<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

<html><body>
Peak industry body Urban Taskforce Australia (UTA) last week went on the offensive, criticising aspects of Sydney's planning system which it believes leads to dull apartment design.

Far from the international design competitions which define many of inner Sydney's landmark towers, the criticism was levelled at many of greater Sydney's municipal councils 

At a recent forum dubbed Innovative Apartments, UTA's sentiment was that of disappointment in Sydney's 'tick a box' planning system. UTA maintains that the rigidity and increased regulations governing the design of apartment buildings has stymied innovative design outcomes.

UTA CEO Chris Johnson said in a pointed media release:

<blockquote>
Over the last decade the government rules and guides for the design of apartment buildings has become more complex, leading to a tick a box planning assessment process that is leading to less innovation and design diversity.

At a recent Urban Taskforce forum on how to balance regulation and innovation in the design of apartment buildings the Mayor of Burwood, John Faker, called for more innovation and diversity in design. Mark Raggett of Melbourne architects ARM Architecture demonstrated how a strong culture of architecture in Melbourne has made innovative design the accepted way to design apartment buildings.

The debate was timely as a growing negative attitude from community groups about apartments seems to be partly based on the dull look of many apartments that all look the same.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image54_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A selection of Burwood apartment projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="470" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image54_11.jpg?itok=a-xAvlwk" title="A selection of Burwood apartment projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A selection of Burwood apartment projects</figcaption></figure>UTA makes note of the excessive number of controls and guidelines in place, plus as many as 25 specialist reports required by most councils that must demonstrate compliance prior to an application gaining approval.

Consequently the onus has shifted away from premier design outcomes to one of appeasement.

Architects at the Innovative Apartments forum made note that apartment design was being driven by an excessive number of rules which has neagted merit based assessment, with one unnamed architect going as far as to say that the rigorous approvals process was ‘taking away the soul of Sydney’.

Acting NSW Government Architect, Olivia Hyde, who also presented the the forum, outlining the NSW Government’s focus on design excellence through a number of publications, policies and design review processes. Hyde also noted that many councils were using guides as rules despite government documents saying this should not be the case.

UTA's emphasis on design would see "a special design excellence approval path that would bypasses the excessive number of rules that are forcing low common dominator designs rather than encouraging innovative solutions through merit assessment.

The state government must establish a pathway for innovative apartment building design that local councils can use to enrich their neighbourhoods.”

<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/image55_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="ARM Architecture's Orbis has been identified as a design benchmark"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image55_13.jpg?itok=R8aH0v5h" title="ARM Architecture's Orbis has been identified as a design benchmark" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>ARM Architecture's Orbis has been identified as a design benchmark</figcaption></figure>Lead image: Sydney Aerial Photography
</body></html>

silvermb

Urban Taskforce labels Sydney's apartment aesthetic as dull

<html><body>
Mermaid Beach-based BDA Architecture continues to assume a greater presence in the Apartments.com.au Project Database.

On the back of Broadbeach's <a href="/buildings/infinity-33-surf-parade-broadbeach">33 Surf Parade</a> which was <a href="/news/bassar-group-to-test-broadbeachs-luxury-apartment-market-depth">profiled during September</a> as one of Gold Coast's elite apartment towers in waiting, two further apartment developments have been lodged with City of Gold Coast in recent days. The applications cover sites in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

In addition to affirming BDA Architecture's dominant position as the architect of choice on the Gold Coast, the latest applications are also a tick of confidence in resilience of the Gold Coast apartment market.

<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/image63_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="2763 Gold Coast Highway. Image: BDA Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="295" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image63_10.jpg?itok=B-n1oxfk" title="2763 Gold Coast Highway. Image: BDA Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>2763 Gold Coast Highway. Image: BDA Architecture</figcaption></figure>33 Surf Parade aside, The Spot as it has been labelled at 2763 Gold Coast Highway is the second Broadbeach application designed by BDA Architecture and submitted for approval in a matter of days. For Shintaku Australia Pty Ltd, the corner 2,075 square metre site is expected to include apartments and a mini restaurant hub.

360 square metres of ground floor space is spread across three separate restaurant spaces, each of which is framed by distinctive ribbed timber internal spaces.

