The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

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>

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

Orchard Piper

The luxury apartment developer, Orchard Piper, has paid $67 million for the Mercedes Benz dealership in Toorak, with a view to create a new mixed-use precinct.

The sprawling 3,600 sqm&nbsp;site at 7-11A and&nbsp;17-19 Carters Avenue, in the heart of Toorak&#39;s retail and commercial precinct, will see&nbsp;$150 million worth of luxury apartments developed, as well as offices and shops, to revamp the village as a vibrant and modern-day high street.

It&#39;s been a three years process for Orchard Piper to secure&nbsp;the 10 individual titles. In addition to the recent purchase, Orchard Piper spent $28&nbsp;million on a 1,400 sqm holding on the corner of Toorak and Mathoura Road, taking their spending in the affluent Melbourne suburb to just under $100 million. The end value across the two projects is expected to be $550 million.

Primed as the last remaining site in Toorak Village, earmarked as a Key Development Site under the Stonnington Council&rsquo;s planning scheme, Orchard Piper is set to submit plans for the site&rsquo;s reformation as a $400 million mixed-use precinct featuring a &lsquo;super-premium&rsquo; residential offering with class leading lifestyle amenities, complemented by high-end retail and commercial suites for boutique family office style owner-occupiers.

Orchard Piper, led by Luke McKie and Rick Gronow, secured the sites from the Hagen family, who had pieced the landholding together since 1932.

&ldquo;Having a close and trusting relationship with the Hagen family allowed us to shape this deal to suit the vendors, they were interested in a high quality outcome for the site, given their longstanding ownership and history,&rdquo; Gronow says.

&ldquo;We have great respect and admiration for the long-standing partnership John Worrell and Karl Hagen shared. The Worrell family began piecing this land together in 1932, following World War I, which eventuated in this un-repeatable parcel on the doorstep of Toorak Village.&quot;

This latest acquisition made by Orchard Piper takes the developer&rsquo;s pipeline to more than $1.1 billion of addresses in Melbourne&rsquo;s most blue-chip locations.

Regarded as Melbourne&rsquo;s leading luxury developer in the residential sector, Orchard Piper&rsquo;s recent Stonnington project Huntingtower Road was last month awarded the National Winner of the Master Builders Associated for best Medium Density building over five dwellings.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=9033 project_image_fid=28445]

Designs for the revamping of the Mercedes Benz location are set to be unveiled in 2023, with construction to commence the following year in-line with Mercedes&rsquo; lease ending. Construction on the Mathoura and Toorak Road corner site is on track to commence early next year.

McKie says the architectural response to the 3,600 sqm site should reflect the significance of its location.

&quot;We&rsquo;ve been actively involved in the area for over thirteen years, having developed six previous projects within minutes of this site,&rdquo; McKie says.

&ldquo;It is now widely acknowledged that Toorak Village is coming into a new era. This combined with our two new sites and Stonnington Council&rsquo;s recent street art and furniture investment will ensure the Village lifts to new heights.&quot;

Orchard Piper, led by Luke McKie and Rick Gronow, secured the sites from the Hagen family, who had pieced the landholding together since 1932

Orchard Piper secure Toorak's Mercedes Benz dealership, plot mixed-use precinct

The Melbourne-based developer&nbsp;Orchard Piper has secured a rare development site fronting Fitzroy Gardens.

The 1,200 sqm site at 364-370 Albert Street, East Melbourne was an amalgamation of three adjoining park-front sites which had been held by the same family for over four decades.

A grand three storey Victorian townhouse will be restored and offered as a townhouse.&nbsp;There will be&nbsp;a further&nbsp;six residential levels comprising 14 apartments and two levels of private offices.

Each apartment will take in views of Melbourne&#39;s CBD or Fitzroy Gardens.

Orchard Piper&nbsp;have had their go-to architect Jolson Architects, who were behind the famous Pt Leo Estate down on the Mornington Peninsula, draw up the plans. It&#39;s the sixth collaboration&nbsp;between the two.

Orchard Piper director Luke McKie said the strategic site acquisition and planning permit represented a significant step forward for the brand, and the next phase of the Orchard Piper story.

&ldquo;We have been actively acquiring sites through COVID with a view to significantly bolstering our pipeline as we move into more substantial projects in Melbourne&rsquo;s best locations.&rdquo;

<img alt="" height="2401" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/orchard_directors.jpg" width="1600" /> 
Orchard Piper directors Luke McKie, left, and Rick Gronow, right. Image supplied 
 
&ldquo;This East Melbourne project has been designed in direct response to more than 13 years of market feedback from our local owner occupiers. Living spaces will be ample, with home offices and master suites just as you would expect in a detached house&rdquo; adds McKie.

