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.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

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;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

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."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

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

DKO Architecture

<html><body>
The evolution of Montague Precinct will soon gain further momentum with <a href="http://www.bpmcorp.com.au/">BPM’s</a> Night Fall project set to become reality. Inspired by elements of urban New York, it has been designed to add a sense of New York to the rich grain and fabric of the area and to provide a contrast to some of the taller developments both approved and proposed within the precinct.

The $26.5 million boutique project comprises 45 apartments over 7-storeys and is located at 165 Gladstone Street, South Melbourne, just 1.5km from the CBD, 2km to the arts precinct and within walking distance of South Melbourne Market and Bay Street shopping precincts. The mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments range in size from 45sqm to 110sqm.

According to BPM Founder and Company Director, Jonathan Hallinan, Night Fall was very much in keeping with his business philosophy of bringing the BPM to areas of potential such as Montague Precinct.

<blockquote>
I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the site. We do things a little differently in that the way we look at it is that we’re bringing BPM to the area; we’re very committed to our brand and all of our marketing is identical irrespective of whether it’s in Carnegie, Melbourne CBD, Southbank, Brisbane or even Los Angeles.

My number one business philosophy has been to build a property portfolio – and the quote to take from that and which is something I tell everyone is that the risk of being out of the market is far greater than the risk of being in it.

It’s very much about the portfolio and the diversity of that portfolio. That can take form in towers but we also want to keep developing the boutique as well.

We want to be involved in diverse areas and areas where we see the potential for future growth and potential – areas which are gentrifying and have the potential to become hubs with a strong food and coffee culture.
<cite>Jonathan Hallinan, BPM</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/image54_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Night Fall hero perspective. Image courtesy BPM"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="497" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image54_0.jpg?itok=MZUgZLY3" title="Night Fall hero perspective. Image courtesy BPM" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Night Fall hero perspective. Image courtesy BPM</figcaption></figure>Hallinan cites the Montague precinct's revitalisation and the opportunity to contribute to the evolution of the area as the main drawcard for BPM. By tapping into the existing character and infrastructure of the location, BPM seek to enhance the sense of local neighbourhood identity and create a community for residents.

<blockquote>
Because of the change in planning there is an incredible potential for developers to come in to the area but geographically Montague Precinct being so close to South Melbourne, Southbank and the CBD, it has the potential to get a food and coffee culture into it and that interests us in the long term.

The fact that this isn’t just blank land that will be developed with completely new buildings and the opportunity to get a really good mix of new and old really appealed to us. We’re very committed to the area and there will be some more news around that coming out shortly.
<cite>Jonathan Hallinan, BPM</cite>
</blockquote>

A 102sqm café space wraps the laneway corner and opens up to the residential lobby, providing residents with a barista on their doorstop, as well as a community hub.

Designed in collaboration with architects DKO and interior designers Hecker Guthrie, BPM’s vision was to create a sense of identity and belonging for residents through a restrained yet sophisticated design that takes inspiration from the Bulgari hotel in London, with a New York feel. It was DKO's willingness to work with Hallinan's vision for the site that saw them engaged for Night Fall.

<blockquote>
I think DKO have a good aesthetic eye. Every building that we develop derives from me, the look and feel, aesthetically comes from me.

Some architects are willing to follow that and amplify what I want, what I need really well because they have a similar aesthetic eye to me and DKO certainly were quite happy to do so. DKO were able to amplify my ideas around the architecture whereas there are a lot of architects where it’s their design and their idea.

At BPM we design the buildings ourselves.
<cite>Jonathan Hallinan, BPM</cite>
</blockquote>

Night Fall’s architectural form is classically restrained and masculine with refined exterior finishes crafted in response to the surrounding environment.

<blockquote>
Warm palettes of industrial elements, such as anodised bronze panelling and contrast black detailing, are offset by softer textured off-white exterior treatments and polished edges.
<cite>Hannah Jonasson, Associate Director of DKO</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
The carefully considered and light filled spaces are framed by generous balconies and an orientation that maximises natural daylight and the stunning city views to the north-east and bay views to the south-west.

The interiors feature strong architectural geometries. The space is defined by shade and a palette of sophisticated white on white contrasts with elements of warmth applied to the articulated forms. Highlights of fine black detailing are introduced in hardware such as tapware and door handles.
<cite>Hamish Guthrie, Director of Hecker Guthrie</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/nightfall_living.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Night Fall Living area. Courtesy BPM"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="375" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/nightfall_living.jpg?itok=1FTRov41" title="Night Fall Living area. Courtesy BPM" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Night Fall Living area. Courtesy BPM</figcaption></figure>Living areas are defined by a textured carpet with purchasers able to customise the planning of the space. The overall warm palette is complemented with the texture of the floor boards, carpet and tiled hob.

Kitchens feature freestanding joinery that are inserted elements into the space, with a cracked glazed tiled hob and concealed uplighting wrapping the freestanding kitchen. The island benchtop features a streamlined ceramic finish with a 900mm wide Fisher and Pykel integrated dish drawer with the option of chrome or black tapware. The Smeg oven and cooktop are accompanied by a concealed rangehood shroud by custom panels.

<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/nightfall_kitchen_low_res1.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Night Fall kitchen interior. Courtesy BPM."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="403" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/nightfall_kitchen_low_res1.jpeg?itok=eiWqIOsH" title="Night Fall kitchen interior. Courtesy BPM." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Night Fall kitchen interior. Courtesy BPM.</figcaption></figure>Bathrooms floors are tiled with a large format grey tile that continues throughout the walk-in-shower. A standalone custom vanity unit reflects the kitchen aesthetic, along with the option of chrome or black tapware. A custom shaving cabinet with wall mounted lighting provides added storage.

Construction of Night Fall is scheduled to commence in late 2015, with completion expected in late 2016. With a strong pipeline of projects set to be announced soon headed by Light Edge in Richmond in addition to a development within the eastern end of the Melbourne CBD also on the cards, it's set to be a busy few years for BPM building on its last 20.
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Laurence Dragomir

Night falls on Montague Precinct

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A meteoric year for Capital Alliance Investment Group's founder and Managing Director Mohan Du has been capped with the developer receiving the Australian Property Institute’s ‘Young Achiever of the Year’ award for Victoria.

