<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

Design

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At the recent Milan Design Week, it was all about the new. The biggest design fair in the world offered up inflatable LED lamps, <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2014/04/21/shibari-rubber-dipped-foam-seat-by-ichiro-inc-milan-2014/" target="_blank">bondage inspired foam and rubber seats</a> and anything a 3D printer could spit out. 
But for every recycled glass mirror-trestle table hybrid, there is a design trend that sits ignored in the dustbin of the 20th century. Property Observer looks at the five forgotten interior trends that deserve a comeback – and those that should never return.
FIVE DESIGN TRENDS WE WANT TO SEE AGAIN
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SUNKEN LOUNGES <img src="/images/2014/05/23/1.jpg" alt=""> Hanazono House. Source: Sekkastyle With home owners and investors obsessed with flexibility, there’s a good reason that conversation pits are out of fashion. What if you decide that space would be better off as a dining area? Filling in a sunken lounge is a good deal more difficult than pushing the sofa to the other corner of the room. But living rooms are for living, and why should <a href="https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2012/03/mad-men-don-drapers-apartment" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Don Draper get all the fun?</a>  
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WALLPAPER <img src="/images/2014/05/23/10317697_518321434939406_2904862071506270990_o.jpg" alt=""> Source: NLXL A casualty of the minimalist movement, wallpaper that is too busy can make a small space look smaller, a dark space look darker, and is much more polarising than a “tasteful” wash of dove grey paint. What if your best friend’s cousin’s mother-in-law doesn’t like it? Grow a design spine and slap some wallpaper on your wall. Keep it to a single wall of the room as a feature to avoid swamping the space. European design studio Studio Job’s Archive collection for NLXL (pictured above) shows just how far the medium has come since the mustard yellow and amber days of the 1970s. For a lesson in how not to use wallpaper, see <a href="https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/wallpaper-madness-too-much-house-rules-adam-and-li/2262853/" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Adam and Lisa’s house on Channel 7’s House Rules</a>. Our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok recently examined the <a href="/expert-insights/building/the-wallpaper-house-rules-in-home-decorating-he-said-she-said">house rules that should be in place for decorating with wallpaper</a>. 
</li>
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PARQUET FLOORING <img src="/images/2014/05/23/10-211-ELIZABETH-ST_2010_HI.jpg" alt=""> Source:  Roman and Williams The polished concrete floors seen in every warehouse conversion of the last two years are great, and easy to clean. But what if you want to add some textural intrigue and warmth to your flooring, without buying a dozen rugs? Enter parquetry. While the glossy floorboards in juxtaposing tones of the past might be a bit much, a tasteful herringbone or chevron design in a single dark colour can bring interest without overwhelming a space. 
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CHANDELIERS <img src="/images/2014/05/23/harmonie2.jpg" alt=""> Source: Atelier Alain Ellouz Forget grandiose crystal chandeliers – difficult to pull off, even more difficult to clean. Today’s chandeliers and pendant lights prove that lighting can be used to make a statement without making a fuss, and come in a variety of materials. A <a href="/expert-insights/investing/chandeliers-hanging-in-the-garage-he-said-she-said">chandelier in the garage?</a> That might be a little too far.  
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<li>
MOOD LIGHTING <img src="/images/2014/05/23/roman%20and%20williams1.JPG" alt=""> Source: Roman and Williams  Good lighting can go a long way, adding warmth and intimacy to your home. On the other hand, bad lighting can be sterile and unflattering. Ambient light has come a long way from the “after 5” feel of the 60s den. Think about ditching the down lights, or at the very least, installing a dimmer.
</li>
</ol>
While we're firm believers in second chances, we do hope that some interior design trends never get their shot at redemption. See the five interior features of the 20th century that should never come back on the next page.
 The five designs we don't want to see again on the next page.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 FIVE DESIGN TRENDS WE NEVER WANT TO SEE AGAIN 
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MOUNTED TAXIDERMY For people who want their home to look like a hunting lodge. Great if you enjoy colonialism and cruelty.  <img src="/images/2014/06/13/mounted-taxidermy-june-13-one.jpg" alt=""> Photo courtesy of Orin Zebest/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>. 
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WHITE PAPER LANTERNS Flimsy, difficult to clean and easy to break. <img src="/images/2014/06/13/white-lantern-june-13-one.jpg" alt=""> Photo courtesy of Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>. 
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BEADED CURTAINS Faux crystal beads that get in your face = instant glamour (or so we thought) <img src="/images/2014/06/13/beaded-curtain-june-13-one.jpg" alt=""> Photo courtesy of Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>. 
</li>
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LAVA LAMPS Don't. <img src="/images/2014/06/13/lava-lamp-june-13-one.jpg" alt=""> Photo courtesy of Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>. 
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INFLATABLE FURNITURE Who can forget the noise that a plastic inflatable couch would make against sweaty knees? <img src="/images/2014/06/13/inflatable-furniture-june-13-one.jpg" alt=""> Photo courtesy of Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Don't call it a comeback: Five retro design trends that deserve to return

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A 1960s era modernist home in Melbourne’s eastern hills will go to auction this weekend.
