Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

Joel Robinson

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

Office

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The former <a href="/news">South Melbourne</a> headquarters of the Royal College of General Practitioners sold with vacant possession for $9.9 million two years ago has been resold for $14.35 million through Lemon Baxter.
The 2012 buyers, a joint venture between Guy Nelson’s Alpha Partners and the JAK Investment Group, refurbished and re-leased <a href="/expert-insights/investing/the-royal-college-of-general-practitioners-south-melbourne-hq-fetches-healthy-9-million">the then vacant building</a>.
Nelson was formerly Macquarie’s head of property, and JAK is owned by Nelson’s former colleagues Adam Jane and Daniel Knights.
The four level Palmerston Crescent property with 2,794 square metre space had been the home of the medicos for 18 years.
The Royal College of General Practitioners, which relocated to <a href="/news">East Melbourne</a>, had been there since 1982.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

South Melbourne office flip yields $4 million in two years

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Business meetings via hologram, suburban ‘coworking hubs’ and the possibility of working in Joondalup one day and Auckland the next are just some of the predictions outlined in the Intel Security <a href="https://intelsecurityapac.com/2025/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2014/05/FR5289b_McAfee_14Q2_ISEC_SSO_32pp_A4_Reportv_LR.pdf">Safeguarding the Future of Digital Australia in 2025</a>report published yesterday.
While 50% of the 1230 Australians surveyed in the report feel comfortable with the current rate of technological change, with only 17% feeling concerned, it is worth looking at what trends could be on the way that your business may need to adapt to.
1. Fully globalised work
According to the report, it’s not just knowledge work that forms the globalised economy: “We are seeing everything from surgery to mining machinery operation being routinely completed by people far away.”
As such, in the future it will become even more crucial for businesses to focus on high-quality customer service in a challenging environment where every industry can foreseeably go global, exposing businesses to many challenges but also unprecedented opportunities.
“Almost all work can be done anywhere now,” futurist, entrepreneur and author of the report <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/3217-">Ross Dawson</a> told SmartCompany. “This will drive down the prices of what people are prepared to pay for this work.”
Likewise, marketing will take on a whole new importance, enabling companies to compete on a global scale and differentiate themselves from competitors the world over. According to the report, this will require companies to acquire more and more personal information from prospective customers in order to discover better ways to target them directly – and with 51% of Australians not reading online privacy policies, as well as the confluence of online activity, this information will be produced in incredibly high volumes.
Dawson says Australian businesses which have “the global perspective”, including strong links to Asia, will be able to take advantage of the opportunities posed by a fully globalised economy, but points out that such an environment would “place pressure on the availability of work and the wages paid for workers who do not have distinctive capabilities”.
2. Rise of the machines
The report says by 2025, machines will have risen against the humans – in a sense. While the advent of advanced robotics will make many jobs obsolete, they may allow for the creation of more jobs in the knowledge industry. These jobs will fill in the blanks with regards to what the machines are not likely to be capable of, such as creativity and relationship skills.
However, the report warns this will create inequalities in the job market that will be challenging to navigate. While specialist knowledge will be in demand and lead to many job opportunities, the rise of the machines will lead to fewer jobs for people without such skills – and lower wages too.
“This is one of the big uncertainties, the big unknowns: the degree to which we have ‘technological unemployment’,” says Dawson. “Whatever happens, what we do know is that we need to focus on developing the distinctively human skills and capabilities of people.”
“We have actually dehumanised work, we’ve made [jobs] into processes. The more tightly we define the work that is done, the easier it is to create a machine to replace it. We now need to work on humanising work… rather than trying to create highly process-orientated work roles,” he says.
Article continues on next page. Please click below.
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3. Flexibility
There will be more self-employed people by 2025, with many more opportunities for flexible and freelance work.
The report predicts businesses will reshape in order to adapt to this new labour flexibility, with a new focus on extended rather than permanent workforces.
While this might sound like an ideal situation for highly paid freelance workers of the future economy, too much inequity in pay for flexible workers may create job security issues – yet another challenge for businesses to address by 2025.
“The trend is already evident that we are moving towards more and more unstructured freelance work. And as we move to a more and more fluid economy, it means there will be more opportunities for individuals to create a portfolio of work,” says Dawson.
“There will be some people who struggle… but there is a lot that we can do to guard against that. Part of it is around the sorts of social support structures that we have, as well as the education opportunities we have available to adults as well as children.”
4. Office revolution
One of the most interesting possibilities outlined in the report is the notion of creating more ‘coworking hubs’ – suburban office spaces separate from a CBD-centred central office, where employees can work collaboratively in a creative capacity.
“[Collaborative work] is absolutely fundamental… to ensuring Australia’s competitiveness and success,” says Dawson.
These hubs are envisaged as being far more attractive than today’s offices, featuring access to sophisticated technology that may have only been available in the head office.
Short of simply cutting back an employee’s morning and evening commute, these hubs will serve the purpose of boosting productivity and financial turnover by fostering creative entrepreneurship among coworkers. One American survey by Deskmag says that 71% of workers reported an increase in creativity once joining coworking spaces, with 70% also reporting feeling healthier and 62% saying their work output was better.
Better networking technologies would help facilitate these geographically separated work situations, one idea being the use of a ‘holodeck’: a multi-camera set up that could project someone’s likeness in three dimensions, allowing bosses to meet with their employees even if they do all their work at the hub.
5. Security
Of course, an increased reliance on information technologies will require a corresponding increase in network security. If the globalised economy will require more information collection to facilitate marketing, new systems will need to be put in place to protect this personal information from malicious hacking.
“The first thing is understanding what sort of information we need,” says Dawson. “There is often a gathering of data for the sake of it, when it really needs to be focused on creating value. There needs to be a strategic directive,” he says.
Dawson says apart from a focus on plain IT security protocols, which are likely to include more shifts towards point-to-point security, the online behaviour of employees will also need to be addressed by business owners, in order to avoid information leaks.
“One of the other trends is that there are more and more people working remotely, so locking down data becomes very different to what it’s been in the past. It’s also about having the right behaviours by the people inside your organisation.” 
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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jake-cSmGT7VXVf

