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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Design

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Bellamont Forest near Cootehill, County Cavan, described by Mark Bence-Jones in A Guide to Irish Country Houses as "one of the most perfect examples of a Palladian villa", has been listed for sale.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/bellamont-forest-cootehill-co-cavan/3117572" target="_blank">There is</a> an asking price of €1.35 million on the 18th century palladian villa.
It was Australian John Coote who bought back his ancestral home in 1987 for a reported IR£500,000, then restoring Bellamont before putting it on the market in 2010 with overly ambitious €7.5 million expectations.
Coote died suddenly in 2012, and the house is now for sale on the instructions of receivers for Coote's company, Thameside Holding, this time with its reduced price of €1.35 million.
Designed by Edward Lovett Pearce and built between 1725 and 1730, architectural historian Dr Maurice Craig (Country Life, 1964), wrote Pearce's design was based on Palladio’s Villa Rotonda at Vicenza and Villa Pisani at Montagnana. 
The Irish National Trust, An Taisce, has noted the 290 year old building has been vacant for a number of years and "<a href="https://www.antaisce.org/buildingsatrisk/bellamont-forest-cootehill?page=1" target="_blank">does not appear to be maintained</a>." 
Most of the external fabric remains, but there are obvious signs of deterioration, particularly water penetration. 
"There is no immediate danger of collapse but the condition is such that unless urgent remedial works are carried out the building will sharply deteriorate," the Trust noted. 
<a href="https://search.knightfrank.com/gwr100023" target="_blank">Bellamont Forest</a>, the first Palladian house in Ireland, is set amid one thousand acres of parkland, woods and lakes, including sporting rights in the surrounding forestry.
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It was built for Thomas Coote, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, designed by his nephew, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, whose other works include the former Houses of Parliament in College Green, now The Bank of Ireland. 
He later became Surveyor General of Ireland, a post which he held until his death in 1733. 
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The house is four bays square, built over two storeys, with a basement. The internal floor area is approximately 1,032 square metres. The house is built of red brick with ashlar facings, and has a Doric limestone portico, with pediments over the windows. 
Title Tattle especially loves the exquisite overhead oval cupola. 
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Bellamont Forest is 110 kms from Dublin and 75 minutes from Dublin International Airport, so listing agent Ganly Walters expect strong international buyer interest.
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The late John Coote, the jetsetting international designer of Classical 18th-century houses, came from a notorious family.
The first to make his mark in Ireland was Sir Charles Coote, a military adventurer who died in battle at Trim, Co Meath, in 1642, leaving estates in four counties to his four sons. His youngest son, Col Thomas Coote, was granted the O’Reilly lands in Co Cavan at the Act of Settlement in 1662. 
He married a Miss Hill from Hillsborough in Co Down and founded the town of Coote Hill (now Cootehill). On his death in 1671, his estate passed to his nephew, also Thomas Coote, who became a Lord Justice of the Kings Bench in Ireland, and was made a Knight of the Bath ‘in testimony of his good and laudable service in suppressing tumultuous and illegal insurrection in the northern parts of Ireland’. He also established Cootehill as a prosperous linen town.
On marrying his third wife, Ann Lovett, in 1697, Coote became the uncle-in-law of Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, a cousin of Vanbrugh, and by far the most important architect working in Ireland in the early 18th century. 
Its name was later changed to Bellamont Forest by Coote’s grandson, Charles, who inherited in 1764 and became the Earl of Bellamont of the 2nd creation in 1767.
The new Lord Bellamont was a complex figure, being variously described as a man of ‘the highest refinement’, but also as a ‘tyrant’, ‘madman’ and ‘a person of disgusting pomposity’. An inveterate womaniser, he sired at least six illegitimate children, all of whom were provided for in his will. He was tried in 1764 for murdering a man during the 'Oakboy' rebellion which he helped to repress brutally. He got off and is immortalised in a camp portrait by Joshua Reynolds in the National Gallery.