&ldquo;This is our sixth project with our long term design partners, Jolson. The collective knowledge from this partnership places our projects in rare territory where historic feedback from our residents continues to shape our future offerings.&rdquo;

Orchard Piper co-founder and director Rick Gronow said they have&nbsp;continuous demand from their buyers and repeated enquiries for an Orchard Piper offering in East Melbourne.

&quot;This site is as good as it gets, and we are excited to be able to soon offer these properties to the market.&rdquo;

Orchard Piper is set to&nbsp;launch the project in the second half of 2021.

Each apartment will take in views of Melbourne's CBD or Fitzroy Gardens

Orchard Piper to build mixed-use development on Fitzroy Gardens

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For almost ten years, Melbourne-based Orchard Piper has been developing boutique projects targeted at a very niche owner-occupier market. Working exclusively with Jolson Architecture, their projects are generally comprised of around 10 residences, all with a gross realisation of around $40 million in tightly held inner-ring suburbs.

With the now sustained trend in the property market toward the owner occupier and drop off of international investors, Orchard Piper Director Luke McKie notes that, “if you are not willing to adapt to the demands of the owner occupier, you won’t be able to service this swing in the market."

Orchard Piper's most recent project - Huntingtower Road - is a boutique two-level project of just 10 apartment surrounded by gardens on a 2,000 square metre site on Huntingtower Road, tailored specifically for people considering a move from large homes in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs.

Located between High Street and Malvern Road, 35 Huntingtower Road sees Orchard Piper once again engage Melbourne Architect Stephen Jolson, alongside acclaimed horticulturist Myles Baldwin, to the design team to maximise and enhance the project's garden setting.

<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/1729_orchard_piper_ext-hero.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Orchard Piper's Huntingtower Road Project sits within a garden designed by Myles Baldwin. Image : Gabriel Saunders"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="348" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1729_orchard_piper_ext-hero.jpg?itok=mgmsKI3m" title="Orchard Piper's Huntingtower Road Project sits within a garden designed by Myles Baldwin. Image : Gabriel Saunders" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Orchard Piper's Huntingtower Road Project sits within a garden designed by Myles Baldwin. Image : Gabriel Saunders</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
We entrusted this incredibly rare 2000-square metre site to our highly experienced and talented design team to deliver a project with integrity and substance. They created Huntingtower Road – a property far beyond anything Armadale has seen before in this section of the market.

- Luke McKie, Director, Orchard Piper
</blockquote>

Urban.com.au asked McKie for his thoughts on the shift in the market and how Orchard Piper might be best positioned to respond greater demand for service and customisation

Urban.com.au : Orchard Piper have always had a predisposition towards the higher end of the owner-occupier market and a development model which generally results in a speedy town planning process. What was the key driver behind these decisions?

Luke McKie : The two points you’ve raised are critically linked. When Owner Occupiers are your primary buyer, there’s little compassion for a drawn out planning process causing delays to a project.

Our clients typically want to sell their family home, plan their move and get on with their lives. One of our strengths is our ability to identify and acquire premium addresses that can be developed within the Council's objectives resulting in a much quicker planning outcome.

UM : Are you surprised that there are few other developers taking this approach? Or is it still a very niche market, particularly when considering the locations of previous Orchard Piper developments?

LM : It’s a very time consuming and inefficient process, but highly rewarding for us. The ability to engage with our clients, neighbours and Council regularly allows us to continually evolve and improve our product.

We have a very good understanding of our market and community expectations.

There is an ever growing number of developers in our market space, particularly following the slow down of the overseas / investor buyer. I’ll be curious to see how developers new to the owner-occupier space adjust to the demands of this sector, it’s certainly not straight-forward.

UM : What is an ideal development size for Orchard Piper in terms of number of dwellings and also scale?

LM : Historically between 5 and15 properties per project, but we really have no ideal. So long as our buildings and properties within have a strong sense of identity and clients can maintain the balance of privacy and ownership over the building, we are happy to proceed.

UM : Any observations re: the last 6 months and impact of new stamp duty regulations?

LM : Not directly on us, but in speaking with peers, the effect seems to be dramatic. Most developers I speak with, who were in the “stamp duty sensitive space” say that sales have slowed to a trickle or have stopped completely.