At only 28 years old, Mohan Du has presided over the firm which has seen the delivery of its first major development, M Docklands. With final touches being applied to the mixed-use tower, its imminent opening will usher in Docklands' first five star hotel under the Peppers brand with the hotel's first completed suite <a href="/news/docklands-receives-a-double-shot-in-the-arm">revealed during August</a>.

With the award, Australian Property Institute acknowledged the enormous responsibility placed upon Mohan Du's shoulders, and the subsequent success enjoyed by the firm. Having being established during 2012, Capital Alliance Investment Group now holds a 7-year pipeline of Melbourne projects valued at approximately $1.2 billion.

<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/mohan_du_young_achiever_of_the_year.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mohan Du with ASPT CEO Daryl Browning upon receiving the award"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mohan_du_young_achiever_of_the_year.jpg?itok=3y92RY9D" title="Mohan Du with ASPT CEO Daryl Browning upon receiving the award" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mohan Du with ASPT CEO Daryl Browning upon receiving the award</figcaption></figure><h2>On receiving the award</h2>

<blockquote>
Winning this award puts the icing on the cake on what has been a very enjoyable and successful year for Capital Alliance. As a passionate Melburnian, my vision is to turn the world’s most liveable city into an international beacon for beautifully designed, innovative, supremely liveable and workable landmarks.

Whilst it’s a great honour to win this prestigious award, the thing I’ve been most proud of so far in my career is creating jobs, investments and lifestyle changes in my home city, and I will continue to do just that.
<cite>Mohan Du, founder and managing director of Capital Alliance Investment Group</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/image3ca.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A sight set to become all the more familiar. Image courtesy CAIG"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="374" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3ca.jpg?itok=qmUzHE_q" title="A sight set to become all the more familiar. Image courtesy CAIG" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A sight set to become all the more familiar. Image courtesy CAIG</figcaption></figure><h2>Creating recognisable buildings</h2>

With M Docklands all but complete Capital Alliance Investment Group's focus will shift to multiple upcoming projects. Kings Domain Apartments on Dorcas Street Southbank looms as the next project set for construction, with the SJB Architects-designed tower looking to add to an already popular apartment sub precinct within the suburb.

115-129 King Street Melbourne has also been acquired with settlement for the likely development site due in March 2016.

It is Docklands through where the bulk of Capital Alliance Investment Group development will occur in the medium term. Apartments.com.au <a href="/news/dko-and-designing-docklands">previously highlighted</a> their pending mixed-use tower located at 3-43 Waterfront Way, with 188 hotel suites and 287 traditional apartments within the 37 level, DKO Architecture-designed building.

<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/image2dko.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A first look at 26-38 Pearl River Road. Image courtesy DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="322" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image2dko.jpg?itok=-Ri87Th1" title="A first look at 26-38 Pearl River Road. Image courtesy DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A first look at 26-38 Pearl River Road. Image courtesy DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure>Also the work of DKO Architecture, 26-38 Pearl River Road is subject to a development application with two towers set above ground floor retail space. The northern 29 level tower stands at 92 metres in height, with a smaller 19 level tower in tow.

In total 408 dwellings are included within the development, comprising 141 x one bedroom, 266 x two bedroom and 1 x three bedroom apartments. A gym, communal dining/lounge, cinema, landscaped deck and swimming pool are included as are allowances for 186 resident car spaces and 127 bicycle spaces.

Both 26-38 Pearl River Road and 3-43 Waterfront Way entered planning simultaneously mid year after the sites were purchased from Ashe Morgan by Capital Alliance Investment Group.
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silvermb

Capital Alliance Investment Group goes from strength to strength

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<blockquote>
I don't think Melburnians understand Docklands yet. We see it as a suburb that needs time to evolve; it needs to find its own spirit, its own character.
<cite>Jesse Linardi, Design Director, DKO</cite>
</blockquote>

As construction in and around Docklands continues at pace, Apartments.com.au thought it an opportune time to garner an update on the precinct from Docklands locals <a href="http://www.dko.com.au/">DKO Architecture</a>. Architect Dennis Chew and Design Director Jesse Linardi were kind enough to discuss their experience of working 'on site' in addition to their two latest projects for <a href="http://capitalalliance.com.au/">Capital Alliance</a> within Harbour Town.

The catalyst for the practice's relocation from Mitchell House on Lonsdale Street to Docklands was DKO's engagement in the masterplanning for NewQuay Central following <a href="http://www.mab.com.au/">MAB Corporation</a>'s acquisition of the site from ING. DKO seized the opportunity to be at the coalface so to speak, gaining intimate experience of the precinct.

Having developed the built form envelopes and urban design principles around the ground plane and laneways for NewQuay Central, DKO was subsequently engaged to design what is now Hiap Hoe's Marina Tower development.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/80_08-10-2014_8976.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="788" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/80_08-10-2014_8976.jpg?itok=fa1oOnRH" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Probuild are currently constructing Marina Tower. Image courtesy DKO</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The story with NewQuay Central is around having diversity in the architectural built form, so getting a variety of architects involved in each project, away from the repetitive type of approach you might otherwise get from a single office. We talk about it as being part of the city so we tried to encourage an interesting skyline rather than a uniform one.

We really pushed for that which might seem illogical from a commercial decision making point of view, but we felt really strongly about having that diversity.
<cite>Jesse Linardi</cite>
</blockquote>

DKO's work on NewQuay Central expanded to include a development site at <a href="/buildings/elm-stone-387-docklands-drive-docklands">387-395 Docklands Drive</a> which would deliver dual 17-storey buildings over two stages, replacing an earlier scheme by Hassell for a commercial building. The as yet unnamed project is due to begin its sales and marketing campaign shortly.

More masterplanning followed for MAB's NewQuay West which has gone through a number of iterations over the years, the latest incarnation being driven by the addition of Ron Barassi Snr Park. Similar to the initial stage of NewQuay Central, the process for the western precinct wasn't so much about architecture but more so diversity in scale and the impact of built form on built form, as well as the ground plane and pedestrian environment.

Within that framework are considerations of views, shadowing, solar access, wind; a set of principles which DKO's design team works from to derive a built form which they believe to be the best outcome possible.