Five key workplace trends of the future: Report

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

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Smaller suites in secondary building assets are seeing solid demand, according to Ray White Commercial.
Noting the Sydney CBD strata market has been a strong performer in the total CBD office rental market, head of research for Ray White Commercial Vanessa Rader, said that Sydney CBD’s strata market is approximately 10% of the total market.
Gross face rents achieved for smaller office suites across the CBD averaged $579 per square metre as of March 2014. This is 2.65% up on 2013’s face rent achieved.
“This is a better result than the prime office market which currently averages $778 per square metre, a 1.89% increase on the previous 12 months,” said Rader.
The prime CBD office market has dramatically different incentive levels from the secondary market.
“The secondary market has a far more variable incentive structure which varies depending on lease size, term, quality and lease type,” she said.
THREE MUST KNOW FIGURES – VACANCY RATES
<ol>
<li>D-Grade stock: 6.7% 
</li>
<li>C-Grade stock: 7.8% 
</li>
<li>Average: 9.0%</li>
</ol>
Source: Ray White
“Incentives can range from as low as 5% to as high as more than 35% (for sublease space), shown as a combination of fit out and rent free periods,” she said.
“Quality small suites in attractive, modern assets continue to the highly sought after by small businesses and can be somewhat sheltered from high incentive levels offered in the prime market and achieve strong effective rental rates.”
Currently, D grade office assets are the best performing for occupancy in the CBD – with the vacancy rate at just 6.7%. The C grade assets are recorded a 7.8% vacancy rate. 
“This result when compared to the total Sydney CBD vacancy rate of 9.0% demonstrates the ongoing, solid demand for smaller suites in these secondary assets,” she said.
“These assets also showed the greatest six monthly absorption rate of all quality grades, with a total absorption of 10,873 square metre.”
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 Secondary office market shows Sydney strength: The three numbers to know