The single storey home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-croydon+north-116962735" target="_blank">90 Richardson Street in Croydon North</a> bears all the hallmarks of 60s era design, with sprawling open plan entertaining areas and a full-length sun terrace. Set on a leafy 1,480 square metre block, the house has views to Mount Macedon and over the Yarra Valley.
Owners Rob Hauser and Ruth Barr are selling the home through PhilipWebb. General manager of sales Anthony Webb describes the home as a contemporary classic.
“Although the home was designed in the 1960s, the qualities of modernist architecture that it features have never been more relevant,” says Webb.
“Modernist homes such as this are all about function and form. This home offers a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor spaces, and with floor to ceiling sliding doors and windows throughout, it harnesses natural elements such as the sun and the breeze,” he says.
{qtube vid:=OL_GiAA7pQ8}
The house was designed by Australian architect Charles Duncan, a proponent of organic Wrightian architecture, inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. The home’s floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors are a classic characteristic of Wrightian architecture, unifying the landscape with the interior. There is also timber flooring, ceilings and timber panelled walls with exposed brick columns throughout.
Duncan was one of a number of young Melbourne architects who designed Wrightian style homes in the 1960s, including David Godsell, David Chancellor and Rex Patrick, Geoffrey Woodfall and Kevin Knight. Their Sydney counterparts included Adrian Snodgrass, who built the 1960s Point Piper home that was later sold to <a href="/news/jon-aisbitt-almost-drops-off-latest-sunday-times-richest-1000-list">former Goldman Sachs Australia boss Jon Aisbitt</a>.
In 1965, Duncan was awarded the Royal Australian Institute of Architect’s Single House award for the Williams House in Heidelberg.
The Croydon North home was built by Melbourne builders Fasham Johnson. It was not the last collaboration between Duncan and Fasham Johnson - Duncan designed two low energy display homes in Mills Parks and Taylors Lake in the 1980s that were constructed by Fasham Johnson.
The Duncan designed home is set to be auctioned on Saturday 14 June.
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Charles Duncan modernist home to go under the hammer

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One day, you might have the car collection of your dreams. But where will you put them all?
Last weekend an Adelaide home was <a href="/news/springfields-17-car-garage-trophy-mansion-sells-for-1-million-less">sold for $3.26 million at auction</a>. The house has five bedrooms, but more importantly, a 17 car garage. The expansive parking space comes with a home theatre, leading reported former owner George Nowak to say that the garage had “a Bat Cave style”.
After a Bat Cave of your own? Here are some of the most impressive garages in Australia (and the homes attached aren’t too bad either).
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/1x.jpg" alt="">
The 20 car garage pictured above sits below <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-sovereign+islands-115142531" target="_blank">a six bedroom, five bathroom home</a> in the beachside suburb of Sovereign Islands, at the northern end of the Gold Coast. The owner is clearly quite the motoring enthusiast, with another professional auto shop on the ground level with a hoist (pictured below).
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/1y.jpg" alt="">
This garage and its contemporary style home will set you back $4.95 million.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/2.jpg" alt="">
A three storey estate in Castle Cove on Sydney’s North Shore could put Wayne Manor to shame. The house sits on a 10,000 square metre waterfront plot, pictured above. Inside there’s plenty of room for Alfred, with three professional gourmet kitchens, ten bedrooms and thirteen bathrooms. The all important garage fits six cars, with another 10 car port spaces.
For those who need a dose of opulence as soon as they come in from work, look no further than <a href="/news/ridong-billionaire-riyu-li-buys-bellagio-la-villa-the-gold-coast-hinterland-mansion">Bellagio La Villa in the Gold Coast hinterland</a> (pictured below).
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/3x.jpg" alt="">
Soon to be home to billionaire Riyu Li, the garage (pictured below) features what look to be polished marble floors, arched windows and chandeliers for its possible periodic usage as a ballroom. Considering the merits of this particular garage, Property Observer’s Jonathan Chancellor thought the chandeliers were <a href="/expert-insights/investing/chandeliers-hanging-in-the-garage-he-said-she-said">“wasteful and unnecessary</a>".
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/3.jpg" alt="">
“Even the late Liberace, who was the king of gaudy over-the-top interior décor, didn’t hang crystal confections in the garage of his cheap Palm Springs home,” he wrote. Contrarian Margie disagreed, writing that they were “frivolous and fun”.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-terrey+hills-116005227" target="_blank">Angoraphora Lodge</a> in the Northern Sydney suburb of Terrey Hills was apparently inspired by the alpine lodges of Aspen. Set on 16,500 square metres of land, the home has six bedrooms and four bathrooms. There’s a separate two bedroom home on the estate which also houses two garages, fitting 10 cars (pictured below). Agent Shane Hutton of Ray White Terrey Hills writes that one of the garages “could easily accommodate a helicopter.”
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/4.jpg" alt="">
And what about the car enthusiasts who have somewhat less expansive collections?
Look no further than <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-glen+osmond-116849155" target="_blank">73 Sunnyside Road in Glen Osmond, South Australia</a>, pictured below.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/5x.jpg" alt="">
The current owner says that when designing her home, “it was all about the car”.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/5.jpg" alt="">
The motoring enthusiast, who has owned 160 cars, was given a special place for her vintage Porsche – right in the middle of her home. She’s expecting $890,000 to $950,000 for this floating apartment, designed by Damian Campagnaro.