<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/newquay_masterplan-reduced.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="NewQuay Masterplan. Image courtesy of DKO."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/newquay_masterplan-reduced.jpg?itok=l3bB9e-X" title="NewQuay Masterplan. Image courtesy of DKO." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>NewQuay Masterplan. Image courtesy of DKO.</figcaption></figure>This in turn brings us to DKO's latest Docklands projects, 3-43 Waterfront Way and 26-38 Pearl River Road within Harbour Town. Offloaded by <a href="http://ashemorgan.com.au/">Ashe Morgan</a> to emerging Melbourne developer Capital Alliance Investment Group, the at planning 3-43 Waterfront Way features a mixed-use tower of 37-storeys with the first 11 levels dedicated hotel accommodation with residential above.

<blockquote>
The opportunity here was designing a mixed-use tower as opposed to a completely residential building, that's something we believe the precinct needs more of: true mixed-use developments. To punch through the existing building and create a direct connection back through to Docklands Drive and the pedestrian retail strip within Harbour Town was highly satisfying.

The other interesting thing about these sites, I believe there's an opportunity and scope for more height and scale than the CBD. The closest building to these sites could be 20-30m away, you don't get the same concerns and issues as those you might in the city, with regards to adjacencies, overlooking and so forth.

Historically this area of Docklands has had relatively low height limits. The driver for height on this site (3-43 Waterfront Way) is the new park and not overshadowing it, which is a logical way to look at it.
<cite>Jesse Linardi</cite>
</blockquote>

The designs for both sites had to address key environmental impacts, in particular wind in places where there doesn't presently exist any built form. The buildings were designed to respond and mitigate the wind conditions; predominantly the westerly and northerly winds the site experiences.

At one stage the Pearl River Road site was going to be one building but was pulled apart to address the wind and allow it to pass through between the buildings rather than be driven downwards to the footpath.

<blockquote>
It was about coming back to those earlier design principles once again. We tested the sites and envelopes quite rigorously with the wind engineer initially. What normally happens is you test it in the wind tunnel, the wind hits the building and creates a downward draught; you typically then provide a awning to deal with the issue.

For these sites the wind is literally carving and sculpting the buildings to provide a more comfortable and better walking condition at ground level.
<cite>Dennis Chew, Architect, DKO</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/wfc_se_site.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="DKO's 37-storey mixed use tower at 3-43 Waterfront Way. Image courtesy of DKO."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="509" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/wfc_se_site.jpg?itok=q1NE0jY_" title="DKO's 37-storey mixed use tower at 3-43 Waterfront Way. Image courtesy of DKO." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The 37-storey mixed use tower at 3-43 Waterfront Way. Image courtesy of DKO.</figcaption></figure>Other design drivers include internal amenity such as minimising the number of apartments with only southerly aspects; the vast majority are afforded east or west outlooks. With the debate surrounding the introduction of apartment standards in Victoria, Jesse says a lot of those design principles and requirements are standard practice and come second nature to the office as part of their design process and that was most certainly be the case for the Harbour Town towers.

Where Pearl River Road and Waterfront Way were initially treated as service roads for the existing retail and ice rink offerings within Harbour Town, the new buildings look to activate them and encourage pedestrian movement through whilst also transforming the look and feel of the area.

The fact that their client, Capital Alliance Investment Group was passionate about good design, amenity and quality outcomes made DKO's task far more appealing. This manifested itself via the client's desire to provide residents and guests with a unique experience by way of a infinity rooftop pool in a similar vein to Marina Bay Sands Singapore, with views back towards the CBD.
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DKO and designing Docklands

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Following on from our piece on <a href="/news/sterling-globals-grand-plans-for-huntingdale">Sterling Global's plans for its Huntingdale site</a>, comes our chat with DKO Architecture's regarding the firm's work on the masterplanning of the project in addition to their experiences working on similar projects throughout Melbourne.

Quite often the simple solution is to deliver a gated, homogeneous housing estate with no connection with the greater community of which it should form a part. Projects such as Huntingdale and their work with <a href="http://www.cedarwoods.com.au/">Cedar Woods</a> on<a href="http://www.dko.com.au/cms_subcat_16/master3"> Banbury Village</a> in Footscray and <a href="http://www.jacksongreen.com.au/">Jackson Green</a> in Clayton South are a departure from the model of housing, featuring a mix of housing typologies aimed at a varied demographic on former brownfield sites within established suburbs.

<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/banbury_village.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Banbury Village. © DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/banbury_village.jpg?itok=69lv8ZKn" title="Banbury Village. © DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Banbury Village. © DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure>Laurence Dragomir: DKO has built up a portfolio of masterplanned residential work in addition to the high rise projects of recent times. What do you enjoy about working on these less glitzy projects?

Koos De Keijzer: We're getting somewhat fatigued of doing projects like that (laughs). But seriously I believe from an architectural perspective the hardest challenge for architects out there is doing curated housing in the outer suburbs. Part of the real kind of issue with urbanity in Australia and a lot of the new world is the sense of our suburbs being incredibly similar and it's probably getting some higher density housing typologies in the suburbs that starts to make it kind of interesting.

What's been really interesting about the Huntingdale project is the site all up is 18.8ha and we've got about 1,000 dwellings, half of which are low-rise apartments and half of which are terraces, detached houses and attached houses. So straightaway it's nice that we've been able to provide a 50/50 mix.

Certainly up on Huntingdale Road we thought a mixture of 4-5 storeys was appropriate, poking above tree tops with views over the golf course towards the east. What we normally do is orientate these 'superlots' north-south so from a solar point of view, from an amenity point of view it becomes quite attractive.

We've also got a little commercial centre planned for the entrance as part of the superlot so it's a separate planning application with the intent of becoming a foca lpoint that will have a supermarket and further retail.

LD: What was the main overarching theme or design driver for the project?

KK: Our kind of big picture story, Laurence was about linking Davies Reserve which sits to the north and Talbot Park to the south-east of the site with a green band. I like the idea that if I lived here I could send my kids to an attractive recreational space and they'd only need to cross two roads at most to get there.

LD: I suppose the other added benefit of introducing additional green open space and then designing apartments with an outlook towards them is the opportunity it provides for passive surveillance of these public areas.

KK: Certainly, and the plan features a couple of east-west blocks which we normally place a couple of cores so we always get through-apartments. Part of our story that's really strong is the whole concept of practical sustainability and not having south facing apartments, which I think is criminal and should be outlawed.