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Shell Australia have extended their lease by another 5,487 square metres at KS2, Kings Square, Perth, bringing their total leasing arrangement to 19,300 square metres of space, according to Leighton Properties and DEXUS Property Group. This covers the entire building.
The second office tower in masterplanned Kings Square Precinct, KS2 now has Shell across 11 floors of the building. The precinct is under construction in the $5.2 billion Perth City Link development, and is said to be one of the most significant commercial and retail projects nationally.
Leighton Properties national head of commercial Andrew Borger said that there is increasing confidence within the resources sector.
“We now have 100 per cent of the commercial space leased at KS2 - and with this we will see an increased occupancy at Kings Square and enormous flow on benefits for the precinct, particularly for its retail,” said Borger.
Shell Australia general manager – production Michael Schoch said that this move to Kings Square to occupy the entire KS2 building provides the flexibility required for growth and staff facilities.
“With our staff numbers doubling to 1,000 in support of Prelude FLNG, this investment in our new corporate headquarters reflects our commitment to Western Australia and Australia,” Schoch said.
Towers KS1, KS2 and KS3 are jointly owned, 50/50, by DEXUS Property Group and DEXUS Wholesale Property Fund. In total, the towers cover 52,033 square metres of office and retail.
DEXUS executive general manager, office and industrial Kevin George said that the total commitment across all three towers is now 55%.
“This is further evidence that quality, affordable stock is in demand in the Perth CBD and we expect to see continued interest from other potential high calibre tenants in the Kings Square precinct,” said George.
The precinct will include a childcare centre, 24 hour gym, retail and restaurants. The first four towers are currently being built, gearing up for a mid-2015 completion date.
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Shell Australia expands floor space in Perth’s KS2

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Office space is one of the largest costs associated with running a business, which is why hot desking, where employees choose from a selection of available work sites rather than having an assigned workspace, has gained popularity since the 1990s.
Greater collaboration is an essential ingredient in the creative process, and one of the arguments in favour of the adoption of hot desking in organisations. But research on information processing suggests employees need space to concentrate without distractions, and interruptions inhibit creativity. Open work spaces may actually undermine creativity by normalising group behaviours towards structures and boundaries.
Frequent desk relocations can also waste time and generate additional work, and the noise associated with more open work spaces can increase distraction, mental workload, fatigue and stress, all of which can negatively impact productivity.
One of the major criticisms of hot desking is that it reduces the opportunity for employees to express their identity and personality at work, which in turn can decrease job satisfaction, commitment and engagement, factors that have been shown to be positively associated with performance. It has also been suggested hot desking may contribute to a sense of loss and marginalisation thus negatively impacting mental well-being. When managers take control of an individual’s work space, workers can feel psychological discomfort and begin to identify less with the organisation.
The good news is that regular online communication helps maintain organisational attachment in hot desking environments. The bad news is that employees are wary of surveillance systems used to manage dispersed workers, and they may even increase counter-productive behaviours, such as only putting in as much effort as they feel inclined to. There is also evidence to suggest hot desking can result in distinct social structures and even indifference between those employees who settle, versus those that move regularly. Managing employee behaviour in this environment requires an awareness that two distinct cultures may emerge.
Health scares
The negative health implications associated with hot desking are often exaggerated, although perhaps rightly. Multiple user keyboards have been <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5727910/Shared-computers-are-breeding-grounds-for-germs">found</a> to have five times the bacteria of single-user keyboards, although one would hope policies such as BHP’s <a href="https://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/bhp-billiton-enforces-severe-clean-office-policy-" target="_blank">“office environment standard”</a> can go some way to diminishing the associated risks.
The negative effects associated with sedentary office jobs are however well established and it’s just possible that making employees walk around to find an available desk, find each other, and perhaps find themselves, could have beneficial health implications.
It’s apparent from the literature to date that different job roles require different environments. Hot desking works best when there are clearly defined inputs, outputs, and set goals, and in many cases these are unlikely to be sufficiently defined for every employee and team within every organisation.
There’s also evidence to suggest that employees have different preferences, for example, goal orientated environments align most closely with the preferences of conscientious individuals. For organisations and managers this means fitting the person to the job and to the workspace.
Activity-based working
Activity-based working (ABW) is one possible solution which is gaining momentum both in Australia and world-wide. ABW has moved beyond hot desking by creating multiple areas tailored to work tasks such as “hubs” for team working and collaborative areas for brainstorming and meetings.
Undoubtedly some of the challenges associated with hot desking will continue to be evident with ABW and the question as to whether the benefits outweigh the costs will still need to be answered. It’s possible ABW environments will become the norm in certain sectors and that there will be work spaces to fit the needs of every work role and every employee.
Global companies such as Microsoft and Google have experimented with ABW, closely followed by companies in the professional services sector such as PwC and KPMG. Companies in the financial sector, such as BankWest, Macquarie Bank, NAB and the Commonwealth Bank have also started to adopt ABW. More recently government departments have been getting in on the action, often using office refurbishments, to integrate the shift to ABW.
While the jury is still out with regards to the financial return of ABW, there are a number of other benefits including a reduction in sedentary behaviours, attracting talent, and retaining high performers. Ultimately it’s about matching individual employees and specific work tasks to work environments and technologies that support those activities in order to enable greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Graeme Ditchburn is academic chair - organisational psychology at Murdoch University.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. 
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The rise and fall of the hot desk: Say hello to activity-based working