56 apartments veiled by a distinctive facade sit above the active ground floor. The mix consists of 9 single, 27 double and 20 triple bedroom apartments are supplemented by a gym and yoga space.

In adjoining Surfers Paradise BDA Architecture is responsible for the design of 4 Holborow Close. For Advance Development and Investment Pty Ltd, the mid-rise apartment building has absolute frontage to Nerang River, and this is reflected in the apartment mix. 

Sitting within the Gold Coast Light Rail Urban Renewal Area, the site is earmarked for 27 two bedroom apartments sit beneath a four bedroom penthouse. 324 square metres of communal open space facilities are included, taking advantage of the its riverfront location.

<blockquote>
The building features a traditional architectural treatment of a ‘base’, a ‘middle’ and a ‘top’: Tower Base The tower is suspended over two dramatic angled frames at the entry/recreation deck level; so that the tower itself appears suspended or ‘floating’ above ground.

Tower (‘Middle’) Architecture The tower itself is strongly articulated with vertical planes on the northern and southern elevations, east and western faces feature stronger horizontal treatments with full height glazing and horizontal sun-shading. Tower ‘Cap’ The building is capped with soaring cantilevered roof elements which provide a lightness to the built form, and a separation to the massing of the tower itself.

BDA Architecture
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image57_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="4 Holborow Close. Image: BDA Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="333" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image57_8.jpg?itok=QdwWOrzf" title="4 Holborow Close. Image: BDA Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>4 Holborow Close. Image: BDA Architecture</figcaption></figure>The addition of 4 Holborow Close, 2763 Gold Coast Highway and 33 Surf Parade during September has seen BDA Architecture's current project count within the Apartments.com.au Project Database expand to 28 active apartment projects.

Whilst not an absolute count, the 28 current projects are reflective of BDA Architecture's strength on the Gold Coast apartment design market. This equates to almost one in every four projects on the Gold Coast being design by the practice.

Of the active projects on the Gold Coast, Mermaid Beach's <a href="/buildings/mali-residences-4-6-alexandra-avenue-mermaid-beach">Mali Residences</a> is a stand out design, as are <a href="/new-apartments/florian-surfers-paradise-42-monaco-street-surfers-paradise">Edge Monaco</a> and <a href="/buildings/magnoli-apartments-7-nineteenth-avenue-palm-beach">Magnolia Apartments</a>.

<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/image70_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A selection of current BDA Architecture projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="303" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image70_13.jpg?itok=wcnUp4kP" title="A selection of current BDA Architecture projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A selection of current BDA Architecture projects</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

BDA Architecture strengthens its Project Database presence with new residential applications

<html><body>
Brisbane’s largest integrated CBD development continues to take shape at 300 George Street.

Backed by Shayher Group and being built by Multiplex, the development consists of three towers containing residential apartments, commercial office space and what is now the first 5-star hotel to open in Queensland’s capital in more than 20 years. Overseen by parent company Marriott International, W Brisbane Hotel is open for business and includes 312 guest rooms.

The importance of the chic hotel brand's arrival in Brisbane was not lost on the development team. Along with project architects ZENX International and DBI Architects, Melbourne-based Studio Ongarato were enlisted to provide W Brisbane with a unique, and arguably quirky identity.

Having already worked on other W branded hotels such as W Shanghai, Studio Ongarato was already in the position of understanding and delivering on W’s unique brand of playful luxury.

<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/image94_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="W Brisbane's reception area. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="346" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image94_5.jpg?itok=0EH40kEJ" title="W Brisbane's reception area. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>W Brisbane's reception area. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>Co-founder Fabio Ongarato explains "Our first narrative-led hotel was for the W Hong Kong back in 2010. Using narrative at that time was uncommon. It successfully injected greater vibrancy into the brand and rewrote the rulebook for narrative-led hotel design.

It also successfully set the tone for all the W hotels since."

In this regard four Brisbane-inspired sub-narratives were created for W Brisbane by Studio Ongarato. The implementation of bold and immersive environmental design narratives is an emerging trend in the hotel and hospitality space, but taken to the enth degree within W Brisbane.