Also it's not just sustainability but also also the fact that we've broken the site up into four precincts comprising two wetland precincts - a boulevard precinct and an urban precinct - which forms part of the story of taking a whole and breaking it into sections.

What we're always keen to push, Laurence, is a whole series of different typologies and what we don't want to do is have these 13m wide by 13m deep single storey monotonous dwellings. The other nice thing about the client group and Brandon and Neil from <a href="http://sterlingglobal.com.au/">Sterling Global</a> is that they were really keen to embrace contemporary architecture, and for us as contemporary architects it was about what a contemporary housing community might look like.

Put very simply we work the corners hard and if you get the corner right the remaineder tends to take care of itself. As we have higher densities some dwellings have underground car parks, some have laneways while others are just front loaded. The otherfactor that keeps us interested is how the built form addresses the public realm.

LD: I think one of the things that stands out most for me is the way materials have been employed.The use of timber and brick while nothing new, appears to have been given plenty of thought in how it is employed creating more rich and diverse streetscapes.

<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/dko_hunt_v01_finale_v4_sml.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Huntingdale. © DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/dko_hunt_v01_finale_v4_sml.jpg?itok=MiLEO5tD" title="Huntingdale. © DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Huntingdale. © DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure>KK: I guess it's sometimes tough because housing is so personal but what we're always keen to do is find this new contemporary authenticity. We have this beautiful building in Brighton that was loosely based upon an old Schindler house that I saw in LA; it's got elements of timber and has this notion of trying to weave nature in through natural materials which is what makes it interesting.

LD: How far advanced are you with the designs of the buildings? Speaking with Brandon previously he indicated that the two-storey townhouses along the perimeter were the most advanced.

KK: Yes they were the most advanced largely by way of being neighbour driven as they're at the interface with existing dwellings. They present as courtyard homes with a two-storey portion at the front and single storey portion at the rear. We're big on zero lotting, Laurence, so we like to zero lot the southern boundary so that you maximise the northern space on those east-west dwellings.

Ultimately we really enjoy these kinds of jobs and there are few architects that work in the suburban setting, most prefer to work in more urban environs with the taller stuff. Here it's architectural tinkering. It's about trying to manage diversity and curating streets but not wanting them to look the same. We're very much creating an architecturally interesting setting with a sense of individuality.

LD: Thank you again for your time Koos, always a pleasure.
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DKO's Koos de Keijzer talks Huntingdale

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Urban.com.au can reveal Singaporean firm Figtree Holdings Limited's proposal for what was formerly the Duke of Kent hotel on La Trobe Street. Better known as a builder of commercial and industrial facilities throughout east Asia, the group will press into Melbourne's high-rise residential sector via its subsidiary Figtree La Trobe Pty Ltd.

Securing the Duke of Kent for $14.08 million during 2014, Figtree subsequently added the adjoining <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">301-303 La Trobe Street</a> in order to amalgamate both sites in the hope of gaining approval for a 213 metre residential tower.

Responsible for the preliminary development scheme devised for the Duke of Kent's sales campaign, <a href="/architects/dko-architecture">DKO Architecture</a> were also engaged in order to conceive the scheme for approval, with the application currently before the State Government. If successfully approved, 293-303 La Trobe Street would see 370 apartments delivered, consisting of one, two and three bedroom dwellings.

<h2>293-303 La Trobe Street application summary</h2>

<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/image43_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Facing demolition. Image courtesy DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="340" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image43_1.jpg?itok=Fub3elRH" title="Facing demolition. Image courtesy DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Facing demolition. Image courtesy DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Planning application lodged April 2015</li>
	<li>Site area: 667sqm with the Duke of Kent to be demolished</li>
	<li>66 level tower at 213m above ground (OLS ceiling)</li>
	<li>Total GFA sought: 34,353sqm</li>
	<li>​370 apartments: 1/2/3 bedroom options</li>
	<li>Podium parking for 61 vehicles and basement allowances for 168 bicycles</li>
	<li>50.2sqm of ground floor retail tenancy space</li>
	<li>Level 1 amenities area and level 13/44 communal spaces</li>
</ul>
<h2>Ground level greatness?</h2>

DKO Architecture have employed a visually unique and highly interesting ground level interface to the site's three frontages, namely La Trobe Street, Sutherland Street and Flanigan Lane. To avoid creating a 'choke point' of sorts by building to the site's boundaries, the lower levels has been arched inwards so as to improve the pedestrian experience to both Sutherland Street and Flanigan Lane.

Framed by perforated golden metallic screens, a new plaza to the eastern perimeter will open up Sutherland Street in particular while also allowing for enhanced solar penetration.

According to the town planning report, the proposed urban realm will not only allow for increased pedestrian movement north and south along Sutherland Street, but also create a space where pedestrians can relax and congregate. Landscape consultancy T.C.L have envisaged bluestone public seating and Bower Vines climbing the metallic screens as a means of softening the space.

<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/image40_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Street level interface. Image courtesy DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="532" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image40_1.jpg?itok=zMpdx4GO" title="Street level interface. Image courtesy DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Street level interface. Image courtesy DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure><h2>Tight site, tight fit</h2>

<blockquote>
The tower is architectural resolved in a cylindrical shape with convex ends east and west which make a tower form unique to Melbourne. The use of dark blue glazing to the façade, interspersed with gold-colour glass, complements the perforated gold metal of the ground level plaza to create a building that will be an iconic building within the CBD.

The proposed built form has been sensitively designed to offer improved public amenity at ground level and excellent internal amenity, while also responding to the surrounding built (existing and approved / under construction).
<cite>Urbis, town planning report</cite>
</blockquote>

The tight nature of the site has led to minimal setbacks to La Trobe Street and Flanigan Lane, although there is precedence in the area with current towers under construction also maintaining minor setbacks to all frontages. The design's intended setback to La Trobe Street ranges between 0 and 2.3 metres over levels 14 to 43, while the west boundary is setback between 4 and 5.57 metres in anticipation of a possible redevelopment of the adjoining property into the future.

Beyond level 44 the tower's form bulges, resulting in decreased east and west setbacks. It is noted within the planning documents that although 293-303 La Trobe Street's setbacks are minimal, recent projects in the area such as <a href="/buildings/victoria-one-452-472-elizabeth-street-melbourne">Victoria One</a> and <a href="/developers/brady-group">Brady Group's</a> completed Melbourne Star &amp; Sky employ little if any setbacks.