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The past thirty years have seen the demise of the expectation of a job for life. We've seen traditional career paths of apprenticeship, journeyman and master craftsman largely disappear, not just in the trades but also in professions like engineering and government policy analysis. Waves of redundancies have hollowed out the middle layers of many organisations, leaving incumbents in key roles often lacking the depth of experience needed to make wise decisions. 
Demographic changes are one of the <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/sitecore/content/Global/News/2014/January/7_Forces_Transforming_Your_Office.aspx">seven forces</a> affecting corporate property decision-making. There are of course many dimensions to this, including increased labour force participation by women and a broader ethnic mix in many organisations than we've seen previously. But one of the things that is particularly interesting is the composition of the workforce by age. Traditionally the population pyramid, which is a graphical depiction of the number of people of each age group split by gender, has been fairly, well, pyramidal. That is to say, plenty of younger people and relatively few older folks. 
What's happening is that it's starting to become a population rectangle and is generally getting taller as more people live into a ripe old age and family sizes decrease. This <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/d3310114.nsf/home/Population%20Pyramid%20-%20Australia" target="_blank">link</a> takes you to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' animated population pyramid, where you can see how the shape changes over time.
Throw together the lingering effects of the global financial crisis (GFC) with a bit of "generational studies", there are some interesting implications for workplace planners:
Baby Boomers have abandoned early retirement dreams - A sad fact of the GFC is that many people have had to defer their retirement plans and remain in or return to the workforce. Many of the so-called baby boomers (people born immediately after WW2, who are now aged up to 70) are seeking part time work to top up their retirement income sources. Notwithstanding the fact that longer life expectancies are forcing people to re-evaluate the level of savings they need at retirement. In some cases people are preferring to continue working at least part time simply to keep themselves physically, mentally and socially active given the expectation of a longer period of retirement. 
Generation X battling to buy into the property market - Generation X (people from their early 30s to late 40s) are in the middle of raising families. Given housing (un)affordability or by choice, many X-ers are in double income families, but often at least one member seeks to work part time to make juggling family commitments a little easier.
Generation Y job-hopping and chasing online start-ups - As Generation Y's numbers in the workforce continue to swell over the next few years as they complete their education, they will become the dominant age group at work. While noted for their upwardly mobile job hopping ways (unsurprising given they are the first generation to enter a workforce with no notion of job security), we expect that as they hit their thirties they will start to moderate their expectations of their employers as they encumber themselves with children and/or mortgages. Nevertheless, some will continue to pursue multiple jobs: the office job for income to supplement their web business or hobby job until it takes off.
Meanwhile the Millennials, who will be joining the workforce before this decade's end, are growing up in a world of iGadgets and social media and will be occupying the offices you are fitting out today.
This article continues on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Here are three ways to leverage your workplace to help bridge the generation gap:
1. Support multiple generations with a mix of work settings
How do you cope with up to four generations working under the same roof? At one end of the spectrum the Millennials are likely to want something that is contemporary and open, giving them good access to management, cutting edge technology and a sense of personal control over when, where and how they do their work. At the other end of the spectrum is a generation that is perhaps least accustomed to open plan environments and may seek the solace of an enclosed office.
Across all generations we see  distraction avoidance as a key requirement, though some individuals are more adept at dealing with this than others. While some advocate a set of ear buds and a good music collection, listening to music can potentially introduce more distraction and reduce cognition, impacting productivity except for mundane repetitive activities. Quiet rooms for individual use and so-called "library" spaces where groups of people can work quietly and phone calls are banned are becoming more common. The success of such environments depends on an appropriate mobile technology solution and managerial permission for staff to move about the office and select an environment that meets their needs (including off premises options).
2. Hot desk to create space for part time and part remote workers
Even an open plan workstation is a relatively expensive overhead, generally costing a CBD based corporate in the order of A$10,000 - A$18,000 per annum in rent, fit out depreciation and operating costs. Economically (with the <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/sitecore/content/Global/News/2014/February/A_flash_new_office.aspx" target="_blank">new world economic order</a> in mind) it makes sense to optimise utilisation by imposing some form of desk sharing regime for all those part timers. It's an approach being adopted at a growing number of workplaces as we've seen in <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/sitecore/content/Global/News/2013/September/How_to_cut_accommodation_costs_by_20_per_cent.aspx">other posts</a>.  Organisations must be careful when introducing desk-sharing regimes. <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/sitecore/content/Global/News/2013/October/The_office_moves_that_scare_staff_away.aspx" target="_blank">Our experience</a> is that staff are more likely to accept workplace changes that take something away (such as an office entitlement) if something else is given back. Given the property, fit out and churn savings derived from largely or completely eliminating enclosed offices, it should be possible to channel a benefit back to the affected staff, in the form of an expanded potential bonus pool if nothing else. Effective communication of this balance is critical, which is why workplace projects need great change managers.  Before we leave this topic I'll point out that there are several pitfalls with staff working part time (and even full timers who work remotely some of the time). The first is that many part timers target at least three days per week, therefore limiting opportunities for desk sharing due to the overlap. Another is that the opportunities for team interaction and collaboration may diminish and/or demand for meeting spaces peaks on the overlap days (and indeed we typically find midweek mornings to be the most popular time for meetings). In some cases the use of mobile technologies can overcome such issues. Nevertheless, as talented employees seek work/life balance more employers are needing to gear up to accommodate this change.
3. Mentoring the trick to keeping younger employees engaged
A problem with older fit outs is that they do not facilitate the mentoring opportunities younger staff crave. However, an issue in some cultures is the sense of entitlement that mature staff may feel towards an enclosed office, particularly if promotions or longevity have traditionally been rewarded with the proverbial "nice piece of carpet". But as more people remain in the workforce past the traditional retirement age, there won't be enough senior management positions to go round. In any case (and partly due to the loss of traditional apprenticeship based career paths), there's a fantastic and desperately needed opportunity for mature, long term staff to mentor younger workers, which is not easily achieved from an individual office.  As can be seen, walking the tight rope between each demographic group's expectations while maintaining fiscal prudence is difficult. The compromise solution may be some form of activity-based or agile workplace strategy, but perhaps without going to the extreme of forcing people to find a new seat every day.
David McEwen is a management consultant working at the intersection of workplace strategy, sustainability and technology with <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/%E2%80%8E" target="_parent" rel="nofollow">Colliers International</a>.
You can connect with David on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=9321351&amp;locale=en_US&amp;trk=tyah&amp;trkInfo=tas%3Adavid" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/News.aspx" target="_blank">Colliers International News</a>.
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Three ways to leverage your workplace to help bridge the generation gap