On the wider aspect of providing a story or direction for hotel guests, Ongarato says "It’s important for design to tell meaningful stories that customers, users and guests can respond to. Defining and building a thematic framework is the first step for holistic and narrative-driven design to take shape.

A brand foundation enhances a guest’s experience by encouraging them to become more aware and engaged with their environment. It offers a world within a world for experience hunters but ultimately it aims to engage, delight and transport.”

<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/image92_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Pool area backdrop. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image92_7.jpg?itok=t3QQHdSb" title="Pool area backdrop. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Pool area backdrop. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>Also playing a hand in W Brisbane's interior expression was Ronnen Goren, who alongside Ongarato has been at the forefront of the studio for the past 25 years. The long standing partnership with W Hotels flows from the ability to marry unique design outcomes with commercial objectives.

“Studio Ongarato’s engagement with W Brisbane strengthens the design studio’s relationship with a truly international brand, showcasing our ability to interpret myriad social and cultural contexts as design outcomes, imbuing the W brand with a sense of place and personality” says Goren. Guest rooms aside, areas that received the Studio Ongarato touch included communal zones such as the dining room, bar, pool, spa and yoga facility.

The main narrative within W Brisbane centres around A River Dreaming, a theme developed by Nic Graham and Associates. This is a nod to the indigenous Turrbal people which sees the (Brisbane) river as the giver of life.

Thereafter Studio Ongarato conceived four sub-narratives: Native Allure, Tropical Eden, Brisvegas and Dark Paradise. How they manifest themselves via W Brisbane's interiors is a subjective matter, but Studio Ongarato hope the interplay of ideas creates a "tribal meets pop hybrid personality that electrifies in its many incarnations."

<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/image95_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Typical bedroom design feature. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image95_6.jpg?itok=ut4WyYW2" title="Typical bedroom design feature. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Typical bedroom design feature. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>Fabio Ongarato says “For W Brisbane we looked at the W brand DNA, which is bold, witty and shows a lust for life. And we studied the context of the site – its physical, social and historical parameters.

We looked carefully at many aspects of the Brisbane identity to create our themes. Taking ownership of that originally derogative nickname Brisvegas, Brisbanites are celebrating their tongue-in-cheek persona. From giant fruit landmarks to slogans, slang, stubby shorts and caftans, we deeply absorbed the Queensland vernacular to create our design narratives.”

Whilst W Brisbane remains the nation's sole W branded outlet for now, construction continues on both new Sydney and Melbourne locations. Sydney's The Ribbon will host 402 hotel rooms upon its completion next year whilst <a href="/buildings/collins-arch-447-collins-street-melbourne">Collins Arch will see 294 rooms</a> under the W Melbourne banner.

<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/image96_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Common area hallway. Image: Justin Alexander"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image96_2.jpg?itok=Y1qI2nA6" title="Common area hallway. Image: Justin Alexander" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Common area hallway. Image: Justin Alexander</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

Profiling Studio Ongarato's quirky and incredible W Brisbane interior designs

<html><body>
Radiology professional turner property developer is perhaps not the most trodden career path, yet it has influenced a new apartment development designed with a holistic approach.

Health, happiness and family living are at the core of <a href="/buildings/no-71-71-station-street-fairfield">Fairfield's No.71 station Street</a>. 32 year old developer Vincent Sun who heads Osten has left his medical career behind and is about to launch the development which consists of 13 oversized apartments.

<a href="/architects/cheah-saw-architecture">Cheah Saw Architecture</a> were brought on for design duties; Eugene Cheah was formerly with <a href="/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a> and is in part responsible for luxury apartment developments such as <a href="/buildings/35-spring-street-melbourne">35 Spring Street</a>. Under the Cheah Saw Architecture guise, both practice and developer now are pursuing a string of modestly sized yet highly considered residential projects across Melbourne.

<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/image174_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Cheah Saw Architecture's exterior expression"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="749" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image174_1.jpg?itok=j3qnEvBD" title="Cheah Saw Architecture's exterior expression" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Cheah Saw Architecture's exterior expression</figcaption></figure>Key to the common stance taken by the pair is the want to design residences with space, light and nature as necessities.

