jury panel and staff were impressed with the quantity and high quality of entries across all categories creating a welcome challenge during the shortlisting process for all involved. 

The Design &amp; Development Awards encourage and celebrate design excellence within the Port Phillip municipality, and intend to showcase exemplars in the fields of residential and non-residential architecture, urban design, heritage conservation, environmental and sustainable design, public art, interior design and placemaking.

The awards have generally been held biennially since 1998, with the last Awards event being held in 2014.

The shortlisted projects are as follows: 1. Residential dwelling: alteration or new build 

<ul>
<li>Acute House - OOF! Architecture</li>
	<li>Baffle House - <a href="/architects/clare-cousins-architects">Clare Cousins Architects</a>
</li>
	<li>Brooke Street Residence - Toby Earle</li>
	<li>Dreamcatcher - Fred Architecture</li>
	<li>Loch Street Residence - Matyas Architects</li>
	<li>Mills, The Toy Management House - Austin Maynard Architects</li>
	<li>Myrtle Tree House - <a href="/architects/make-architecture">MAKE Architecture</a>
</li>
	<li>St Kilda Mixed Use House - DDB Design Development + Building</li>
	<li>St Vincent Place House - <a href="/architects/nicholas-murray-architects">Nicholas Murray Architects</a>
</li>
	<li>The Corner House - <a href="/architects/poly-studio">POLYstudio</a>
</li>
</ul>
<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/baffle_house.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Baffle House, Clare Cousins Architects. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="358" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/baffle_house.jpg?itok=MPk_Kso1" title="Baffle House, Clare Cousins Architects. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Baffle House, Clare Cousins Architects. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure> 2. Multi-unit and mixed-use development

<ul>
<li>Art House - <a href="/architects/justin-architecture">Justin Architecture</a>
</li>
	<li>Elwood House - <a href="/developers/piccolo">Piccolo</a>
</li>
	<li>James Joyce - Bojan Simic Architecture</li>
	<li>St Kilda East Townhouses - Jost Architects
</li>
	<li>West Beach Townhouses - <a href="/architects/grant-amon-architects">Grant Amon Architects</a>
</li>
</ul>
<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.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Elwood House, Piccolo + Woods Bagot + Hecker Guthrie. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="359" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/elwood_house.jpg?itok=elKqWAyO" title="Elwood House, Piccolo + Woods Bagot + Hecker Guthrie. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elwood House, Piccolo + Woods Bagot + Hecker Guthrie. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>3. Place making

<ul>
<li>The Maritime Cove Community Park - OCULUS landscape Architecture &amp; Urban Design</li>
</ul>
<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/maritime_cove.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title=" Maritime Cove Community Park, OCULUS. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="389" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/maritime_cove.jpg?itok=nAkoWIKm" title=" Maritime Cove Community Park, OCULUS. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Maritime Cove Community Park, OCULUS. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>4. Non-residential development

<ul>
<li>Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub - <a href="/architects/six-degrees-architects">Six Degrees Architects</a>
</li>
	<li>Palais Theatre Project - <a href="/developers/development-victoria">Development Victoria</a>
</li>
	<li>Point Ormond Amenities Block - Garner Davis Architects</li>
	<li>The Gipson Commons, St Michael's Grammar School - <a href="/architects/architectus">Architectus</a>
</li>
</ul>
<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/albert_park_college.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub, Six Degrees Architects. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="304" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/albert_park_college.jpg?itok=LSDCeZbn" title="Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub, Six Degrees Architects. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Albert Park College Environmental Arts Hub, Six Degrees Architects. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>5. Public Art

<ul>
<li>'Blue Wren' - ADA Consulting</li>
	<li>'Elwood House' - Piccolo</li>
	<li>'Ode' - <a href="/developers/pace-development-group">Pace Development Group</a>
</li>
</ul>
<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/blue_wren.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="'Blue Wren', ADA Consulting. Image : Supplied "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="712" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/blue_wren.jpg?itok=YDb14dqC" title="'Blue Wren', ADA Consulting. Image : Supplied " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>'Blue Wren', ADA Consulting. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>6. Interior fit out