I’m sure there’s a lot of pain out there, but it can take time to filter through in an otherwise strong economy. It will start from financiers looking for loan paybacks, when projects get to that point.

UM : What are your expectations for the year ahead?

LM : A continued focus toward the underlying demand of the local buyer and the ongoing exposure of those with poor fundamentals. If your outlook and business model remain macro and disciplined these bumps will create opportunities in the year ahead.

UM : What are some of the fundamentals of Orchard Piper projects and responding to the demands of owner-occupiers? What does Orchard Piper do differently?

LM : The never ending loop of offering a product to market, listening to feedback and integrating that into your next project; this ensures we’re always in touch with our market. We always work as if we’re developing the property for someone in our own family.

Our design intuition, attention to detail, uncompromising standards and ability to source un-repeatable sites sets us apart. We also maintain a deep respect for our clients and our creative team.

We have a wonderful sense of pride and ownership in our project team which we feel is embodied in our projects and ultimately passed through to our clients in their new home. We are also open to change, which in the property development world, immediately sets us apart.

<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/gabrielsaunders_orchardpiper_apt1-living-courtyard.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Apartments within Huntingtower all take advantage of a verdant garden aspect. Image : Gabriel Saunders"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="357" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gabrielsaunders_orchardpiper_apt1-living-courtyard.jpg?itok=XqrVlbKR" title="Apartments within Huntingtower all take advantage of a verdant garden aspect. Image : Gabriel Saunders" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Apartments within Huntingtower all take advantage of a verdant garden aspect. Image : Gabriel Saunders</figcaption></figure>
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Laurence Dragomir

Orchard Piper's Luke McKie discusses the shift to the owner-occupier market

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Apartments of this ilk are not a common occurrence across Melbourne.

Offered the opportunity to visit Orchard Piper's freshly completed penthouse atop their Washington Street development in Toorak, Apartments.com.au jumped at the chance to view what is now Melbourne's newest entrant in the ultra-luxury apartment living stakes. Apartments.com.au was guided through the development by Orchard Piper's Luke McKie, who along with Rick Gronow spearhead the development firm.

Whilst the other five dwellings that constitute Washington Street have been sold, the 1,000sqm penthouse has been held back by the development team with the expectation that the final product would effectively speak for itself.

<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/image6wash.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Living area and outdoor terrace"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6wash.jpg?itok=0fB2Ydd3" title="Living area and outdoor terrace" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Living area and outdoor terrace</figcaption></figure>Washington Street's penthouse is split between 580sqm of internal living and 420sqm across multiple external terrace spaces. It may not have reached such ample proportions if not for Luke McKie moving into the existing property and befriending the neighbouring land owner.

Far from the stories of internationally-backed developers swooping on prime sites and developing almost immediately, Orchard Piper initially secured two adjoining properties and played a long game whereby a third adjoining site was eventually added to the development plot over the course of a year.

The then larger site encapsulating 27-31 Washington Street was taken to planning, reflecting Orchard Piper's penchant for high-end developments in blue-chip locations.

Enter Melbourne-based studio Jolson. Washington Street is the fourth collaboration between architect and developer.

It's a successful relationship that Luke McKie describes as being based on a gentlemen's agreement in that despite there being no format agreement, the two choose to utilise one another almost exclusively. This is the case as both parties have a near identical ethos to quality design and project delivery.

<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/image4wash.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A bathroom like no other"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image4wash.jpg?itok=k8nXf3O9" title="A bathroom like no other" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A bathroom like no other</figcaption></figure>Upon touring the finished penthouse it becomes apparent that the attention to detail is (and needs to be) astounding for a project of this nature. 

From computer generated programs that modelled a sole aspect of the dwelling countless times until the entire team found consensus, to the depth of research undertaken both domestically and overseas, or simply sitting in the shell pondering vistas and orientations, it is a process of analysing every aspect of the design and build to the enth degree.

Far away from the repetitive towers that dot the skyline, it's the immense attention to detail in this one penthouse that fosters a feeling of craftsmanship in the finished product which for all intensive purposes is an elevated home. Coupled with underlying themes such as space and proportion, security, natural light and amenity, Washington Street does deserve a ‘one of a kind’ status.

Having previously had experience with the likes of Mirvac and working on such projects as The Melburnian, Luke McKie explains that the detailing within the Washington Street penthouse simply has no peer. For the record, the penthouse is split into two wings by a central gallery hall, and includes a gymnasium, pool, sauna, exercise studio, private garage with separate lobby, dedicated lift access, a 1,300 bottle wine room and cigar bar.