 
For more automative intrigue, see <a href="/expert-insights/buying/deceptive-toorak-auction-aftermath-and-the-silver-mercedes-that-almost-got-away">Deceptive Toorak auction aftermath - and the silver Mercedes that almost got away</a>
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20 cars and counting: The best Bat Caves on the market

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Home buyers have distinctly different tastes, and very often different tastes to the vendor selling them their much-loved home. While differences in opinion over furniture and even window furnishings can be looked over, murals and colours remain contentious.
Murals, particularly those covering entire internal walls, are often beautiful. However, they’re also often much to do with personal choice – and your potential buyer may not appreciate the sheep you’ve painted through much of your lounge room.
Having explored the properties with murals that are currently on the market, it’s clear that there’s no consistency across the board in price range, area or artistic skill of the painter. Each case is going to be individual.
We also clearly remember<a href="/news/sa/lleyton-hewitt-s-west-lakes-mansion-in-adelaide-back-on-market-at-3-million"> Lleyton Hewitt’s mural next to his Adelaide property's pool</a> (pictured below), that divided readers and the Property Observer team.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/west%20lake%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
So what do you think – does it give the property an uplift and character, or should those looking to sell their house hit up their local hardware shop for a neutral colour shade?
This home, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-helensvale-116749295" target="_blank">3 Eildon Place, Helensvale</a> in Queensland (pictured below), has had a $26,000 price drop and is advertised for $439,000 negotiable. It’s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a number of great features – including enviable timber flooring and a lovely kitchen.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/helensville%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
It also features a Balinese mural in the enclosed entertaining area with a heavy focus on nature and green/blue hues (pictured below). Obviously the work of someone with much experience in painting, we don’t deny that it’s certainly exotic and might appeal to some. The rest of the house is fairly neutral.
For this reason, Property Observer thinks this home passes the mural test.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/helensville%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
Meanwhile, in Western Australia’s South Yunderup is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-south+yunderup-116717067" target="_blank">7 Banksia Terrace</a> (pictured below), asking $1,450,000.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20yunderup%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house features a “Rammed Earth Wall mural” by the Margaret River artist Lynne Tinley.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20yunderup%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
We adore this. It’s subtle, fits in with the theme of the room, and has the local fame aspect that we believe will attract the $1 million plus buyers. It also doesn’t make up the focal point of the room, even though your eye is somewhat drawn to it. The house itself is actually constructed of Rammed Earth, so it ties in beautifully and has a certain Australian flavour.
Careful attention has been given to the terracotta and brown colours and shape of the piece, so we certainly don’t think that a bucket of paint is warranted.
See over page for more
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In South Australia, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-sa-minlaton-2502952" target="_blank">Lot 52 of Leonard Court, Minlaton</a>, is up for sale. With four double bedrooms, this holiday-style home has us torn.
Clearly a well-loved space, with a huge blue-coloured mural on the living room hall (pictured below) – courtesy of the builders who have owned the home since it was built – we can’t help but feel that the colour choice makes the central area feel a bit cold, particularly with the tiles.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/milaton%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
The mural wraps all the way around the living/dining and into the kitchen.
This New South Wales home, for $675,000 at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-wooloweyah-109279301" target="_blank">171 Lakes Boulevard, Wooloweyah</a> (pictured below), is another we’re just not too sure on.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/wooloweyah%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
With not just one, but a number of murals, it can quickly become an overwhelming prospect.
The first, which hits you upon entrance is a sunset-over-a-lake mural. Another separate private entrance “features a wall length display of outback Australia including gumtrees, kookaburras &amp; kangaroos”.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/wooloweyah%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
While these might be passable, we definitely think that paint may have been needed to attend to the spa room, which has trees and other plants painted around it. The blind may have been a saving grace in breaking up the room, but it appears to be a floral-affair. We think this is a little overwhelming, although it may suit some.
Heading to South Perth is a particularly unusual mural, for the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-south+perth-116741759" target="_blank">$2,650,000+ 33 Hampden Street</a> (pictured below) five-bedroom, three-bathroom listing.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20perth%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
Through double doors in the “large, front facing activity room” is the solution to no ocean views – paint them. You can see the bright sky and blue painted ocean, plus beach and lighthouse, through the doors.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20perth%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
While it’s hard to tell from the photos, it’s actually not too garish and may actually make an attractive addition to a modern house that already has some aspects of a beachside theme.
In the one shot of the courtyard, from the side, it actually blends in very well.
Have a look at this Victorian <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/981-bet-bet-creek-road-bet-bet-maryborough/Property-Details-buy-residential-6597535" target="_blank">981 Bet Bet Creek Road</a>, Maryborough house. The five-bedroom, two-bathroom offering is on the market for $300,000.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/maryborough%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
We applaud the owner for having murals outside of the house – on the out buildings, with original outback murals by Daryl Boyd, who is a local artist.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/maryborough%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/maryborough%20june%206%20two.jpg" alt="">
These subtle, exciting pieces make the functional buildings far more interesting, and we doubt would put off a prospective buyer. We’re also thankful that the owner decided to leave the murals outside, with the internal home included stunning exposed beams, leadlight doors and a number of gorgeous features.