<h2>The tall and the short of it</h2>

As per many other pockets of inner Melbourne, the southern footpath of La Trobe Street between Elizabeth Street and Queen Street is in the grips of mass development with five residential towers at various stages of the development process. <a href="/buildings/eporo-tower-279-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Eporo Tower</a>, <a href="/buildings/la-trobe-tower-323-la-trobe-street-melbourne">La Trobe Tower</a> and <a href="/buildings/the-carlson-321-la-trobe-street-melbourne">The Carlson</a> are all under construction, with another 48 level residential development approved atop the <a href="/buildings/paragon-318-queen-street-melbourne">Celtic Club</a>.

The above projects border the Guildford Lane Heritage Precinct which is a prime example of early twentieth century low-rise industrial and warehousing buildings, and quite a unique aspect of <a href="/new-apartments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne's CBD</a>. With limited blocks fronting La Trobe Street available for development, 293-303 La Trobe Street shapes as one of the last sizeable residential towers that will front both La Trobe Street and the heritage precinct.

Only in the last year has the scale of La Trobe Street as depicted below begun to change immensely; it remains to be seen how Figtree's proposal along with the aforementioned towers slot into the streetscape and what effect, if any, they have upon the adjoining Guildford Lane Heritage Precinct.

<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/731003w-latrobest-dofkhotel-rsmith.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Duke of Kent in times gone by. Image courtesy tdu.to"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="273" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/731003w-latrobest-dofkhotel-rsmith.jpg?itok=WD4x7J_Z" title="The Duke of Kent in times gone by. Image courtesy tdu.to" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Duke of Kent in times gone by. Image courtesy tdu.to</figcaption></figure><h2>293-303 La Trobe Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Figtree La Trobe Pty Ltd</li>
	<li>Architect: DKO Architecture</li>
	<li>Town Planner: Urbis</li>
	<li>Structural: Webber Design</li>
	<li>Services &amp; ESD: ADP Consulting</li>
	<li>Building Surveyor: SW Partners</li>
	<li>Traffic: GTA Consultants</li>
	<li>Waste: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Land Surveyor: Bosco Johnson</li>
	<li>Wind: MEL Consultants</li>
	<li>Landscape Consultant: T.C.L</li>
</ul>
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Figtree's Melbourne foray: 293-303 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

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CBD-based <a href="http://sterlingglobal.com.au/">Sterling Global</a> is pushing ahead with its plans for an 'urban village' at 1221-1249 Centre Road, Oakleigh; the site of a former quarry and located directly opposite Huntingdale Golf Course. With an expected end value in excess of $600 million, the <a href="http://www.dko.com.au/">DKO Architecture</a> master planned development will accommodate approximately 2,500 residents as it is developed over the next 5-8 years.

Adhering to Sterling Global's criteria when assessing site acquisition opportunities, the site is well serviced by surrounding amenity, transport links, retail, education and parkland aspects.

<blockquote>
Huntingdale is a flagship development, one of the biggest residential infills in the inner south eastern suburbs, and definitely one of the most significant developments in the City of Monash.
<cite>Brandon Yeoh, Development Director, Sterling Global</cite>
</blockquote>

The masterplan features a mix of townhouses, SOHO living, apartments and the potential for serviced apartments/student accommodation to take advantage of the site's strong connections and proximity to both campuses of Monash University. Currently the plans allow for a 2-storey buffer of townhouses to existing surrounding dwellings.

Apartment buildings will be limited to the eight 'superlots', three of which are sited along Huntingdale Road and are intended to accommodate buildings up to 6-storeys with views over the adjoining golf course. The remaining superlots will feature buildings of 4 to 6-storeys with all apartments taking advantage of views to existing parks.

<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/huntingdale_aerial.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Site and Amenity aerial. © Sterling Global"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="407" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/huntingdale_aerial.jpg?itok=mMlkIrDa" title="Site and Amenity aerial. © Sterling Global" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Site and Amenity aerial. © Sterling Global</figcaption></figure>The project team consulted heavily with the Metropolitan Planning Authority, City of Monash and the EPA to establish the best outcome for the site, even being encouraged to go denser as the site sits within the Monash Employment Cluster that is well serviced by public transport infrastructure.

It was DKO's previous work on masterplanning projects such as Banbury Village in Footscray and Kew Cottages that led to their engagement on Huntingdale, according to Brandon Yeoh.

<blockquote>
The Huntingdale masterplan provides a series of villages that relate to the landscape and adjacent green spaces. In providing separate villages, a greater sense of dwelling diversity is achieved that in part facilitates a true community.

Communal facilities are strategically provided an become the heart of the new neighbourhoods.

The architecture has been carefully crafted to maximise orientation and outlook, we have designed bespoke, sustainable homes, which take care of the environment, but also enhances the quality of life for future residents.
<cite>Koos de Keijzer, Principal, DKO Architecture</cite>
</blockquote>

Drawing inspiration from the native parklands which flank it, the development will incorporate walkways, cycling tracks, playgrounds and communal facilities such as club houses, barbeque areas and activity pavilions. Additionally, landscaping by REALM has been designed to include wetlands and native gardens while street frontages are set to be activated with cafes and the like with the expectation that the greater community will be drawn into the area and not just residents.

A critical aspect of the master plan is that it is not seen as a gated community rather a part of the greater community at large.

The site currently harvests ground and grey water for irrigation throughout the Huntingdale parklands in an environmental initiative between Sterling Global and Huntingdale Golf Course. Further ESD initiatives being investigated include grey, black and stormwater harvesting for the development, in addition to the potential for solar panels being provided as standard for all dwellings.

Sterling Global intends to begin a formal registration process in October-November with the display suite to launch on site in April 2016. The project will be marketed towards the local Oakleigh community with a target mix of investors, young couples, students, downsizers and retirees in mind. Prices are expected to start at around $550,000 through to $1 million.

<blockquote>
I believe that there is significant demand for quality and well priced homes in the local market. We are aiming to deliver Huntingdale to local and surrounding residents who have grown up in the area and are now thinking of downsizing or establishing young families.
<cite>Brandon Yeoh, Development Director, Sterling Global</cite>
</blockquote>

The development follows hot off the heels of the success of Sterling Global's <a href="/buildings/ralston-22-toorak-road-south-yarra">The Ralston</a> in South Yarra which sold out and commenced construction just six months after settlement. The $65 million project consists of 53 luxury apartments and three townhouses and is due for completion late next year.