On his death in 1800, the estate passed to these descendants who lived on at Bellamont Forest, becoming gradually ever poorer.
In 1874, Edward Smith JP, having amassed a considerable fortune from the coal trade between Liverpool and Newry, bought the Bellamont house and lands for £145,000. Following his death in 1880, the estate passed through various members of his family until 1984, when what <a href="https://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/property-news/luxury-property-in-ireland-for-sale-24455" target="_blank">Country Life</a> described as the ‘troubles’ in the North finally persuaded the last of them to leave. The IRA had used the estate as a training ground.
Three years later, John Coote seized the chance to buy it.
It was listed in 2010 after Coote’s three children all returned to settle in Australia. John Coote, noting the architect spent three years in Italy in the early eighteenth century where he toured the Veneto and Palladio’s villas, thought La Rotunda was his great inspiration.  
There was considerable sadness at John Coote's death given he was one of the great interior designers who buoyed Melbourne's property credentials, especially during the 1980s. 
His Melbourne client list included the Lews, Foxes, Elliotts and Kimberleys. 
His 1987 Corrie Perkin Good Weekend piece was headlined: "John Coote turns new money into old". 
The Australian born, RMIT-trained, Pimlico Road, London interior designer was last in the local headlines during his divorce from Andrea Coote over the settlement of what was dubbed "Coote Castle."
The local paper noted this week that some months after Coote's death, Cavan County Council issued enforcement orders regarding the removal of marble busts from the house. The statues, which occupied alcoves in the entrance hall, depicted generations of old Cootes. 
Their whereabouts are known.
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John Coote's 18th century Bellamont Forest, Cavan Ireland ancestral trophy home relisted

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The Glenn Murcutt-designed home in Kangaroo Valley – The Walsh House – has been sold for $1.5 million.
It was listed for sale with a price tag of $1,975,000 back in mid-2013 when Title Tattle spotted its initial listing by the couple who had commissioned the architectural work. 
The two bedroom, two bathroom property was constructed over four years for Rosemary and Robert Walsh, an immigration lawyer.
The property sits on 2.02 hectares, 100 metres above sea level. The Walshes had bought the two-hectare block in 1999 for $230,000.
It has been bought by Francis Fong.
The properties southern and western facades are crafted using rustic materials due to facing the winds of winter and feature few windows.
The northern and eastern facades feature more refined materials and open up to views of Kangaroo Valley.
Each room in the house is protected by adjustable louvres to control the daylight in each room.
Murcutt is known for paying attention to the environment and creating economical and multi-functional buildings.
Kangaroo Valley is located in the Illawara region of New South Wales.
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Glenn Murcutt-designed Walsh House, Kangaroo Valley sold

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Renzo Piano will design the next stage of residential apartments at Barangaroo's new address, One Sydney Harbour, three high-rise towers.
After a globally competitive bid process, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop will undertake the firm’s second project in Australia.
The first was Sydney’s award-winning office and residential towers Aurora Place, developed by Lend Lease in 2000.
“A city development of three luxury residential highrise towers in such a location is, in this climate, a rare opportunity," Renzo Piano said.
"Our vision is to design three buildings with a gentle presence in the cityscape and in dialogue with the harbour waters and Barangaroo waterfront.”
Lend Lease’s Barangaroo South managing director Andrew Wilson forecast One Sydney Harbour will be an iconic Australian address.
It is likely there will be about 750 apartments on offer.
The apartments will be the second residential release at Barangaroo South. The first 159 apartments in the two waterfront buildings Anadara and Alexander sold out within 3.5 hours of launch in August 2013. 
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Renzo Piano's residential apartments at Barangaroo's exclusive new address, One Sydney Harbour

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The increasing concentration of homes in the inner-suburbs of our capital cities is presenting a range of big challenges, and opportunities, for architects.