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Wood Group PSN are leasing approximately 6,800 square metres of office space at 171 Collins Street, Melbourne, later this year. Charter Hall and Cbus Property have had a 50:50 split in the joint venture project since March 2010.off
The building will also see McGrathNicol lease 1,666 square metres on level six and Vic Super Pty Ltd leasing 2,750 square metres over level nine and eight.
Since May 2013, more than 11,000 square metres have been leased in the building. Currently, just one floor and three small suites are available.
The leasing agents for the building are Colliers International and Knight Frank.
Property Observer was <a href="/news/vic/highrises-and-high-fashion-171-collins-street">previously toured through the building.</a>
Charter Hall Office Trust fund manager, Craig Newman, said that they are pleased with the high quality of the tenants attracted to the building.
“Following the recent leasing activity 90% of the leasable space is committed at 171 Collins Street. Tenants are attracted by a Collins Street address, with the Paris end remaining highly sought after by corporates, along with the high quality office accommodation and service offering, integrated energy and water efficiency technologies as well as featuring market leading end of trip facilities,” said Newman.
Also in the building are BHP Billiton, Egon Zehnder and Evans &amp; Partners.
The building also houses Dolce &amp; Gabbana, and new restaurant Super Normal – the brain child of Andrew McConnell.
Dolce &amp; Gabbana settled on the site after <a href="/news/vic/dolce-and-gabbana-open-in-melbourne-after-a-five-year-hunt">a five year hunt for the most appropriate address in Melbourne</a>.
Cbus property CEO Adrian Pozzo said that the building is an iconic address, being the first PCA Premium Grade 6 Star office building in the past 20 years in Victoria, and has a 5 star NABERS Energy rating.
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Leased: 90% of 171 Collins Street, Melbourne snapped up