Keep an eye out for Apartments.com.au's more in depth interview about the Huntingdale project with DKO Architecture's Koos de Keijzer in the coming weeks.
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Sterling Global's grand plans for Huntingdale

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Travel past 12 Queens Road at the moment and massive banners adorn the existing car park highlighting one of Melbourne's premier apartment developments in the making. The latest project by developer Kangoala, Queens Domain will be aimed toward apartment buyers seeking large living areas and exceptional internal finishes featuring a number of firsts.

Urban.com.au recently spoke with PDA Australia Development Manager Andrew Rice who has once more teamed with Kangoala following the success of the recently completed Emporia Apartments in Prahran. At the heart of discussions is the role which PDA Australia plays within the development process and how this translates to innovative outcomes within Queens Domain.

As a development management company PDA Australia offers essentially a one stop consulting service encompassing roles such as site analysis &amp; acquisition, project feasibility analysis, planning permit application submissions, project management and various property related negotiations. In this way Kangoala has entrusted PDA Australia with the bulk of Queens Domain's development process.

<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/228-0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Queens Domain. Image courtesy dKO"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="1031" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/228-0.jpg?itok=QiRTRFk2" title="Queens Domain. Image courtesy dKO" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Queens Domain. Image courtesy dKO</figcaption></figure>Andrew Rice explains that by doing so PDA Australia maintains an integral role in the design process, appointing dKO Architecture with the principal design of Queens Domain, MDG landscape architects for external areas and Nexus Designs for the interiors. Describing each project as a stepping stone toward greater use of technology and innovation, emphasis is placed on the delivery of 238 distinct homes within Queens Domain rather than a generic apartment block.

With intense application to the cause and scrutiny over all aspects of the project's design, PDA Australia have implemented a number of intriguing design features within the project. These features are not price driven, but guided by sourcing quality, efficient products that can be easily installed during the construction process.

In describing his many overseas sojourns in order to research interior solutions for the project, Andrew Rice settled upon a number of European suppliers in order to provide Queens Domain with a point of difference. Chief amongst these are the Snaidero modular kitchens custom designed for Queens Domain.

Manufactured in northern Italy and present in the display suite, the Snaidero units are of an excessively good quality, larger than most traditional apartment kitchens and maintain an organic feel. While the form is impressive, it's the functionality during installation which leads to savings in both time and trades.

<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/img_5406.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Snaidero kitchen finishes"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_5406.jpg?itok=KOOoJ8Ty" title="Snaidero kitchen finishes" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Snaidero kitchen finishes</figcaption></figure>PDA Australia also approached Asko to provide appliances; quality in nature but with limited exposure to residential apartment projects, Andrew Rice reinforces that PDA Australia's stance was to source the best available products regardless of location or public profile. Also based in northern Italy, Pianca wardrobes were chosen to provide functionality to storage spaces while prefabricated doors, stone tiles sourced and pre-cut in Athens plus moulded bathroom sinks add to the list of innovative interior solutions.

A feature of the overall apartment floor plan is dKO Architecture's tailored design responding to what are traditionally large blocks fronting Queens Road with built form set back from all boundaries. With views and natural light emphasised, dKO have provided bedrooms with windows to two directions. In doing this Queens Domain maximises natural light penetration to all apartments; no apartments with borrowed light here!

Single bedroom apartments begin at 47sqm with two and three bedroom dwellings also included. The largest apartment on offer holds 166sqm, adding to PDA Australia's stance that large, liveable spaces are what is desired in the marketplace.

<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/img_5409.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Display suite views never to be built out"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_5409.jpg?itok=CFkJKsD9" title="Display suite views never to be built out" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Views never to be built out</figcaption></figure>As of last week in excess of 100 apartments within the 238-apartment project have sold with modest sales to overseas clients. With a focus toward the owner-occupier, Queens Domain's onsite elevated display suite is expected to see strong visitor numbers, while also providing prospective buyers with an accurate representation of the vista on offer.

In a novel method to generate project interest, viewers of the Queens Domain website can <a href="http://www.queensdomainmelbourne.com.au/competition">register their details</a> with the knowledge that a 2015 Grand Prix Experience is on offer which includes corporate tickets for two, a nights accommodation at The Langham Hotels and Resorts and dinner at Southgate’s Pure South.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MhTakzg965k" width="100%"></iframe>
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Queens Domain a showcase for quality apartment design

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Melbourne-based property developer BPM is awaiting a final planning decision for what would be their first high-rise project. Submitted during November 2013, 165-167 Gladstone Street South Melbourne - like many other projects proposed for the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area - was in a state of flux up until the State Government's recent announcement of the Fishermans Bend Strategic Framework Plan.

With an initial tranche of Fishermans Bend towers <a href="/news/scores-of-fishermans-bend-apartments-approved">publicly approved last week</a>, BPM would be expecting a final decision soon enough (as is the case with many other developers) in order to move forward with the residential project laced with an international design presence.

<blockquote>
BPM has recently acquired a new site in South Melbourne. The new project will see boutique apartments with a design collaboration between BPM and designers from New York's Meatpacking District.
<cite>BPM</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Project Summary</h2>

<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/image58dko.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="165-167 Gladstone Street as taken from the planning application. Image © dKO Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="723" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image58dko.jpg?itok=FNIwTOm4" title="165-167 Gladstone Street as taken from the planning application. Image © dKO Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>165-167 Gladstone Street as taken from the planning application. Image © dKO Architecture</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Site of 702sqm currently used as warehouse / photo studio</li>
	<li>Proposed 18 level tower at 58 metres in height</li>
	<li>90 apartments, all with terrace or balcony</li>
	<li>56 * 2 bedroom apartments + 34 * 1 bedroom apartments</li>
	<li>69sqm retail space fronting public realm</li>
	<li>52 vehicle and 29 bicycle spaces</li>
</ul>
<h2>A style all its own</h2>

dKO Architecture have seemingly added a further degree of contrast to the Fishermans Bend precinct which has to date been inundated with curtain wall facades or the unique stylings of Artisan Architects clutch of project within the precinct. The planning application sources New York's 41 Bond Street and London's Bulgari Hotel as design inspiration

Included over the external facade is a grid pattern of textured precast panels which present in an almost retro manner. Possibly not every person's design preference but a welcome contrast nonetheless.