<ul>
<li>Dog's Bar, <a href="/new-apartments/st-kilda-vic-3182">St Kilda</a>
</li>
	<li>MeatworksCo, <a href="/new-apartments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>
</li>
</ul>
<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/meatworksco.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="MeatworksCo, South Melbourne. Image : Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="381" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/meatworksco.jpg?itok=GH4MEVMu" title="MeatworksCo, South Melbourne. Image : Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>MeatworksCo, South Melbourne. Image : Supplied</figcaption></figure>For the full set of images and project descriptions click <a href="http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/DDAWARDS2018_PROGRAM_A5__SHORTLIST_FINAL_PROOF_HIRES.pdf">here</a>.

The Awards presentation event will be hosted at the National Gallery of Victoria on 20 March 2018 as part of the NGV's Melbourne Design Week 2018 (15 - 25 March). 

The ticketed free public event will be hosted by comedian Tim Ross who has a long-standing passion for architecture and design. Register for tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/city-of-port-phillip-design-development-awards-2018-registration-41987311178">here</a>.

The theme for this year's design week is 'Design Effects' "reflecting the view that it takes design excellence and thoughtful development to balance increasing growth and maintain the unique character of diverse and distinctive neighbourhoods." 

Lead Image: Cave Urban, 'Regenesis 2017.' Photo by p1xels
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City of Port Phillip's Design & Development Awards 2018 shortlist revealed

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At Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, some $3.5 million to $3.6 million is being tipped for the homes of Steve and Vicky Smith of Smith Builders .
They have listed their <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-sorrento-127255370" target="_blank">Wolveridge Architects-designed beach house</a>, fully furnished by Coastal Living.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom property is set on a 1345 sqm lot.
<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/2018/1/24/SORR2.jpg" alt="">
It combines rammed earth and recycled timbers in a light-filled, open-plan design featuring a skylit Miele kitchen, bespoke cabinetry, a Jetmaster open fire and a double garage. 
There are multiple outdoor retreats, landscaped gardens and a heated pool. 
Rob Curtain of Peninsula Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.
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Architect designed Sorrento home for sale

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A Noosa Hill new home has been cleverly designed by Annette Warner to take in as much of the surroundings as possible.
The 1 Natasha Avenue home has effectively been built on concrete beams for it to hover over the natural environment, framing the backdrop of Laguna Bay and the Noosa River.
<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/2017/11/28/Noosa2.jpg" alt="">
Set on a 1320 sqm waterfront parcel, the home with private lift has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two loggias that look out across the landscape.
The dining space overlooks the plunge pool and sun deck.
<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/2017/11/28/Noosa3.jpg" alt="">
It is being marketed as jewel in the crown on Noosa Hill by Tom Offermann at Offermann Real Estate.
He said it is amongst the most exquisitely designed houses he has taken to market in Noosa.
Its $6.25 million asking price will comfortably double the street record, set when the property sold for $2.8 million in 2003, well before the new build.
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian.
 
 
 
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Noosa Hill home hovering over the natural environment for sale

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A Templestowe Lower homes whose shape resembles Star Trek’s USS Enterprise has been sold.
It fetched $1,225,000 when bought by a developer who will likely demolish.
CoreLogic records show it last changed hands for $901,000 in February last year. 
<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/2017/11/9/Templestowe.jpg" alt=""> 
The dodecagon part of the house is carved into six triangular shaped spaces, a bathroom with a spa bath, three bedrooms, a kitchen, as well as a laundry and powder room.
A circular passageway with a light well connects the pieces of the 1960s two-storey, four-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-templestowe+lower-126526502">15 Linton Avenue.</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-templestowe+lower-126526502"> </a>
Set on a 652 square metre block, the property came with approved plans and permits for two townhouses, Jellis Craig, Doncaster, agent Andrew Keleher said.
Keleher said the history of the property, suggesting the reason behind its design, had been lost over time.
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