The influx of apartment development, particularly in Melbourne, has some concerned about apartment oversupply. <a href="/news/vic/exclusive-does-melbourne-have-an-oversupply-problem">Economists and property pundits</a> are worried about rental yields diving and the degrading value of real estate. Architects are worried about falling design standards and <a href="/expert-insights/buying/no-more-shoebox-apartments-37-square-metre-minimum-size-under-victorian-government-consideration">increasingly cramped low quality apartments</a>. Much of the public is worried about increasing pressure on local infrastructure and whether there will be anything to do in the city apart from look at big, shiny, apartment-filled skyscrapers.
Some, like former <a href="/news/vic/10-quotes-from-planning-minister-matthew-guy-on-changes-in-victoria">Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy</a>, who approved many of the high rise towers under currently under construction in the Melbourne CBD. say that the recent apartment boom is tackling the housing undersupply. But whether the stock coming onto the market is appropriate for those who need it is unclear.
Indeed, Prosper Australia estimates that <a href="/news/vic/over-64-000-melbourne-properties-sit-vacant-prosper-australia">17% of properties in the Docklands</a> are functionally vacant.
So is there a way to improve housing affordability through increased supply, without creating (wind tunnel-ridden) inner-city ghost towns?
Hayball director Sarah Buckeridge says part of the solution is to diffuse new housing stock, rather than concentrating development in the inner city.
Buckeridge notes that Melbourne's population growth has putting "a lot of pressure" on the need to provide housing options at an affordable level.
"So I think that it's important to keep providing options not just at a central city location, or suburban locations," says Buckeridge, but to consider the "middle zone": areas that are well served by transport and infrastructure, but not in the immediate inner city.
"High density isn't just happening in the inner city in those tower forms," she says.
"A lot of activity is happening in middle ring suburbs, which is very interesting.
"We've had a lot of <a href="https://www.hayball.com.au/projects/john-street-apartments/" target="_blank">work in the Whitehorse area</a>, in Box Hill and the other suburbs there.
"And I think that's a really positive development for those areas. It's bringing renewal for underutilized housing stock."
<img src="/images/2015/02/26/hayball-feb-26-four.jpg" alt="">
Above: John Street Apartments. Photo: Rhiannon Slatter. Source: Supplied.
As for the inner city, despite <a href="/expert-insights/buying/are-studio-apartments-a-good-pick-for-first-home-buyers">dwindling square footage in CBD studios</a> and concerns over the quality Melbourne's "affordable" developments, Buckeridge says good design doesn't have to be sacrificed for affordability – in fact, architects have an important role in delivering affordable projects.
"It's not a matter of losing out, but obviously you need to be inventive about how you use building technology and materials," she explains.
"It's not about doing a compromised amenity for those apartments at all. I think there's actually a good opportunity to build in a diversity of different price points, even within single developments.
"What we're finding more and more in the inner city locations, there's going to be a market at the affordable end, perhaps at one bed units, through to bigger units attracting a premium price point."
Beyond diversifying the available stock in particular developments or areas, to avoid a concentration of one particular type of resident or an oversupply of one particular type of home, Buckeridge says engaging with a development's location is vital.
"We're advocates of always looking at the site and thinking about what suits those particular locations," says Buckeridge, citing <a href="https://www.hayball.com.au/projects/my80-2/" target="_blank">MY80</a>, a 55 level, 487 residence tower in the Melbourne CBD.
"That's a case where on quite a small site, a high tower form can still provide a good streetscape outcome, and good amenity. It really capitalises on its impact," says Buckeridge.
<img src="/images/2015/02/26/hayball-feb-26-three.jpg" alt="">
Above: MY80 exterior. Photo: Peter Clarke. Source: Supplied.
<img src="/images/2015/02/26/hayball-feb-26-two.jpg" alt="">
Above: MY80 interior. Photo: Shannon McGrath. Source: Supplied.