<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/image59dko.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Expected materials palette. Image © dKO Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="93" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image59dko.jpg?itok=m3-uR7s4" title="Expected materials palette. Image © dKO Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Expected materials palette. Image © dKO Architecture</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The proposed development employs a contemporary architectural style incorporating a range of materials and finishes to provide visually interesting and textured façades. The materials proposed include varying types of white finish pre-cast concrete with dark grey tender framing elements interspersed with metal through the perforated and slat screens, bronze anodised metal and bronze and grey tint glazing together with clear glazing
<cite>Contour Town Planners</cite>
</blockquote>

Situated within a discretionary height limit area of Fishermans Bend, this is the first public viewing of 165-167 Gladstone Street South Melbourne, which at nearly a year in planning may have been subject to design alterations although not subject to height restrictions.

Regardless 165-167 Gladstone Street South Melbourne is the latest in a slew of projects from BPM. Others including the currently under construction duo of <a href="/buildings/collins-queen-40-collins-street-essendon">Collins and Queen</a> on Essendon's burgeoning Keilor Road apartment strip plus <a href="/buildings/walter-280-neerim-road-carnegie">Walter Carnegie</a>, also a product of dKO Architecture.

<h2>Project team as at November 2013</h2>

<ul>
<li>Architect: DKO Architecture</li>
	<li>Town Planners: Contour Consultants</li>
	<li>Traffic Engineers: Traffix Group</li>
	<li>Environmental Sustainability Consultant: Lucid Consulting Australia</li>
	<li>Environmental Consultants: Alpha Environmental</li>
	<li>Waste Management Engineers: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Wind Consultants: MEL Consultants</li>
</ul>
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BPM awaiting a decision for their South Melbourne tower

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I recently sat down with dKO Principal Koos de Keijzer and dKO Design director Jesse Linardi for an informal discussion regarding their experiences in both Sydney and Melbourne. This follows on from Mark's initial article which explored the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/observing-the-current-melbourne-sydney-development-dynamic" target="_blank">Melbourne-Sydney development dynamic</a> and the increasing movement of skilled industry-related firms and personnel between both cities.

Managing architectural teams in both Melbourne and Sydney made the duo excellent individuals to pose questions to, and explore the different nuances between both cities.

<h2>Q &amp; A with dKO's Koos de Keijzer and Jesse Linardi</h2>

LD: How long ago did dKO establish the Sydney Office?

KdK: 10 years, now.

LD: Do you find you are working on similar projects across both offices?

JL: Historically we predominantly worked on housing in Sydney, with a push more recently towards medium-density high-rise and low-rise, and that’s been with developers from both Melbourne and Sydney.

As you would know the market in Melbourne is hot, partly due to this perception of the ease with which you can get a planning permit for a significant building in Melbourne. In Sydney they’ve got an additional set of guidelines in SEP65 which is a lot more onerous than what we currently have in Melbourne.

LD: An announcement on a similar set of guidelines here in Melbourne isn’t too far off.

JL: Hopefully as I think there’s some value in that. Larger sites in Melbourne have been bought up generally by offshore developers of late, mostly from Asian countries. The flow-on effect is that the prices for these sites have gone up and so the local guys are looking to Sydney which has less competition presently.

LD: Have you found it’s the smaller, more boutique developers here in Melbourne who are the ones turning their attention towards Sydney?

JL: It seems to be the developers looking towards purchasing sites in the 10 million - 20 million site value under pressure. Keeping in mind that that’s still quite a lot of money for a site, yet they’re the ones who are getting pushed out in the current Melbourne market.

The last couple of years has seen Koos and I have driving that process - we go up to Sydney, he's there two days a week every week and I'm in Sydney at least one day a week. We have a team of twenty and there's constant communication; as I mentioned earlier there's been that real push up there into the medium density projects.

KdK: Now probably the big difference between Sydney and Melbourne is that land is much more scarce in Sydney so certainly from a land efficiency point ot view, and density point of view, there's a different paradigm in Sydney than there is in Melbourne.

There's still an abundance of greenfield, idyllic suburban sites here in Melbourne than you would find in Sydney. Melbourne in many ways, is still a very suburban city whereas Sydney, because it's actually constrained by Hawkesbury, by the National Park to the south, by the Blue Mountains, the Basin, is quite limited with development sites so the whole concept of density becomes quite considerable.

For the last few years we've completed a lot of masterplanning, urban design and now apartment design in the inner suburbs of Sydney.

JL: I'll add the Sydney sphere is probably a little less driven by investors than in Melbourne, where the bigger projects here are marketed internationally. I'm not saying they're not in Sydney but much more of the product would be targeted at the owner occupier, so it's a different kind of apartment.

KdK: I feel the big difference for Melbourne architects working in Sydney is that historically Melbourne architects try a little bit harder. We're competing with a lot of big firms up there so when we look at a site we might look at 3-4 schemes and really do copious amounts of research and visualisation of what the urban form might feel like. What you'll find is a lot of our competition up there doesn't actually do that.

LD: Eve in Sydney has been a big success story for your office.

JL: Eve is Fridcorp's first major building in Sydney and was the result of a design competition. dKO prepared the original... there's a two stage DA process in Sydney where the first stage is basically a bulk scale, massing envelope and then there's an invited competition run by the City of Sydney. Three firms were invited: ourselves, SJB and Woods Bagot. It's a paid competition and we were provided with a brief by Fridcorp and we obviously won that competition which was a big win for dKO.

KdK: Maybe explain why you think we won.

JL: Honestly, I think we won the competition because we do a lot of projects in Melbourne where we work in the Richmonds, the Collingwoods and those sorts of suburbs where it's critical to understand context. The culture of the suburb, the materiality, the way people live et cetera and so you don't end up with a big glass tower. Erskineville - this is probably not the right analogy but it's a Collingwood, Fitzroy kind of suburb undergoing gentrification.

KdK: With a lot of really tight, quite small worker's cottages.

JL: So we really embraced that language, the materials, the nature of the building not being monolithic - that's honestly why I think we won.