Then there's this modern offering, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-east+melbourne-117153267" target="_blank">11/102 Jolimont Road, East Melbourne</a> (pictured below). While we're not sure whether it's wall art from the clever home stagers, who appear to have done a fabulous job with this home, or actually painted on - we're in love with the mural-style art at the bed head. The apartment, expecting up to $800,000, really benefits from this modern addition. With a touch of whimsy, and clearly facing out onto the balcony - we can't think of many better examples of subtle murals that work so well.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/east%20melbourne%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
What do you think – should owners paint over their murals?
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Should you paint over that "artwork" before selling your home? Five examples of murals currently on the market

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Some 33 kilometres outside of Paris, in the town of Poissy, sits a true “design classic”, Villa Savoye. The work of seminal Swiss architect Le Corbusier, Villa Savoye is a constructed experiment, a manifesto to <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-modernism-24534" target="_blank">modernism</a>.
Designed and built between 1929 and 1931, the house represents one of the first constructions of modern architecture, redefining classical elements to respond to technological advances and the changing needs of the 20th century. It was a complete departure from the traditional architecture of the time.
This house is more than simply a modern take on a French country house – it was an opportunity to apply a standardised design system which would ultimately produce what Le Corbusier defined as a “Machine for Living”. Like a car and its parts, where each component is necessary to its function, the house would work as efficiently as possible.
In 1926, Le Corbusier published a manifesto entitled <a href="https://www.learn.columbia.edu/courses/arch20/pdf/art_hum_reading_52.pdf" target="_blank">Five Points Towards a New Architecture</a> in which he defined a set of universal principles that could standardise an architectural approach, allowing for a model of architecture that could be reformulated to respond to different requirements such as location and climate.
Villa Savoye became the first test site for these principles.
Le Corbusier’s five points of architecture
The first principle, a grid of “pilotis”, French for a post or column, replaced the typical load-bearing wall which produced a “free plan”; the second principle, allowing for flexibility in wall placement. A “free façade,” the third principle, separated the structure (the pilotis) from the façade of the building, allowing for a continuous, uninterrupted horizontal “ribbon window,” principle four. The fifth principle, a “roof garden” enclosed by a screen, framed the landscape while allowing light to enter the house.
These five principles, which have since become part of a universal architectural language, were reinterpreted and defined by the context. In the case of Villa Savoye, this included a meadow enclosed by trees with views orientating north and west.
A white cubic volume, stripped of any unnecessary ornamentation, is elevated over the centre of the meadow as if an alien ship is about to land. The domestic activities are literally lifted off the ground, separated from the outside world.
The ground level is organised with machine precision, determined by the turning capability of a car, which carves out the ground’s interior volume. This space is arranged to control the sequence of movements through the house; a stair that creates direct vertical connections and a ramp generating a gradual unfolding procession into the house which synthesises the three levels of the villa and produces direct relationships between inside and outside.
Ribbon windows frame views, almost like a camera obscura, bringing the outside context of the house inside. A roof garden, which replaces the exterior space taken over by the mass of the building, allows light to penetrate all spaces of the house.
Article continues on next page. Please click. below.
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A trailblazer
Distinctly ahead of its time, Villa Savoye has become great inspiration for architects and designers and many of the ideas and concepts have evolved and been imitated by others. Le Corbusier foresaw material innovation with the introduction of industrial materials. Previously, houses were perceived as solid and heavy structures where stone, timber and bricks were commonly used.
Conversely, Le Corbusier drew influence from the machine age, inspired by his fascination with steamships. He introduced steel, glass and reinforced concrete, a shift away from what he saw as impractical materials and methods of the time. Villa Savoye is constructed from reinforced concrete and masonry units. White plaster unifies the house and hides the fact that individual pre-fabricated parts were used to construct the villa.
The assembly of standard components saw a progressive rise for pre-fabrication in architecture, which still has major influence on the practice today. The move towards a more standardised process of forming and making has been further informed by current technological advances, including laser cutters, 3D printers and robots.
These technologies have facilitated the evolution of pre-fabrication, from furniture to building scale. Le Corbusier’s ideas have endured, still influencing efficiency and innovation in the 21st century.
Villa Savoye represents one of the most significant architectural projects constructed. The people at LEGO, one of the world’s most successful brands agree, adding it to their “<a href="https://theconversation.com/block-party-how-architecture-helped-rebuild-lego-18604" target="_blank">architecture series</a>”, in good company with the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water and 14 other iconic buildings around the world.
Villa Savoye’s basic principles transcend time and scale. They have been incorporated into a single family home, as demonstrated by the villa, but have been just as easily applied to large-scale residential buildings such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit%C3%A9_d'Habitation" target="_blank">Unité d'Habitation</a> in Marseille, France.
Even after 85 years, this timeless icon of architecture is a model that is still central to architectural and spatial thinking.
William Feuerman is course director (B Des Arch), senior lecturer, school of architecture at University of Technology, Sydney.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">The Conversation</a>. 
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.
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jake-cSmGT7VXVf

Sublime design: Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye

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Orb House in Kew, the noteworthy Bojan Simic Architecture-designed contemporary home has been listed for sale through Kay &amp; Burton agents Sam Wilkinson and Scott Patterson.