The project has a variety of communal spaces to draw residents out of their individual apartments and to foster a "vertical neighbourhood", including a dining area, a swimming pool, a cinema, a business area and a rooftop bar.
According to Buckeridge, as architects Hayball attempts to encourage communities in high-density environments by providing opportunities for residents to interact.
<a href="https://www.hayball.com.au/projects/bravo-apartments/" target="_blank">Bravo, in Carlton</a>, is <a href="/expert-insights/buying/carlton-parkside-project-bravo-sells-24-apartments-in-first-three-weeks">another Hayball project</a> which has seen the architects use social spaces, including a roof deck, to create what Buckeridge calls "communities at the building scale".
<img src="/images/2015/02/26/hayball-feb-26-five.jpg" alt="">
Above: Bravo. Photo: Henry Lam. Source: Supplied.
On the street level, architects and developers can work together to create socially active sites as well. Mixed-use tenancies – recreation centres, restaurants or shops – on the street level can engage both residents and passers-by. When street-level engagement is done right, it can stop residents from flooding out of their local areas in search of better food, entertainment or social spaces – leaving apartment-dense districts "soulless", as <a href="/news/vic/docklands-finding-its-feet-after-a-difficult-conception">some have described</a> Melbourne's Docklands.
"Melbourne's CBD is rightly renowned as having a really strong urban realm environment", says Buckeridge. As the density of housing increases, it will be architects who ensure that this remains the case.
Feature photo: MY80 interior. Photo: Shannon McGrath. Source: Supplied.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

How to do high density - keep it affordable and diverse: Hayball's Sarah Buckeridge

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Perth is not high in the national consciousness, although its growth has sparked some interest.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3222.0Main%20Features112012%20%28base%29%20to%202101?opendocument&amp;tabname=Summary&amp;prodno=3222.0&amp;issue=2012%20%28base%29%20to%202101&amp;num=&amp;view=" target="_blank">projections</a> about its population growth are remarkable – three million by the early 2020s, passing Brisbane later that decade, five million by 2050, bigger than Sydney now: the prospect of becoming Australia’s second “global city” megalopolis beckons.
It is not hard to deconstruct these projections, and they may be overstated. Perth has always grown in fits and starts depending on the mining industry. But in-between the spurts it continues to grow, because people find interesting things to do and a good place to live. So Perth will keep growing at a fair clip.
On The Gruen Transfer a few years ago, the ABC’s chosen marketing gurus were asked to sell the idea of a “bogan-proof fence stopping Western Australians from crossing to the east”.
I was amazed by how seriously they took it.
The view from across the Nullarbor is that Perth is a “Wild West” town with few of the features of a cultivated and civilised society. There is some truth in this, as our treatment of the Noongar would indicate, and we have little of the iconic architecture or memorable townscapes of the European ideal.
But this is a city with a very strong civil society, especially in environment and planning. I study cities around the world and find that idealism about environment and planning is the basis of a strong city, essential to any potentially sustainable future.
From my professional point of view, I know that self-satisfied cities are in trouble. The best are full of people who are dissatisfied with what their cities are doing about the future, and who set up organisations to change this.
Perth is much more than a relic of the Wild West, its civic sensibilities are strong and it is setting the pace towards building a sustainable future. The American–Pacific states threw off their Wild West past to become the epicentre of sustainability, innovation and cool, confounding preconceptions. Perhaps the analogy can be applied here.
Maybe the better challenge for The Gruen Transfer would be to sell the sustainability lessons that have been learned in the Indian Ocean state.
The “Wild West” should not care for its environment – it should just exploit its forests. But that is not our long-term or recent history.
People noticed the amazing wildflowers very early on, and now we know that the south-west corner of Australia is one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots.
Preserving bushland has had a strong scientific and popular base. The early settlers could find no suitable agricultural land in the sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain, nor was there much on the adjacent Darling Scarp with its jarrah forest and ancient, eroded soils. But there were good soils inland, so the great Wheatbelt was created and some of the most biodiverse countryside in the world was used to produce grain.