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The headquarters of one of WA’s oldest and most successful advertising agencies has hit the sales block.
The Marketforce building, at 1314 Hay Street in West Perth, is fully leased by the advertising agency until 2019 with further options. It returns a net income of more than $650,000 per annum.
The three storey building is being sold through Knight Frank.
Knight Frank director Tony Delich said: “This property offers significant upside in terms of both rental growth and future development options.”
“The current net rent is below $300 per square metre and has fixed annual increases for the term of the lease."
“From a redevelopment perspective the site is 1250 square metres with a plot ratio of 2:1 but this could be increased to 3:1 for residential and given an additional 20% bonus for short term accommodation.”
The building has close to 1,900 square metres of fully refurbished net lettable space and 37 undercover car bays, plus three open bays.
Offers to purchase close on May 22.
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Marketforce's West Perth headquarters on sales block

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One of the country's biggest office landlords has said "positive indicators" were emerging from Australia's office market in 2014.
In a March quarter operational update, GPT chief executive Michael Cameron said GPT was experiencing "good momentum" with 37,000 square metres of office lease signed or at heads of agreement.
He made a point of saying that GPT had seen "positive indicators in 2014, with levels of enquiry continuing to improve and vacancy across its portfolio reducing to 8.9% at 31 March 2014".
Highlighting the point, GPT noted its announcement this week that top law firm King &amp; Wood Mallesons had signed a new 11,980 square metre lease at its Governor Phillip tower in the Sydney CBD.
His comments were part of a broader update on the trust's performance.
Comparable moving annual turnover (MAT) in the quarter grew 1.5%, while specialty sales growth rose 4.4%.
Mr Cameron said it was please with the positive momentum of nine consecutive months of specialty sales growth at its centres, "however we remain conservative on the broader retail market with our medium term outlook for shopping centre sales, and rents remaining unchanged."
It is anticipating moderate growth. 
Management also noted that its logistics development pipeline continued to expand and that its $7.2 billion funds management platform remained a solid performer, and was poised to "substantially grow throughout 2014".   
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