Set high on the hill in Kew, it was built during 2009 by WAF Constructions on its 582 square metres block at <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/52a-molesworth-street-kew/Property-Details-buy-residential-7199097" target="_blank">52a Molesworth Street</a>.
It is four bedrooms and five bathrooms. Its facade is a huge wall of glass. There is a giant circle cut-out on the wall behind and a staircase forming an exaggerated zigzag below. 
A curved central spine wall separates the house into two zones: the communal living areas within the curved rim and then its bedroom sleeping zone is positioned beyond.
A circular cut-out in the pergola roof continues the orb theme, as does a dome on its top.
There is a central courtyard model, inspired by dwellings of ancient Pompeii.
The office space on the mezzanine level overlooks a two-storey internal void with views to Studley Park through dramatic two-storey glass curtain walls. 
It was shortlisted for the Australian Institute of Architects 2010 Victorian Awards.
It first sold for $5 million in early 2011 through Wilkinson.
Offers are due by June 30.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Orb House, Kew architectural gem listed for sale

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GUEST OBSERVATION
As the demand for greener and cooler cities increases, new “green infrastructure” technologies, such as green roofs and walls, are coming to the fore. But what are they?
Put simply, green roofs and walls are landscaped building surfaces. Australia has been relatively slow on the uptake of this movement, with much of the available expertise, systems and materials based in the northern hemisphere.
Earlier this year saw the release of <a href="https://www.growinggreenguide.org/" target="_blank">Growing Green Guide</a>: a free guide to green roofs, walls and facades in Victoria – a collaborative local and state government project, which I contributed to.
And at the <a href="https://melbflowershow.com.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show</a> there was a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.683709495010102.1073741855.230588870322169&amp;type=1" target="_blank">pop-up garden display</a> by the <a href="https://www.land-environment.unimelb.edu.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne School of Land and Environment</a> demonstrating many of the ideas and techniques behind green infrastructure.
Here’s a snapshot and some important design factors.
The impact of green infrastructure
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/43706/area14mp/cjsp4wft-1394603337.jpg"><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/43706/width237/cjsp4wft-1394603337.jpg" alt=""></a>
A trellis-based facade in Copenhagen, Denmark. John Rayner
Green roofs, as mentioned already, are a landscape constructed on a roof and include a range of different types. They can be a small, container beds two metres deep supporting trees and shrubs, or lightweight configurations of only a few centimetres in depth and more than a hectare in size covered in succulent and herbaceous vegetation.
Green walls fall into two very different types. Living walls support plants through irrigated, vertical containers or felt-based structures fixed to a wall surface. Green facades use climbing plants to provide green coverage over a wall, either directly on the building surface or more commonly using a steel trellis or cable system, with plants grown in-ground or in containers that are supported across the building facade.
The evidence of benefits associated with green roofs and walls is increasing as research efforts (from the <a href="https://www.hrt.msu.edu/greenroof/" target="_blank">US</a>, <a href="https://www.thegreenroofcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">UK</a> and <a href="https://land-environment.unimelb.edu.au/research/research-groups/green-infrastructure-research-group/" target="_blank">Australia</a>) expand across the globe. Green roofs have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378778810001453" target="_blank">been shown</a> in a number of studies to reduce building energy budgets, slightly reducing winter heating costs but providing more significant reductions to summer cooling.
A <a href="https://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/city_planning/zoning__environment/files/pdf/chapter4_2_6.pdf" target="_blank">modelling study</a> in Toronto on the implementation of green roofs across low-rise, flat roofs greater than 350 square-metres concluded that ambient air temperatures across the city could be reduced by up to 2C.
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/44246/area14mp/m3tnm6h5-1395194065.jpg"><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/44246/width668/m3tnm6h5-1395194065.jpg" alt=""></a>
Millenium Park, Chicago. John Rayner
The benefits of retaining stormwater on green roofs are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204605000496">well established</a> and tend to form the basis of many city <a href="https://myplantconnection.com/green-roofs-legislation.php">green roofs tax</a> or incentive schemes, particularly in North America.
Green roofs act like a sponge on a roof, absorbing and storing rainfall and allowing re-use form plants, in turn reducing urban water run-off. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/jeq/abstracts/34/3/1036">One study</a> involving a green roof with a 60mm deep substrate (soil substitute) showed rainfall retention of almost 83%.
Green roofs and walls have been shown to increase property values, partly because people like to view them, but more because they provide more recreational and amenity uses. In one <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12076-010-0046-4">New York study</a> rentals were shown to be 16% higher in buildings with green roofs compared to those without.
The <a href="https://www.greenroofs.org/index.php/resources/2012-green-roof-industry-survey">dramatic growth</a> in green roofs and walls across the US over recent years, despite generally poor economic conditions, suggests demand for these installations will continue.
Why not try this at home?
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/43707/area14mp/2rdj5fd7-1394603510.jpg"><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/43707/width237/2rdj5fd7-1394603510.jpg" alt=""></a>
Chicago Cultural Centre extensive green roof. John Raynor
Naturally, green roofs and walls need to be planned and designed properly to ensure they are successful. The most significant issue to consider is weight loading. A roof or wall must have the structural capacity for the mass of a green roof, wall or facade installation – both at construction and over time.