As the population grew and water became the most limiting resource, jarrah forests were set aside for water catchment and the Swan Coastal Plain groundwater systems for water supply. Much bushland was saved by these decisions, and is now mostly preserved in perpetuity.
Further south, however, both jarrah and karri were easy prey for export and the local market. The forest campaigns began early, as people realised how special these forests were, but it was not until the 1960s that their conservation campaign really got going. The civil society movements generated over the next 40 years became more and more sophisticated, and began to eat into the political landscape.
Finally, in the 2001 election, “stopping the logging of old growth forests” became the mantra of the ALP government, after much internal lobbying and a famous campaign involving Mick Malthouse (the coach of the West Coast Eagles AFL team), fashion queen Liz Davenport, and other famous public figures including the artist Robert Juniper.
It was the time of the “men in suits” protests, where protesters gathered outside the premier’s office and jammed the switchboard with mobile calls.
Geoff Gallop won the election. Polls showed that not only were all his Australian Labor Party supporters wanting to set aside these forests, but 92% of Liberal voters as well.
Never before had there been such a complete whitewash of the opposing forces – led by captains of industry including Michael Chaney, the former CEO of Wesfarmers. WA was the first state to make such a decision; it was not a “Wild West” decision.
During the 1990s, alarming predictions were made that Perth would have to be abandoned in the near future because its water supplies were not sustainable. All the climate change models demonstrate a drying climate in the South West, and this has been observable during more than 40 years of reduced rainfall. Dams and groundwater were never going to be enough, and the Water Corporation decided well before climate change became a political football that the predictions were real.
In 2001, a crisis emerged when it did not rain. Apart from immediate conservation measures, the long-term solution was thought to lie in a large deep aquifer called the Yarragadee in the South West. But civil society objected: stressing a natural system in a drying climate was not sustainable. The result was a decision to build wind-powered desalination.
In the eastern states, desalination became a dirty word for wasted public expenditure: the plants built at the end of the last big drought have hardly been used. Not in Perth. Over half of the water supply comes from the Indian Ocean, and soon recycled, treated sewage will recharge depleted aquifers.
Perth is now climate-proofed – the first Australian city to successfully introduce wind-powered desalination. A remarkable turnaround from the earlier dire predictions.
This journey began when CSIRO scientists and others demonstrated that reduced rainfall was likely be a permanent reality. People in Perth and the South West were highly sensitive to the issue, and pushed the politics of resilience planning to the limit by saying an emphatic no to using the Yarragadee aquifer as the next major water source.
Desalination and recycling of sewage were the only real options, and despite being the first city to attempt it, the politicians moved quickly to affirm desalination and get it into the water supply system. They have been proved right. As the Pacific Ocean moves into another El Niño drought cycle, the eastern seaboard cities will move to use the mothballed desalination plants that were built just as it started raining again.
Perhaps the politicians and their technical advisors who thought it was a good idea to buy them will finally be recognised for their resilience planning, just as they are in Perth. Being a leader in climate adaptation is definitely not “Wild West”.
Article continues on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Perth 25 years ago had virtually no railway system.
Only seven million passengers a year trundled along in the old diesel trains. The new suburbs to the north and south had no prospect of good quality public transit.
Now, there are more than 70 million passengers a year travelling on fast, quality railways to the north and south. Perth’s public transport has become the envy of other Australian cities. It needs to double this again, but this is not the Wild West when it comes to public transport.
Perth is a very beautiful city, but it has always been a car-based city. The processes that began to reverse this, and build railways instead of freeways, were not the result of public-sector plans – they were shaped by civil society action, through the political system. The almost 200 kilometres of modern electric rail built since 1990 would not have happened if the public sector had had its way.