Vincent Sun's stance on design stems from the belief "that we only have one life so we have to enjoy it and share it.” The idea of holistic wellness through design grew upon the now developer during his previous profession, spurned by long hours and excessive time away from family.

“We cannot compromise a home, I am focused on trying to make a better life, and home is the place where the majority of our memories happen. This is so important to us at Osten and we spend more money, effort and time creating quality, well designed homes for people to truly appreciate.”

Essentially Vincent Sun via Osten is determined to create "comprehensively designed spaces, infused with natural light, and surrounded by nature. Families and people of all ages are given plenty of space too; there is room for kids, parents and grandparents."

The Fairfield result is new residential buildings consisting of 13 oversized 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. Two bedroom apartments range up to 102 square metres internally, with three bedrooms apartments peaking at 145 square metres internally.

<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/image171_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="No.71 Station's side perspective"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="372" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image171_1.jpg?itok=6xTD_pGV" title="No.71 Station's side perspective" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>No.71 Station's side perspective</figcaption></figure>On No.71 Station's design, Eugene Cheah states “We are endeavouring to use a heavy material in a light way through considered design. The outcome is a filigree."

Spanning four storeys, the project's exterior presents as a stacked form dominated by concrete and metal framing.

It is the interior layout and finishes that Osten hopes will distinguish their projects from others from a design perspective. Light and space are paramount for living spaces, as is privacy; John Patrick-designed landscaped gardens will frame apartment views.

In design parlance "the ample light highlights the tactility of the natural finishes, whilst the generosity of the space, ensures that all finishing details, while understated, are noticed, centre stage."

No.71 Station will also feature photographic artist Derek Henderson's work, providing a visual essay of Fairfield’s culture, environment and street life.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image173_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="No.71 Station's envisaged interior"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="552" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image173_2.jpg?itok=1ukW1Mfa" title="No.71 Station's envisaged interior" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>No.71 Station's envisaged interior</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

A holistic design ethos lands in Fairfield

<html><body>
Another Box Hill super site is up for approval with plans unveiled for 837 Whitehorse Road.

Towers of 16, 19 and 29 storeys are on developer Buzy B Pty Ltd's agenda. A secondary approximately 100 metres frontage encompasses 3-5 Poplar Street; the roughly 3,000 square metre corner site has been slated to hold substantial residential, retail, commercial and hotel components.

CHT Architects have designed the tri-towered development, which initially went to planning mid last year and is now available for public viewing.

<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/image101_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="837 Whitehorse Road's location. Image: CBRE"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image101_1.jpg?itok=vH2ipyOn" title="837 Whitehorse Road's location. Image: CBRE" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>837 Whitehorse Road's location. Image: CBRE</figcaption></figure>The existing low-rise building will make way for the towers, with the tallest spanning 104 metres. Included are 273 dwellings consisting of 118 one-bedroom, 140 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom apartments located within the taller towers.

49 hotel suites are located in the common podium which spans both residential towers, as is 578 square metres of retail space.

Box Hill's sluggish addition of commercial space over recent years stands to gain with Buzy B Pty Ltd backing plans for an office building taking the prime corner position. The tower's slender profile allows for only 5,979 square metres across 16 storeys.

444 car parking spaces and 176 bicycle parking spaces are included over 6 basement levels.

The application's varied uses will see an array of amenities earmarked for the development, including a spa and pool, yoga room, common areas, function room, kitchen area and business lounge. Dedicated residential communal space totals 820 square metres across levels 4, 16, 21.

<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/image105_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="An early planning image depicting a taller 837 Whitehorse Road. Planning image: Fender Katdsalidis"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="369" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image105_1.jpg?itok=zSU3wagT" title="An early planning image depicting a taller 837 Whitehorse Road. Planning image: Fender Katdsalidis" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>An early planning image depicting a taller 837 Whitehorse Road. Planning image: Fender Katdsalidis</figcaption></figure>837 Whitehorse Road's location will see it abut LongRiver Group's 843 Whitehorse Road which is expected to rise 37 levels. Earlier planning images indicated that 837 Whitehorse Road was to have been Box Hill's tallest, although the development has regressed to the current 104 metre height.

Regardless of 837 Whitehorse Road's final height, it still ranks as amongst <a href="/developments/box-hill-vic-3128">Box Hill's tallest buildings</a>.