Not all plants will succeed on the sometimes hostile and elevated environment of a roof or wall; and vegetation growth is strongly limited by the depth, available volume, air, water, nutrition and environmental conditions present at the site.
Low growing succulents, such as <a href="https://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/images/2012_05/sedum-laconicum-northeast-4.jpg">sedums</a>, and drought-tolerant perennials including many Australian plants, are widely used because of these constraints.
Waterproofing is another key issue and most structures will require additional specialised treatments to ensure the integrity of the structure is not compromised by the installation. Excess water will need to be drained away, particularly from green roofs.
Most modern systems, such as those produced by German green-roof company <a href="https://www.zinco-greenroof.com/EN/greenroof_systems/index.php">Zinco</a>, incorporate lightweight plastic drainage cells to provide this outcome.
<a href="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/44344/area14mp/s34t4mbm-1395270896.jpg"><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/44344/width668/s34t4mbm-1395270896.jpg" alt=""></a>
The High Line in Manhattan, New York City at West 20th Street. Wikimedia Commons
While the <a href="https://www.growinggreenguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/growing_green_guide_ebook_130214.pdf" target="_blank">Growing Green Guide</a> was written to increase local understanding and skills amongst architectural and design professionals in Melbourne, it is also relevant to a wider Australian audience.
Who knows? Australia might even have its own version of New York’s aerial greenway <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City">High Line</a> one day.
John Rayner is senior lecturer in urban horticulture at the University of Melbourne.
John Rayner receives funding from the Australian and Victorian governments, the City of Melbourne and Melbourne Water and is affiliated with Green Roofs Australasia. He helped to write the 'Growing Green Guide' and is involved in the green infrastrucure display at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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Green roofs and walls – a growth area in urban design

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The House Rules contestants Adam and Lisa wanted wallpaper.
But they got more than they bargained for, especially with the controversial choice of bottle top wallpaper in the dining room which seriously clashed the rest of the house.
Today, our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok discuss wallpaper - and while they don’t mind the odd layer, they certainly don’t favour wallpapering the whole house. 
HE SAID:<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="float: right;">
I’m okay with wallpaper making a statement, but only if used sparingly or as a feature on one wall.  
Generally, wallpaper works best in rooms needing a lift, perhaps a poky second bedroom or a plain bathroom - such as the delightful Vivienne Westwood wallpaper in a bathroom of the Castlecrag mid-century home (pictured below). The property was sold by interior designer Tina De Salis and her husband Edward for $3.01 million in 2012<a href="https://www.randw.com.au/506596/" target="_blank"> through Mark O'Brien of Richardson &amp; Wrench Castlecrag &amp; Northbridge</a>. 
 <img src="/images/2014/05/30/castlecrag-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
Wallpaper took off in a big way during the 1920s. In this 'Golden Age of Wallpaper', more than 400 million rolls were sold as an affordable and mass-produced alternative to expensive silk and tapestry wall coverings.  
These days, snazzy wallpapers can be an inexpensive solution for jazzing up an original Art Deco bathroom – my preference is the Florence Broadhurst Cockatoos design in black and white (pictured below).
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Florence-Broadhurst-Wallpaper-Black-Cockatoo-design-wall-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
The Sydney designer Greg Natale is a strong advocate for Florence Broadhurst wallpapers which initially shot to prominence during the 1960s and 1970s when used by leading decorators of the day, including the late design doyen, Leslie Walford.  
Featuring rich colours, metallic finishes and vigorous designs, the hand screen-printed wallpaper collection was revived during 1990s by David and Helen Lennie, owners of Signature Prints, who drove the business exponentially while establishing the Florence Broadhurst name internationally. 
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Florence-Broadhurst-in-Art-Deco-Bathroom-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
While Natale’s Hollywood-style interiors have been splashed across the pages of interiors magazines including Belle, his distinctive decorating style also featured in Inner West Courier real estate pages during late 2012 when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-five+dock-111968655" target="_blank">Laing + Simmons Drummoyne agent Frank Colacicco was marketing</a> a Five Dock house that subsequently sold for $1.34 million. Love the art deco tiles (above) in the bathroom, but the wallpaper is a little over the top. Ditto the wallpapered bedroom (below) doesn't appeal to me, cushions, bedhead and side tables included.
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Florence-Broadhurst-wallpaper-in-Five-Dock-house-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
For Margie Blok's opinion click through to the next page below.
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<img src="/images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" style="float: left;">SHE SAID:
In my book, the old adage of “less is more” should be heeded when using wallpaper – and in one or two rooms only.
If House Rules contestants, Lisa and Adam, had mentioned “subtle and calm” instead of “wow statement in every room”, then the renovation of their home could have ended up without that nightmare reveal of clashing wallpapers in the open-plan living and dining areas. 
 <img src="/images/2014/05/30/HOUSE%20RULES%20BOTTLETOP%20WALLPAPER.jpg" alt="">
Photo courtesy of Channel 7.
When it comes to choosing wallpaper, DIY renovators should exercise restraint and err on the side of caution, rather than express gaudy evidence of their personal taste in every room. 