Surrounded on all four sides by gardens, Washington Street's penthouse interior features travertine stone, timber floors, polished plaster walls and bronzed metal detailing. Eckersley Garden Architecture account for the landscape design whilst custom touches are added by New York's Lindsey Adelman Studio and Murano glass maker Venini.

<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/image3wash.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Washington Street's penthouse pool with city views"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3wash.jpg?itok=u-Mp3AWW" title="Washington Street's penthouse pool with city views" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Washington Street's penthouse pool with city views</figcaption></figure>Luke McKie has flagged an existing Toorak resident as the likely buyer of Washington Street's penthouse. He believes the 1,000sqm penthouse will meet the expected sale price of $20 million, or $20,000 per square metre, which is not uncommon in Toorak.

Beyond successfully completing Washington Street, Orchard Piper's nous for high-end projects will shift to Armadale, where a 2,000sqm land plot at 35 Huntingtower Road is in their sights.

Simply dubbed Huntingtower, the project will consist of 10 Jolson-designed oversized residences across two levels. Two and three-bedroom dwellings are in the offing; internal areas ranging between 160 to 370sqm whilst private outdoor spaces peak at 215sqm. 

Once more Orchard Piper hopes to tap into buyers from suburbs immediately surrounding Armadale.

<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/image1htto.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Huntingtower is Orchard Piper's next project"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="603" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image1htto.jpg?itok=T_LyU75k" title="Huntingtower is Orchard Piper's next project" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Huntingtower is Orchard Piper's next project</figcaption></figure>Apartments.com.au utilised the images provided by Orchard Piper.
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silvermb

What it takes to deliver Melbourne's latest $20 million penthouse

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Melbourne architectural developer <a href="/developers/orchard-piper">Orchard Piper</a> is about to commence demolition on the site for their Washington Street project, which would see the creation of one of <a href="/new-apartments/toorak-vic-3142">Toorak’s</a> most luxurious apartment developments featuring a $15 million Penthouse <a href="/news/return-of-the-luxury-penthouse">covered last year</a> on Apartments.com.au.

<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/140908_-_washington_street_-_r001_-_elevation_2000_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Washington Street. Image courtesy Orchard Piper"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="278" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/140908_-_washington_street_-_r001_-_elevation_2000_0.jpg?itok=BpfFLsxY" title="Washington Street. Image courtesy Orchard Piper" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Washington Street. Image courtesy Orchard Piper</figcaption></figure>Washington Street presents as a unique apartment offering, a project that for Orchard Piper represents a commitment to contemporary design and sets a benchmark for collaboration on a global scale. Unlike the traditional property ‘developer’ model, design is very much at the forefront of Orchard Piper's projects with very aspect of the developments beginning and ending with meticulous design and exceptional attention to detail. Washington Street this commitment.

Washington Street consolidates three residential blocks into one site located at <a href="/buildings/washington-street-27-washington-street-toorak">27-31 Washington Street, Toorak</a>. Comprising six spaciously proportioned residences over three floors the project also features a penthouse that Orchard Piper believes "will sit comfortably amongst the best in Australia, if not the world."

With architecture by regular collaborator Stephen Jolson of <a href="/architects/jolson">Jolson Architecture</a> and seasonal landscaping by Eckersley Garden Architecture, Washington Street includes two ground floor 'Garden Residences' with expansive north facing gardens and three first floor residences, known as 'The Terraces', sitting comfortably within their green surrounds.

To crown the building, one 1,000sqm penthouse, conceived as a whole floor pavilion sunken into a garden surround, the ‘one of a kind’ penthouse will include a gymnasium, pool, a private garage with separate lobby with dedicated lift access opening onto the gallery hall, in addition to a 1,300 bottle wine room and bar. The Washington Street penthouse will feature expansive city views and comes with a price tag in excess of $15 million.

<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/140908_-_washington_-_r010_-_study_2000.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Washington Street rooftop. Image courtesy Orchard Piper."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/140908_-_washington_-_r010_-_study_2000.jpg?itok=AYTOz1J9" title="Washington Street rooftop. Image courtesy Orchard Piper." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Washington Street rooftop. Image courtesy Orchard Piper.</figcaption></figure>Internally, Jolson has sought to create a sensory experience: Washington Street homes have been designed to allow maximum natural light to filter through into free-flowing, flexible spaces where attention to detail is paramount. The interiors draw on the rich collaborations with international artisans who have been commissioned to make one-of-a-kind fixtures and fittings for the building. Notably, New York based lighting designer Lindsey Adelmen was commissioned by Orchard Piper to design a custom fitting for the entry lobby, and eminent Venetian glass house Venini will be undertaking their first Australian collaboration, creating glass spheres that will identify the apartments.