KdK: And that really is a strong part of our office ethos, we do feel quite strongly about context - a building in Erskineville Sydney shouldn't look the same as a building in Port Melbourne. There isn't kind of like this 'house style'. Certainly when you have that real fine grain context, Victorian terraces and parapets and bagged brick - it's understanding that and trying to identify how we use that potentially.

<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/eve_exterior.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The dKO-designed Eve apartment complex in Sydney's Erskenville"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="412" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/eve_exterior.jpg?itok=lZlSWEF8" title="The dKO-designed Eve apartment complex in Sydney's Erskenville" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The dKO-designed Eve apartment complex in Sydney's Erskenville</figcaption></figure>LD: What was the response to Eve from people within the neighbourhood? Was there a sense of NIMBYism?

KdK: That project is within a precinct, similar to Fishermans Bend where council have a masterplan and has actually been quite adamant as to how the precinct will evolve and develop. Currently there are a lot of old factories, warehouses and workers cottages - in many ways it's not too dissimilar to what's happening down in Port Melbourne's Bay Street where you've got that fine grain mixed with larger buildings.

To Sydney City Council's credit I think they've been fairly... almost European in how they've crafted Erskineville whereas here in Melbourne it's very much left to the developers and architects. In Sydney they probably pre-plan it a lot more, Jesse?

JL: And they also have floor space ratios so you can't do 300m towers on sites that are too small. I actually think it's a better outcome in the end.

LD: Do you think there's lessons that Melbourne should learn from Sydney and vice-versa? From a planning and architectural design perspective?

JL: I think it's obvious that Sydney maintains a the more rigorous approach to planning.

LD: Do you feel there is a perception that the CBD and some inner city suburbs in Melbourne are a bit of a free for all?

JL: I feel that Melbourne's CBD possibly has that perception about it. Certainly City of Yarra, those municipalities around the edges, City of Moreland, they're far more involved and hands on but I don't think it's City of Melbourne, it's that next level up in planning.

KdK: I do currently think Melbourne is a free for all. I think what has made Melbourne special in the past is the diversity of spaces, the big streets, the smaller streets, how the urban form touches the ground. I think a lot of the scale of the buildings.... where everyone's seduced by a sexy skyline but at the end of the day it's about what happens at ground level that makes a world of difference to the city. In 50 years time we will probably look back and say "Geez what were we thinking?".

JL: Sydney could learn tremendously from Melbourne's laneway culture and the grittiness at ground level. Certainly in Sydney's CBD you don't have that quality that you have here. Speaking to a landscape architect in Sydney last week he was saying that they've started to adopt the Melbourne model of streets there. So there definitely is a sharing of intellectual property.

KdK: Melbourne can learn with regards to Sydney's stance toward residential amenity. Having buildings in Melbourne where half the apartments face south I feel is just awful, whereas in Sydney the code says that only 10% of total apartments can face south. That actually forces you to design in a different manner, where intimately some sites work and some sites don't.

LD: Do you want to comment on the planning guidelines that were covered in the AFR article? The three key points were 1) minimum sizes for apartments 2) must be north facing 3) 20% of the site must be open space.

JL: I don't agree on the minimum size for the apartment.

LD: Neither do I.

KdK: I was actually part of the process and I think the process is good. Certainly I think you can do 22sqm apartments well: it's siting and orientation that's what's critical to design quality.

LD: For me what it comes down to is the amenity and provision of quality natural light and ventilation. You can have a well designed micro apartment that you could live in comfortably.

JL: Absolutely it comes down to design.

KdK: Apartment size I feel is quite cultural. Back in the 80's they were much larger, now they're much smaller and I think the more sophisticated the market becomes the more compact the apartments can become.

If you go to Hong Kong there are some really compact apartments that are still afforded a great degree of amenity. The reason why this issue has come into focus in Melbourne is that there's a lot of shonky developers that are racking and stacking their apartments without analyzing amenity and outlook.

LD: Appreciate your time gentlemen.
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dKO talks on the Melbourne-Sydney development dymanic

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What better place to start than with a glimpse of Elenberg Fraser's most recent planning application at 248-280 Sturt Street, Southbank as seen above. Designed for property stalwart Hudson Conway, <q>The building form consists of two dominant floor plates that are connected by a transitional twist in the building.</q>
With its incredible form and monochromatic adaptive lighting, the 120 metre residential tower is more at home in a sci fi landscape rather than Southbank. Silver reflective glazing and polished stainless steel define its exterior - the tower smacks of cutting edge quality!
<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/Image2spy.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image © Cottee Parker"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="411" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image2spy.jpg?itok=svYPJyS_" title="Image © Cottee Parker" width="580"></a>
Above is the first public viewing of Cottee Parker's newest Melbourne tower, 605-613 Lonsdale Street. Adjacent to Upper West Side, this is Cottee Parker's fifth tower for the block with four more in planning directly opposite at 250 Spencer Street - all for Far East Consortium.
The 160 metre tower holds 399 apartments and carries some interesting design features such as exposed 'ribs' similar to those of Tower 5 in Docklands.
<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/Image3spy.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image © dKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image3spy.jpg?itok=4Ky0CP_6" title="Image © dKO Architecture" width="580"></a>
dKO Architecture also feature with their redefined scheme at 6-22 Pearl River Road, Docklands. Under the auspices of Singaporean developer Hiap Hoe, dKO have produced <q>A well designed mixed use village that is lively and interesting, has a coherent urban character and provides a signature building for the NewQuay Central Precinct.</q>
Gone is the precast northern tower, in its place a sleek 56 metre hotel tower. Carrying shades of Crown Metropol through the design, the reincarnation is of a high quality and inline with the slightly altered adjoining residential tower.
<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/Image1spy.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image © Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="324" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image1spy.jpg?itok=fBp4efg9" title="Image © Hayball" width="580"></a>
Last but not least is Hayball's Fishermans Bend quad tower proposal on behalf of Goodman Group. 850 Lorimer Street will feature four residential towers containing 1354 apartments, with two towers expected to peak at 145 metres.
Wedged between Mirvac's Yarra's Edge and the proposed <a href="/new-apartments/port-melbourne-vic-3207">351 Ingles Street</a> development, the scheme represents a departure from the humble precast concrete panel which visually define so many Hayball projects.
Watch for detailed articles outlining each of the planning applications in the weeks to come.
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