Wallpaper should be used as part of a fundamental framework of an overall decorative scheme. It should form the background of a room, not the foreground. For subtle sophistication and a visually rich effect, opt for classic wallpapers with a strié or grasscloth finish.
Given the extraordinary range of wallpapers on the market, it can be confusing to pick the right style and shade for a particular room. While you might lust after a Florence Broadhurst wallpaper spotted in a magazine or admire the wallpaper in a Kit Kemp-designed Firmdale hotel in London, or, it doesn’t mean these will work well in your home. 
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Kit%20Kemp%20desinged%20room%20at%20The%20Dorset%20Hotel%20London.jpg" alt="">
If you’re uncertain about the type of wallpaper to use, peruse the <a href="https://www.houzz.com" target="_blank">Houzz website</a> - it’s a terrific visual springboard for decorative and architectural ideas. 
Or engage an interior designer to sort it out for you – especially if you don’t have the time and energy to do the choosing, measuring and ordering associated with wallpapering and redecorating.
OTHER HE SAID/SHE SAID COLUMNS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN:
<a href="/expert-insights/building/designer-chicken-coops-for-the-fussiest-of-fowls-he-said-she-said">Designer chicken coops for the fussiest of fowls: He Said/She Said</a>
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/a-frame-houses-do-they-work-he-said-she-said">A-Frame houses, do they work? He Said/She Said</a>
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/do-australian-homes-need-the-formal-dining-room-he-said-she-said">Do Australian homes need the formal dining room? He Said/She Said</a>
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The wallpaper house rules in home decorating: He Said/She Said

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Once you’ve made the decision to build a new home, and that itself is an exciting decision, the next choice is finding the right home design.
With many builders and designs out there, it can become overwhelming and confusing.
<ol>
<li>
How long do you plan to live there? The first question you need to identify is the timeframe; how long do you plan to live in the home? If your plan is short-term, you’ll learn very quickly what works well, what you like, and what you don’t like, so next time you can learn from the experience and make the design better to suit your requirements. If you’re designing your forever home, you’ll want to establish the following points. 
</li>
<li>
Children  The age and number of children will determine many factors. In addition to the number of bedrooms, parents of young children might want a rumpus room for the kids to play in, while teenage children might require a quiet space away from living areas to study. You can ‘zone’ the kids are of the home, or have a ‘kids wing’. This enables you to close doors to hide the mess or dull the noise. <img src="/images/2014/05/23/Kids%20wing.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> 
</li>
<li>
Location of bedrooms  Do you want the master bedroom at the front of the home or at the rear? Do you want your room to be close to the kids? You’ll need to think about the proximity of bedrooms to the bathroom, laundry noise, living room noise and access to your room. 
</li>
<li>
Versatile design  This is a home that will adapt as you need it to. Using the above example, a spare room can be used as a rumpus and converted into a study as the kids get older. By the time your children are young adults (being realistic, kids are staying at home a lot longer these days) it can be set up as a separate living room. 
</li>
<li>
Lifestyle  Depending on your lifestyle to what features you have in the home. If you’re avid movie fans, you might consider a home theatre, or if you love entertaining, an alfresco or formal lounge could be ideal. If you run a business from home, a home office located near the entry would be perfect. <img src="/images/2014/05/23/Alfresco.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> 
</li>
<li>
Kitchen  Something you need to consider before finalising your kitchen is the infamous kitchen work triangle. The triangle is made up of the distance between the cooktop, sink and refrigerator. These three elements need to be close together, but not too close. Another thing you need to consider with your kitchen design is where you will store everything. A good way to work through it is to imaging dishing up dinner, unloading the dishwasher and baking a cake.  <img src="/images/2014/05/23/Kitchen.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> 
</li>
<li>
Block of land Your house must be suited to the block of land. If you have a narrow inner city allotment, your options are more restricted compared to a rural acreage block. In addition, if the land has a slope, you may need a split-level design. Every land estate has different design requirements; in some areas your front door must be set in front of your garage. 
</li>
<li>
Backyard  Depending on what you would like to achieve with a backyard will impact the size of the block of land you need and the size of the home. Keen gardeners, entertainers or people with pets may want a larger backyard than those who don’t spend much time outdoors. 
</li>
<li>
Think about the furniture you currently own  Many people like the look of a home, however when it comes to moving they realise there isn’t a place for their antique hall table or the room configuration doesn’t allow room for their couch. Imagine where everything you currently own will go. <img src="/images/2014/05/23/Furniture.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> 
</li>
<li>
Storage Builders and designers are very savvy when it comes to incorporating storage into your home. There is no wasted space with every nook and cranny being used wisely. You may consider extending the garage to allow extra room for storing bicycles or a boat. You also may want to add extra storage inside your home for toys, linen or coats. 
</li>
<li>
Study/computer nook  If you don’t want a complete study, but you still want somewhere to store your computer or charge your laptop, a study/computer nook is a great compromise. It is efficient use of space and provides the perfect place to store all your electronic devices and mail.  <img src="/images/2014/05/23/Study%20nook.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> 
</li>
<li>Don’t lose sight of the goal</li>
</ol>
Keep referring back to why you’re moving in the first place. If your reason for moving was to downsize, make sure you don’t get caught up in the design process and end up with a bigger home than you started with.