Every material has been scrutinised for its aesthetic, functionality and contextual relationship, creating interiors that are simple, considered and lasting. Lindsey Adelmen’s organic and industrial forms will add a further graceful dimension to the project, while the bespoke glassware of Venini will further accentuate the residences' majestic features.

Based on their experience with clientele at Davis Avenue, where almost every buyer engaged their own interior designer, Orchard Piper have responded to this desire at Washington Street by engaging Jolson Interiors to curate custom furniture packages to suit every unique apartment layout in the building. The furniture packages are hand picked by Jolson Interiors from Melbourne’s best contemporary furniture suppliers including, Cult, Space, Hub &amp; Poliform.

Orchard Piper have also engaged the sound engineers of Bang and Olufsen to tailor AV packages for each residence which will also be equipped with state-of-the-art Rimadescio walk-in wardrobes

Architect, Stephen Jolson, has used architectural principals of perspective and proportion to create a "perfect sense of place". Washington Street is very much about luxury that is instinctively sensed upon arrival.

<blockquote>
Washington Street represents everything Orchard Piper stands for, a building of understated elegance with considered and thoughtful interiors, where luxury is provided in light, space and proportion. This project will present Toorak with an unrepeatable offering and a beautiful addition. Our projects are built to our own standards, as we would want them finished for ourselves to live in.
<cite>Luke McKie, Director, Orchard Piper</cite>
</blockquote>

Around the corner in Hawksburn, on a site located adjacent to Hawksburn Village, Orchard Piper's St John Lane project is progressing on site with completion penciled in for November this year. A clever, considered architectural solution on a very awkward site, the building has seen Orchard Piper once again engage Stephen Jolson to conceive a design that draws on the simplicity and inventiveness of Japanese architecture, with interlocking forms over three levels.

St Johns Lane unlocks a residential opportunity that captures views over Toorak towards the South Yarra and Melbourne skylines,limited to just four residences. The upper storey is recessed and spills with landscape tracery, creating a notion of a secluded urban retreat. The entire structure is configured to capture maximum light and views, while providing privacy within an inner-city environment and activating the laneway in tandem with Orchard Piper's upcoming project on Mathoura Road.

The entrance is a subtle metal portal with integrated address signage piercing the façade. Internal spaces slowly reveal themselves, using natural tones of oak and stone to transition from the laneway backdrop to private and spacious havens.

<h2>About Orchard Piper</h2>

A lifestyle brand for contemporary property development, Orchard Piper is a partnership of two Directors, Luke McKie and Rick Gronow. Both have a desire to deliver unparalleled contemporary homes of beauty and integrity to owner occupiers in Melbourne. Their starting point and philosophy when it comes to design and property is simple: would they and their friends or family live in the homes? On the back of a handful of projects Orchard Piper has quickly developed a reputation as one of the more architecturally minded developers in Melbourne, with an understanding that excellent outcomes come from collaborations with highly talented individuals.

To this end, Orchard Piper commit to working with leaders in Architecture, Design, Landscape and Construction, delivering projects of some of the highest design integrity and attention to detail you can find. Orchard Piper’s portfolio has quickly built to be valued in excess of $110 million and its attention is now focused on three residential developments: St Johns Lane, Washington Street and Mathoura Road, following completion of the Davis Avenue, <a href="/new-apartments/south-yarra-vic-3141">South Yarra</a> project.

<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/orchard_piper_mathoura_rd_external_reduced.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mathoura Road. Image courtesy Orchard Piper"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="357" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/orchard_piper_mathoura_rd_external_reduced.jpg?itok=txOgz1Tb" title="Mathoura Road. Image courtesy Orchard Piper" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mathoura Road. Image courtesy Orchard Piper</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Architectural craftsmanship is at the heart of every Orchard Piper project. Each property is developed through collaboration with design leaders, resulting in a portfolio of expressive, refined properties of enduring integrity.
<cite>Orchard Piper</cite>
</blockquote>

With a unique commitment to contemporary architectural craftsmanship, Orchard Piper properties are textured, refined and livable. Orchard Piper residential collections can be found in Melbourne’s most sought after and tightly held locales including Toorak, South Yarra with more to follow.