The railway to Fremantle was closed in 1979 after a government report claimed Perth would never need a rail system. A four-year grassroots campaign resulted in the removal of a government, and a period of rebuilding. Extending the rail into new areas was the subject of at least four elections, and at each one the same public-sector advice suggested that car-based suburbs would never work with a rail system.
The public disagreed, and hence fast rail was introduced into the long northern and southern corridors with spectacular patronage results. The “Perth model” of building rail into car and bus-only suburbs is now being adopted in many cities around the world, including all the main cities on the east coast. It was not a Wild West culture that did that.
Perth has had a long history of idealistic planning since early days, from John Septimus Roe through to Gordon Stephenson. Professor Stephenson, Britain’s most eminent planner, drew up a plan in the late 1950s that created a long-term land use, infrastructure and open-space strategy girded by a statutory process with real legislative teeth. It also produced a land tax-based fund, hypothecated to providing regional infrastructure reserves and nature reserves.
The planning system in Perth has had bipartisan support now for more than 60 years. No regional decisions can be made without going through the Planning Commission with representatives from across government and all the local government corridors and regions.
One of the great achievements of the planning system is that 90 per cent of the land along the river and the coast was acquired. It has enabled reclamation of this priceless amenity for public use.
Perth’s main planning problems are due to car-dependent urban sprawl. The Stephenson Plan was created when car ownership and use were rising dramatically, so building a city to accommodate this seemed to make sense.
Cities are shaped by their dominant transport mode, as housing and jobs cluster around the means of transport. Thus, we have central cities of Perth and Fremantle (the old walking city fabric) and the traditional railway suburban corridors (the transit city fabric from the 1880s to 1950s) that are rather thin, as they did not grow in the periods of intensive commitment to these modes like Melbourne and Sydney, and most European cities.
Perth’s growth has mostly been in the automobile city period from the 1950s on. We did it well. Perth, Brisbane and the Gold Coast are the most American of cities: in Perth, this is due to the planning system.
Each boom has fed into further growth of the car-dependent suburbs. For those seeking a safe and easy suburban lifestyle, Perth has everything.
But the city now stretches for 120 kilometres along the coast; predictions for 2050 suggest the sprawl will extend more than 270 kilometres from Myalup to Lancelin. The resulting lifestyle does not suit everyone.
Indeed, the latest boom lured a clutch of young professionals west, eager to take up some of the opportunities that growth provides. They were not just seeking the delights of suburbia, but wanted an urban lifestyle with all the benefits of being able to walk, cycle or take the train to work, with nearby bars and entertainment precincts, top-end restaurants and interesting places to stroll. They brought a taste for the urban from Melbourne and Sydney, New York, London and Shanghai.
And Perth has begun to provide it. Car use per capita has peaked, and the city has witnessed a dramatic growth in rail and cycling. And those thin bones of the walking city in Perth have been strengthened to create a much more interesting city centre. The streets are now filled with pedestrians day and night, footpaths host coffee shops and bars spilling out in ways that were never imagined, even a decade ago. Young immigrants of the iron ore boom have given Perth a new urbanity.
The next phase of filling in centres across the inner and middle suburbs has been planned, and stresses the need for more redevelopment and less sprawl. But it is still tentative and most local governments are not so keen.
At Curtin University we have developed a Plan for Perth, which suggests the next 30 years of urban growth should be filling in the gaps rather than sprawling. The development will need new rail extensions and a series of 20 to 30 cities within already existing suburbs.
Such centres would need European densities and should also be demonstrations of green infrastructure and design, following the leadership of developments like <a href="https://joshshouse.com.au/" target="_blank">Josh’s House</a>. It’s a plan to save money, petrol, greenhouse emissions and bushland – but will it happen?
“Perth people don’t like living in flats” has always been the cry, and this remains a feature of the city’s culture. But now, a large and young group seek dense, green urbanism and want to live in such centres. A more sustainable urban form beckons if we can overcome the fear of density. As the processes of planning are based on community engagement and the NIMBY (not in my back yard) reactions of local groups, convincing people of the benefits of the new green urbanist market is a challenge.