With its addition to the Apartments.com.au Project Database, the number of towers in Box Hill above 20 levels and yet to be realised to 10 with another planned for Box Hill Institute's 1000 Whitehorse Road.
</body></html>

Box Hill stays busy with another major development unveiled

Crown Group&#39;s intentions for a sizeable tract of Waterloo land have become clearer, with five separate development applications now before City of Sydney.

Most notable is the exhibition of Building C which is&nbsp;44-48 O&rsquo;Dea Avenue&#39;s largest intended building. <a href="https://www.crowngroup.com.au/crown-group-reveals-first-image-kengo-kuma-designed-tower/">Already flagged by the developer</a> earlier in the year,&nbsp;Building C combines the design talents of&nbsp;Koichi Takada Architects with Japan-based Kengo Kuma and Associates.

The distinct 20 storey tower includes a cantilevered infinity-edge pool atop the building, gym and community room. Externally the facade is laden with greenery&nbsp;with the intent of emulating a stacked forest.

The tower includes 153 apartments, split between 11 studio, 42 single, 84 double and 16 triple bedroom configurations. 123 vehicle bays are included within 4 basement levels.

<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/image95_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Street level perspective. Planning image: KTA / KKAA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="362" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image95_5.jpg?itok=DynewUJy" title="Street level perspective. Planning image: KTA / KKAA" width="580" /></a>

<figcaption>Street level perspective. Planning image: KTA / KKAA</figcaption>
</figure>

On&nbsp;the design, the architectural partnership provides the following commentary:

<blockquote>
The building form creates a gentle and responsive transition from the tower to podium creating a better urban relationship to the lower scale developments within the immediate context.

The use of wood look battens across the facade creates a high level of articulation and dynamism along the entire building length. The warm and natural material pallete is used throughout the building in order to create an intrinsic connection back to nature and is evident through the resort style amenities for the residents.

The relationship to nature is further strengthened through three predominant landscaped areas in the building. The design brings a high quality and architecturally responsive aesthetic along the entire streetscape and a new iconic gateway to the heart of Waterloo.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image96_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interior space within Building C. Planning image: KTA / KKAA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="282" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image96_1.jpg?itok=FUeoBriZ" title="Interior space within Building C. Planning image: KTA / KKAA" width="580" /></a>

<figcaption>Interior space within Building C. Planning image: KTA / KKAA</figcaption>
</figure>

Simultaneously plans have been released for Crown Group&#39;s fifth and final instalment of their Waterloo development. Silvester Fuller&#39;s design for Building A will consist of 40 apartments within a 5 storey golden-laced edifice.

5 studio, 12 single, 19 double and 4 triple bedroom apartments are included above retail space and two basement levels for 38 vehicles.

Silverster Fuller say:

<blockquote>
The building is conceived as a community of dwellings connected by communal spaces. Its architectural identity celebrates the intersection of Archibald Avenue and Lachlan Place as an expressed front door and vertical connector, linking the Entry to the Communal Open Rooftop above.

The external connecting stair is a marker defining the building entry and connection to the rooftop garden. Creating a naturally lit and ventilated vertical circulation experience reinforces the wellness principles which underpin the design strategy.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image97_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Building A on display. Planning image: Silvester Fuller"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="310" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image97_2.jpg?itok=WMzJM5op" title="Building A on display. Planning image: Silvester Fuller" width="580" /></a>

<figcaption>Building A on display. Planning image: Silvester Fuller</figcaption>
</figure>

With all five projects at planning, Crown Group are looking to add as many as 388 apartments over their O&#39;Dea Avenue site.&nbsp;

The collection of buildings seemingly hold a similar architectural language in style and colours, although as has been noted the buildings&nbsp;express their own &quot;clear identity within a collection of individual buildings designed to balance diversity with a sense of place.&quot;