Orchard Piper differentiate themselves as developers and ‘design’ is the touchstone for every decision they make in the development process. Teaming up with Stephen Jolson they have developed a formula for success which sees them employ a typical 2-3 storey podium of apartments, topped with a recessed penthouse apartment. This strategy towards built form ensures a smooth town planning process as the developments adhere to strict town planning guidelines with relation to built form, adequate setbacks, privacy and overlooking of neighbouring properties.
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Orchard Piper in focus

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Some pizazz has re-entered the top end of the Melbourne apartment market with a handful of penthouse offerings jostling to take centre stage. Far from the investor-driven stock of Melbourne's CBD towers, two current projects are showing their wares in the pedigree stakes.

Perhaps a sign of South Yarra's still exceptional pulling power, the two current projects are located within the locality maintaining differing but spectacular penthouses on offer for.

<h2>Washington Street</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/140908_-_washington_street_-_r001_-_elevation_2000.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Looking to set a new benchmark. Image courtesy Orchard Piper"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="278" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/140908_-_washington_street_-_r001_-_elevation_2000.jpg?itok=Sb8Skl-G" title="Looking to set a new benchmark. Image courtesy Orchard Piper" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Looking to set a new benchmark. Image courtesy Orchard Piper</figcaption></figure>Jolson Architecture have conceived a fresh project for developer Orchard Piper titled Washington Street. Six oversize dwellings will be located within the three level complex, including a 'super penthouse' expected to fetch in excess of $15 million. A breakdown of internal area size speaks toward the luxury status of Washington Street.

Dual ground floor residences range between 589sqm and 648sqm, including large external terrace/gardens in excess 200sqm. Three first floor abodes average 260sqm of internal living while the 'super penthouse' is precisely that: 570sqm of internal space complimented by a 372sqm external terrace. A total of 942sqm ranks Washington Street's penthouse as one of the largest penthouse apartments available in Melbourne.

<blockquote>
Luxury to us is about making the most of the intangibles, such as light, proportion and aspect, not just the combination of the most expensive items available. We achieve a greater outcome by focusing on creating value through relentless and obsessive design.

Saving money through value management is a fruitless task when compared to the benefit of a truly design led outcome. It’s very rare to find a site where you can completely take the brakes of your design team. Washington Street is a true expression of the collaborative talents we have employed on this project.
<cite>Luke McKie, Orchard Piper</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/140908_-_washington_-_r013_-_bed_20001.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="An extended bedroom goes toward Washington Street's prowess. Image courtesy Orchard Piper"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/140908_-_washington_-_r013_-_bed_20001.jpg?itok=r9Mbngzy" title="An extended bedroom goes toward Washington Street's prowess. Image courtesy Orchard Piper" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>An extended bedroom goes toward Washington Street's grandeur. Image courtesy Orchard Piper</figcaption></figure><h2>Yarra House</h2>

On a smaller land plot yet with height and never-to-be-built-out views to burn, the under construction Yarra House aims to bring dual penthouses to the South Yarra's Forrest Hill precinct. Designed by Scott Walker of Hassell Studio, the ‘North East Penthouse’ and ‘North West Penthouse’ together act as the crowning glory for the 26 level tower.

Refined stone benchtops, bespoke ensuites, fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling glazing, extensive walk-in robes, designated studies, kitchen walk-in pantries and entertaining space are included in the either three or four-bedroom residences, depending upon the buyers preference. At up to $3.995 million the penthouses represent a departure from the norm in Forrest Hill.

<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/yate8000_yarra_hp_v19_penthouse_01_to_view.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The best of Yarra House. Image courtesy Michael Yates &amp; Co"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="322" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/yate8000_yarra_hp_v19_penthouse_01_to_view.jpg?itok=I9jZVw5X" title="The best of Yarra House. Image courtesy Michael Yates &amp; Co" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The best of Yarra House. Image courtesy Michael Yates &amp; Co</figcaption></figure>Closer to the CBD a number of other prestige penthouse apartments and developments have appeared on the radar. Apartments.com.au highlighted what will likely be Melbourne's most exclusive development at <a href="/news/is-this-melbournes-most-exclusive-and-expensive-apartment-development">502 Albert Street, East Melbourne</a> with its massive sky homes, each of which could be considered a penthouse in its own right.

That a handful of luxury penthouses have been released to market loosely around the same time tends to suggest that the top end of the apartment market is still quite healthy with perceived underlying demand; the proof is in the penthouse (so to speak).
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