Similarly, if it’s an investment, consider the versatility of the home to suit a wide audience, so remember your audience and don’t take over with ‘this is what I would want’.
Natalie O’Shea is a designer at <a href="https://hotondo.com.au/" target="_blank">Hotondo Homes </a>and has been designing homes for over 15 years. Hotondo Homes is an Australian owned family business that was established in 1979.
Images courtesy of Hotondo Homes.
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12 tips to help choose the perfect home design

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Workplace design and facilities sit just behind salary as key influences on a candidate’s choice of workplace, according to research from design firm HASSELL and Empirica Research.
When you’re expecting someone to spend more than forty hours a week in an office, that office had better be good. If it’s good enough, some workers may even be willing to accept a lower salary. In HASSELL and Empirca Research’s survey, 24% of candidates reported that they would be likely to accept lower pay than they currently received if the new position came with appealing workplace facilities and culture. Appealing technology bumped that proportion up to 37%.
Pay aside, the survey found that providing an appealing workplace doubled the attractiveness of an employer to candidates, all other variables held constant. While providing facilities like gyms, childcare and outdoor spaces were found to be the most effective way of boosting a workplace’s appeal, design was found to count too.  ‘Creative, modern’ workplace design increased an organisation’s attractiveness to the prospective candidates by three times over ‘conservative, corporate’ workplace design.
<img src="/images/2014/05/28/hub%20melbourne.jpg" alt="">
Hub Melbourne. Photograph by Dianna Snape.
Though much of this information will come as no surprise to those in the architecture and design industries, HASSELL principal Steve Coster says that the empirical data will go a long way in convincing employers about the importance of design.
“There are people who are converted to the idea that workplace is worth spending time and money and effort on, and there are people who need more convincing. And one of the challenges is that we often don’t have rigorous substantiation data to make our argument,” he says.
However, he says that employers are starting to realise the benefits of quality workplaces.
“I think that’s definitely a generally higher acceptance now of the opportunity that workplace represents than there was 10 years ago, when I started working in workplace strategy type work,” says Coster.
“The more people see it and the more they experience good workplaces, the more they realise what’s possible. The biggest barrier is people not knowing what they don’t know, and not realising what a workplace can be like, and that it doesn’t have to be awful – it can actually be quite a good place to be if it’s done well.”
Coster often cites SA Water House as an example where workplace design has influenced the organisation’s culture and cut costs. HASSELL designed the over 20,000 square metre building, which included office spaces and laboratories.
 <img src="/images/2014/05/28/sa%20water%201.png" alt="">
SA Water House. Photograph by Matthew Sleeth.
“They had quite a broad cultural agenda to change the kind of organisation that they were,” says Coster.
“One of the symptoms they said would reflect progress was their attractiveness to a new generation of employees. So that was a KPI for the shift they were trying to make. And from a couple of years before they moved into their new workplace until a couple of years after, they went from less than 20 graduate applications a year to getting more than 400 applications a year.”
With mining and engineering companies in Adelaide attracting the majority of engineering graduates, the influx of interest in SA Water from new candidates was a “strategically important issue,” says Coster.
 <img src="/images/2014/05/28/sa%20water%202.png" alt="">
SA Water House. Photograph by Matthew Sleeth.
But there was also an improvement in retention and productivity of the existing workforce.
“They had a reduction in sick days by one day per person per year. With nearly 1000 employees, matter what they do, that’s 1000 days of productivity that they didn’t get before.” Meanwhile, employee turnover reduced from 10% to 8%, and graduate, trainee and apprentice retention increased from 81% to 91%.
Another example of the influence on workplace culture and design on staff retention is Hub Australia. The Hub, working on a membership basis, charges freelancers, entrepreneurs and creative to use their office spaces. Their Australian spaces were designed by HASSELL. Coster says that the Hub’s members’ willingness to pay to work there is in some ways “the ultimate test of attractiveness.”
<img src="/images/2014/05/28/hub%20sydney.jpg" alt="">
Hub Sydney. Photograph by Nathan Dyer.
“How many organisations’ employees would pay for the right to use their work place? What would you provide differently if you had to encourage people to come so much that they would pay for it – because it would have to be different to your usual cubical work station,” he says.
<img src="/images/2014/05/28/hub%20sydney2.jpg" alt="">
Hub Sydney. Photograph by Nathan Dyer.
HASSELL uses the “Walking the talk” model by Caroline Taylor to analyse and describe workplace culture.
“She talks about culture being made up of the systems, symbols and behaviours that are repeated in an organisation over time,” says Coster. The three dimensions make up a business’s system of working.
“They show you what’s valued, they show you what the priorities are,” he says.
 “The physical workplace is an opportunity to affect all three of those channels, in a very underlying, pervasive, almost passive, background sort of way.” Coster notes the classic boss workplace stakeout, in the corner office rather than sitting with the team.
"That’s a highly symbolic message about the kind of culture you want to create. And if you think about what those messages are and what kind of messages you want to enforce or eliminate; what kind of systems you want to build in and which ones you want to get rid of, you can reinforce all of that through your physical environment." 
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