Crown Group&#39;s Waterloo precinct will slot in behind a number of other Sydney projects the developer has in progress. Marquee projects&nbsp;<a href="/buildings/arc-by-crown-group-161-clarence-street-sydney">Arc by Crown</a>,&nbsp;<a href="/new-apartments/zetland-nsw-2017">Infinity by Crown</a> and <a href="/buildings/castle-residences-sydney-116-castlereagh-street-sydney">Castle Residences</a> are at construction, leaving <a href="/buildings/the-grand-residences-eastlakes-16-evans-avenue-eastlakes">Eastlakes Live</a> at sales and <a href="/buildings/waterfall-by-crown-group-18-20-odea-avenue-waterloo">Waterfall by Crown</a> as forthcoming projects.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=7020]

<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/image99_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Building B, D and E round out Crown Group's Waterloo intentions"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="204" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image99_3.jpg?itok=WXKgzChr" title="Building B, D and E round out Crown Group's Waterloo intentions" width="580" /></a>

<figcaption>Building B, D and E round out Crown Group&#39;s Waterloo intentions</figcaption>
</figure>

Crown Group's design full house for Sydney's Waterloo

<html><body>
The design team behind what looms as one of Sydney's tallest buildings has provided comment on their joint effort for 505-523 George Street.

Last week the development's proponents, Mirvac and Coombes Property Group, announced that Architectus and ingenhoven architects were successful in topping other participants in a design excellence competition. Now in progress is a 79 storey predominantly residential tower spanning 270 metres.

It has been billed as the highest residential building in Sydney, and also as a "profoundly visible landmark standing for an economical, environmental and socially sustainable, future-oriented development."

Efforts to deliver a signature project onsite reach back to August 2015 when Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee considered a request to change the height control for the site which is currently home to an Event Cinemas complex.

Top flight architecture firms/partnerships Skidmore, Owings and Merrill + Crone, Wilkinson Eyre, Foster + Partners and fjmt + Bates Smart were beaten out by Architectus and ingenhoven architects during the initial design process. The $1 billion development will now progress to a Stage 2 development application with an eye to final approval.

<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/image142_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Panoramic views of the George Street tower. Image: Doug and Wolf"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="301" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image142_0.jpg?itok=1T8zwVlW" title="Panoramic views of the George Street tower. Image: Doug and Wolf" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Panoramic views of the George Street tower. Image: Doug and Wolf</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
This is a very exciting project for Sydney. It will rejuvenate George Street’s entertainment precinct with new retail, community facilities, potential hotel and high-quality apartments.

The tower will present as a singular elegant form on the skyline of Sydney with the vertical structure emphasizing height and slenderness while the subtle curving façade addresses views in all directions.

We are looking forward to working with the team at Ingenhoven again on another significant Sydney project. Our collaboration on 1 Bligh Street was very successful and we aim to emulate the same quality and success with 505 George Street.
<cite>Ray Brown, Managing Director at Architectus</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Now we have combined our expertise once again by designing a tower which will be highly integrated in the existing surroundings and offer a great public domain.

This urban approach is based on the philosophy of a well-connected public and conceives of the tower as being a 'friendly neighbour'. The combination of different uses and the timeless design of the building are integral parts of an environmentally sustainable approach but also expression of a deep understanding of the project goals
<cite>Christoph Ingenhoven, owner and founder of ingenhoven architects</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image140_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Ground level perspective. Image: Doug and Wolf"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="418" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image140_1.jpg?itok=mtUJFfvD" title="Ground level perspective. Image: Doug and Wolf" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ground level perspective. Image: Doug and Wolf</figcaption></figure>Other aspects of the 65,000 square metre development include multiple retail levels, childcare facilities, a community meeting space and the potential to rehouse Event Cinemas in the podium structure.

ingenhoven architects' supergreen sustainability platform will be rolled out across the design. This includes "awareness of energy and resources, both in the design, construction and operation and in the realization of the building and its use. It includes the primary and secondary energy levels of the materials used, the equipment and building process and the use of resources over the whole lifetime of a building."

505-523 George Street will be a traditional post-tensioned concrete structure with exposed perimeter columns allowing for maximum residential floor space.

The development team has indicated that post a 2019 submission for approval, a construction start is pencilled in for 2020. With a five year build in mind, Mirvac and Coombes Property Group are eyeing residents moving in during 2025.