It is feasible to imagine Perth being a far more interesting, lively and sustainable city. Not a bogan hang-out, but the model of a sustainable future. Civil society has demonstrated how this can be done in relation to the environment and transport – the challenge is to have the same impact on the way we live. Planning for city centres rather than endless sprawl is the next step. Perth can become a sustainable, polycentric city, and a model for the 21st century.
Cities are always much more complex than their popular perceptions. But as populations grow, planning is more important than ever. It is worth remembering the lessons of the recent past: we saved the forests, provided a sustainable water supply and built a rail system. I was surprised that they actually happened, but not that they worked. I hope I will be surprised again, and Perth becomes an urban centre of sustainability.
Peter Newman is professor of sustainability at Curtin University.
This essay was originally published in <a href="https://griffithreview.com/editions/looking-west/">Griffith REVIEW 47: Looking West</a> and at <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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PeterNewman-wk2epPjdFr

Perth could become a model for 21st-century urban planning: Peter Newman

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The Commonwealth Bank international financial services head Robert Jesudason and wife, Laura Hui, have sold their contemporary Paddington, Sydney residence having headed back to Hong Kong.
Last November there were $5.8 million plus hopes for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-paddington-118397807" target="_blank">the Goodhope Street house</a> built in 2011. The sale price hasn't been revealed.
The four-bedroom residence on the 257 square metre block was designed by the late architect Bernard Teh-Howell.
The interiors are unmistakably by Greg Natale.
It last traded in 2012 for $4,906,000. 
The three-storey property comes with double garage and a pool.
It had been listed through Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker Double Bay.
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Contemporary Paddington trophy home with Greg Natale interiors sells

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Orb House in Kew, the noteworthy Bojan Simic Architecture-designed contemporary home, has been sold for $4,928,000.
It had been listed for sale mid-2014 through Kay &amp; Burton agents Sam Wilkinson and Scott Patterson with settlement occurring in the week before Christmas.
Its last published asking price was $4.95 million.
It was bought by Chinese buyers, James Tan and Liping Liu from Applecross, Perth who set up Treasure Prosperity Pty Ltd as their purchasing company.
It first sold for $5 million in early 2011 through Wilkinson.
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, with 495 square metres of space. 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.
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Orb House, Kew sells to Chinese buyers, as price goes backwards a bit

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A Walter Barda designed Avalon Beach house has been sold through Raine &amp; Horne.
It was a three bedroom, two bathroom home at 2 Coolawin Road.
Last month's sale price has been withheld, but David Eden, the agent, was seeking $2 million plus.
The house was built on its 797 square metre block is a seminal pavilion style.
The single level residence was marketed as a modern interpretation of the classic Queenslander from its plantation shutters, ceiling fans to its glass louvres.
The block cost $890,000 in 2008.
Title Tattle wrote of <a href="/news/author-denise-leith-lists-walter-barda-designed-bilgola-beach-house">another northern beaches designed Barda offering</a> that was listed last week at Bilgola.
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 Walter Barda-designed Avalon Beach home sells

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Lease marketing for the Harry Seidler-designed Grosvenor Place is well underway, coinciding with its $10 million refurbishment.
Colliers International is marketing the landmark tower complex to commercial tenants using a series of eye-catching advertisements, such as the one pictured below which featured in the Australian Financial Review.
<img src="/images/2015/02/11/ad-feb-11-two.png" alt="">
Source: Australian Financial Review.
The logo is derived from the tower's shape as it appears from a bird's eye view, illustrated here in the late Seidler's original outlook sketch.
<img src="/images/2015/02/11/seidler%20outlook%20diagram.jpg" alt="">
Image courtesy of Harry Seidler and Associates.