<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/image143_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Above all others. Image: Doug and Wolf"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="286" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image143_2.jpg?itok=LpCdo-br" title="Above all others. Image: Doug and Wolf" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Above all others. Image: Doug and Wolf</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

Architectus and Ingehoven on Sydney's latest super skyscraper

<html><body>
The public still has the ability to attend a design symposium orchestrated by developer Beulah International that will reveal prospective designs for a monumental Southbank development site.

The mid design process overview is being held next Friday July 27 at 400 City Road, between 1pm and 4pm. Those attending will be able to view the shortlisted design partnerships' respective visions for 58 Southbank Boulevard.

With an end value of approximately $2 billion, Beulah International has gone to great lengths to ensure a premium design outcome is achieved for the major development site which abuts the Freshwater Place complex, and is opposite both Australia108 and Eureka Tower.

Dubbed the 'Future Cities' symposium, the event will see six teams consisting of both domestic and international architecture firms provide in-depth commentary on their respective design submissions.

The shortlisted design partnerships taking part in what shapes as Melbourne's largest design competition include:

<ul>
<li>Bjarke Ingels Group with Fender Katsalidis Architects</li>
	<li>Coop Himmelb(l)au with Architectus</li>
	<li>MAD Architects with Elenberg Fraser</li>
	<li>MVRDV with Woods Bagot</li>
	<li>Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) with Conrad Gargett</li>
	<li>UNStudio with Cox Architecture</li>
</ul>
International speakers include Brian Yang partner of BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group, Wolf. D Prix, co-founder of COOP HIMMELB(L)AU Wolf D. Prix &amp; Partner Ma Yansong, founder of MAD architects Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV David Gianotten, managing partner-architect of OMA Caroline Bos, co-founder of UNStudio.

Southbank by Beulah is described as follows:

<blockquote>
The winning design will redefine the entire Southbank precinct and will shape the future of our city.

With a proposed end value of $2 billion plus, Southbank by Beulah will transform Southbank into a lifestyle precinct of international standards.

The proposed scope will comprise of luxury apartments, world-class retail and department stores, a dedicated gourmet food &amp; market precinct, a 5-star hotel and designated commercial spaces.

Mostly importantly, some 23,000sqm will be dedicated to cultural and public programs, with hopes to attract global tech names such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Samsung, together with BMW Experience Centre to create an experiential technology hub within the precinct.
</blockquote>

Each design partnership will have 20 minutes to present their concept to the audience, in addition to providing thoughts and their respective vision on ‘Future Cities’ notion. A crowd approaching 1,500 people is expected.

Post the symposium, the winning design will be announced during August.

Readers have a chance to attend the symposium by securing a ticket via <a href="https://www.southbankbybeulah.com/">www.southbankbybeulah.com</a>

Editor's note (27/7/18): the designs have been unveiled, see our summary <a href="/news/southbank-by-beulah-designs-revealed-at-future-cities-symposium">here</a>.
</body></html>

Southbank by Beulah symposium one week away

<html><body>
Private healthcare provider Healthscope is hoping the latest bid to redevelop The Victoria Clinic on Malvern Road will have a smoother passage through planning over previous attempts.

310-324 Malvern Road first came to light during 2014 when it was the subject of an expansive mixed-use development conceived by Rothelowman. Included within the proposal at the time was a hospital, enhanced medical hub and two residential buildings combining to provide 154 apartments.

Victoria House Nominees Pty Ltd headed the bid during 2014, although Healthscope Operations have assumed responsibility for the latest application. A member of Healthscope, The Victoria Clinic is one of 40 plus locations the healthcare provider maintains in its portfolio.

<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/image84_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="DPW's take on a new Malvern Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="318" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image84_11.jpg?itok=Nli3MgX-" title="DPW's take on a new Malvern Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>DPW's take on a new Malvern Road expression</figcaption></figure>Rothelowman's initial attempt at taking the site through planning was defined by a quartet of buildings onsite; each of which maintained undulating lines.

<blockquote>
The design for the new Medical Centre loosely draws inspiration from concepts of 'motion' and 'body imaging'. Vertical blades, which also act as functional sun shading devices, shift across the facade, sculpting the upper levels.

The Medical Centre and Apartments buildings explore notions of rhythm, density, reflectivity and flow to create an architecture that is distilled and clear.
</blockquote>

Stonnington City Council rebuffed the initial application, although a secondary application which consisted of new facades and a 27% reduction in dwellings gained approval. Healthscope will now pursue the delivery of a purely medically-driven development for the 5,946 square metre site.

Global design agency DWP is behind the latest iteration, providing a restrained design outcome which adheres to the approved development envelope, and goes further by removing the central building completely.

<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/image87_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Rothelowman and dwp block forms side by side"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="223" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image87_5.jpg?itok=i5U8hNoL" title="The Rothelowman and dwp block forms side by side" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Rothelowman and dwp block forms side by side</figcaption></figure>The $31.3 million DWP design is expected to boost hospitals beds onsite from the current 52 to 110, and cater for 16 medical practitioners at any one time onsite. A new car parking facility fronting Bendigo Street holds capacity for 95 vehicles.

Healthscope has chosen to retain and refurbish the existing single storey building at the centre of the site. The residential aspect of the previous applications was to be sited where the existing building stands.

The northern buildings would stand five levels and include a roof-top courtyard and gym for patients. Directly opposite the Prahran Estate Redevelopment which was completed by Kane Constructions during 2012 stands at ten storeys and acts as a height precedent for the Malvern Road strip.
</body></html>

Prahran's running man development receives an refined design touch

<html><body>
The design release for <a href="/developers/beulah">Beulah International's</a> coveted 58 Southbank Boulevard site is drawing near, with a ‘Future Cities’ symposium to be held later this month.

Shortlisted designs for the approximately $2 billion Southbank by Beulah development will be on show during the event, to be held on Friday July 27. <a href="/news/a-design-tour-de-force-beckons-for-beulah-internationals-bmw-southbank-site">Covered previously</a> by Apartments.com.au, Southbank by Beulah's design process has seen six teams consisting of both domestic and international architecture firms vie for the right to take the project through to reality.

The shortlisted design partnerships taking part in what shapes as Melbourne's largest design competition include:

<ul>
<li>Bjarke Ingels Group with <a href="/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a> Architects</li>
	<li>Coop Himmelb(l)au with <a href="/architects/architectus">Architectus</a>
</li>
	<li>MAD Architects with <a href="/architects/fraser-partners-0">Elenberg Fraser</a>
</li>
	<li>MVRDV with <a href="/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>
</li>
	<li>Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) with <a href="/architects/conrad-gargett">Conrad Gargett</a>
</li>
	<li>UNStudio with <a href="/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a>
</li>
</ul>
Speakers confirmed for the symposium include:

<ul>
<li>Brian Yang Partner of Bjarke Ingels Group</li>
	<li>Wolf. D Prix co-founder of Coop Himmelb(l)au</li>
	<li>Ma Yansong founder of MAD Architects</li>
	<li>Winy Maas co-founder of MVRDV</li>
	<li>David Gianotten Managing Partner-Architect of OMA</li>
	<li>Caroline Bos co-founder of UNStudio</li>
</ul>
The ‘Future Cities’ symposium will showcase the respective teams' designs which are likely to include a mix of residential, retail/department store, gourmet food &amp; market precinct, 5-star hotel, commercial, culture and public space uses.

Beulah International will target a major tech tenant for the development, with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple and Samsung named as candidates to fill the technology aspect of the development. 

According to the media release, "the overarching theme of the symposium is ‘Future Cities.’ As the population grows and lifestyles change and evolve, so too does the need for considered development that is designed for current and future generations.

A focus of the symposium will be discussing how architects, designers and engineers play an ever-important role in being able to shape communities and optimise lifestyles."

Expected to attract a crowd of approximately 1,500 people, the symposium will be held at <a href="/new-apartments/400-430-city-road-southbank">400 City Road</a>. Each design partnership will have 20 minutes to present their concept to the audience, in addition to providing thoughts and their respective vision on ‘Future Cities’ notion.

Post the symposium, the winning design will be announced during August.

Readers have a chance to attend the symposium which will be held between 1pm-4pm on Friday July 27, by securing a ticket via <a href="http://www.southbankbybeulah.com">www.southbankbybeulah.com</a>. 

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BOAfV0Qt-nw" width="100%"></iframe>
</body></html>

Design

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Design

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News