The design has been given a colourful twist, reminiscent of the palette of New York artist Frank Stella, whose work is exhibited in the building. The advertising campaign is by Sydney-based Frost*collective. 
Much of Grosvenor Place's floorspace is uninterrupted by internal columns to provide flexible arrangements for tenants. There are 85,515 square metres of office space in Grosvenor Place, with 1,611 square metres of retail space.
The marketing for the building, which can be seen at <a href="https://www.work-culture.com.au/" target="_blank">work-culture.com.au</a>, draws heavily on its heritage, referencing Seidler's design principles ("Planning for flexibility provides lasting value": Design Principle No. 4; "Architectural design must avoid fads": Principle No.9) and using Seidler's signature.
Seidler is widely regarded as one of Australia's modernist masters and most famous architects. He designed Grosvenor Place in 1982 and opened in 1987. In 1989, it received the RAIA Lustig &amp; Moar National Prize.
Late last year, it was announced that a <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/business/property/landscape_inspired_art_scape_roof_G88PMcETh7VB1LFxqwkqDO" target="_blank">$10 million refurbishment</a> of the complex's restaurant and cafe precinct would involve an "art-scape".
The site includes the low-set Royal Naval House, Johnson's Building and the 44 level Tower.
In 2009, the building underwent a $28 million refurbishment of its lower floors. In 2013, DEXUS Property Group acquired a 25% interest in Grosvenor Place for $271.25 million.
Colliers agent Aaron Weir is marketing commercial tenancies, while Pamela Medich of Dexus is handling retail leasing.
Feature picture: Eric Sierins Source: Harry Seidler and Associates.
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Harry Seidler's Grosvenor Place gets art inspired campaign

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Two Australian projects are among finalists for 2015 ArchDaily website Building of the Year Awards.
Lune de Sang Sheds by CHROFI and One Central Park in Sydney's Chippendale (pictured above) by Ateliers Jean Nouvel and PTW Architects were each judged worthy of the top five most popular projects in their respective categories by readers of ArchDaily.
Both projects have been regularly featured on architectural websites.
The rural NSW project <a href="https://architectureau.com/articles/lune-de-sang-sheds/" target="_blank">Lune de Sang Sheds</a> is up against projects from Chile, Spain, and Germany as well as Heatherwick Studio’s Bombay Sapphire Distillery in the industrial architecture category.
In the housing category, <a href="https://architectureau.com/articles/one-central-park/" target="_blank">One Central Park</a>‘s much-talked-about Heliostat is up against The Iceberg by CEBRA + JDS + SeARCH + Louis Paillard Architects in Denmark and Parkrand by MVRDV in The Netherlands as well as projects from Portugal and Brazil.
In all, five finalists in fourteen categories have advanced to the second round of voting, which <a href="https://boty.archdaily.com/us/2015/category/Housing" target="_blank">closes 4 February 2015</a>.
The building with the most votes will be named ArchDaily’s Building of the Year for 2015.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://boty.archdaily.com/us/2014" target="_blank">The 2014 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards</a> was described as a peer-based, crowdsourced, architecture award where the collective intelligence of 60,000 architects filter and recognize the best architecture featured on ArchDaily during the past year.
It has been giving the award since 2009.
It was early 2013 when, in an Australian-first engineering feat, Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia had elevated a 110-tonne steel frame 100 metres in the air, successfully attaching it to the One Central Park apartment block on Sydney’s Broadway.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/02/heliostat1.jpg" alt="heliostat1" width="470" height="194">
It is considered the most complex part of the construction process in building Australia’s first residential heliostat, 30 months in the making.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/02/heliostat2.jpg" alt="heliostat2" width="470" height="601">
Underneath, 3,000 coloured LED lights have become an eye-catching piece of public art at night, illuminating the residential towers with a light display designed by French lighting artist Yann Kersale.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/02/heliostat4.jpg" alt="heliostat4" width="470" height="313">
 
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