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.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Plus Architecture

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Local and international developers now have the opportunity to run the ruler over what is one of Melbourne's largest permitted CBD development sites. 299 King Street has been placed on the market in the knowledge that it is one of the last remaining super-sized developments within Melbourne's CBD that was not subject to evised planning rules which were introduced during 2015.

Dubbed <a href="http://www.kingstowermelbourne.com.au/">Kings Tower</a>, the 208 metre residential scheme design by Plus Architecture looms as a trophy purchase for the eventual buyer, with CBRE Melbourne City Sales handling the campaign.

Included within the approved 66 level envelope are 400 plus dwellings above a podium featuring a variety of communal uses and provision for both car and bicycle parking. CBRE Melbourne City Sales expect that the eventual buyer may proceed with the residential scheme as is, or introduce other uses such as a hotel, serviced apartments and/or student accommodation, subject to Council approval.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/king_street_chinese_v2_cl_02.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kings Tower as rendered from street level. Image: CBRE City Sales"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="1305" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/king_street_chinese_v2_cl_02.jpg?itok=cBFdY6DW" title="Kings Tower as rendered from street level. Image: CBRE City Sales" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kings Tower as rendered from street level. Image: CBRE City Sales</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
Only four major development sites have come to the market in 2016, and we are seeing a major uptick in demand from offshore developers who have been waiting for quality sites to become available.

After receiving planning approval, the vendor received several private approaches by local and offshore groups, and has subsequently decided to offer the property to the open market.
<cite>Josh Rutman, Director, CBRE Melbourne City Sales</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
It is interesting to observe the ongoing appetite from Asia for high profile development sites. We have seen almost $300 million of development site sales in Melbourne over the past two months, some with planning approval and others without.
<cite>Mark Wizel, Senior Director, CBRE Melbourne City Sales</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
A lot of the developments in the area are very rectangular," she said. "King Street is a main arterial road for people passing through the CBD and although this building is not at the edge of the CBD grid, it's close enough that it becomes a beacon travelling from the north and south.
<cite>Jessica Liew, Director, Plus Architecture</cite>
</blockquote>

<a href="/news/planning-application-295-309-king-street-melbourne">First appearing on Urban.com.au in early 2015</a>, 299 King Street's design impetus came chiefly from Constantin Brancusi's Bird in Space, Alvar Aalto's Savoy Vase and the iridescent nature of a bubble which captures the reflection and refraction of light waves via its surface. The resultant approved design features pearlescent façade would produce a pink, bluish, purple effect depending on how light is cast over the tower.

The tower also incorporates curvaceous lines with a bulge in form toward its peak, providing it with a point of difference in relation to many of the nearby buildings.

At a floor space ratio of almost 40:1, 299 King Street is an unrepeatable design, with the pending implementation of new planning controls seeing a ratio of 18:1 blanket the CBD and Southbank, although there is limited scope for an increased ratio subject to public benefit clauses.

<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/image3299.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kings Street frontage. Image: CBRE City Sales"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="758" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3299.jpg?itok=p83UOyFk" title="Kings Street frontage. Image: CBRE City Sales" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kings Street frontage. Image: CBRE City Sales</figcaption></figure>Located in the CBD's western precinct, Kings Tower is set to add to the continued transformation of the area, which has seen elevated levels of development over the last decade. Upper West Side and the pending delivery of West side Place which includes Melbourne's first Ritz-Carlton underline the degree of change seen within the western precinct.

CBRE Melbourne City Sales have cited government data within their sales material, showing that an estimated 45,000 new dwellings are required in the inner city over the next 15 years to accommodate population growth.
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silvermb

A king sized opportunity presents itself in the CBD

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Glen Waverley is on the cusp of realising a handful of higher density projects within its designated activity centre. The tempered flow of projects doesn't necessarily correlate to the underlying demand for apartments within the suburb, if apartment projects such as Ikon and Galleria are any example.

Both managed to sell in near record time, with the latter selling <a href="http://www.plusarchitecture.com.au/plus-glen-waverley-tower-galleria-sells-100-apartments-in-90-minutes/">100 apartments in 90 minutes</a>.

So demand is present and the structure plan is in place. Can Glen Waverley reach the heights of more established suburbs such as Box Hill and Doncaster, in terms of higher density living?

<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/gall.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Gone, gone… Galleria. Image: Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="335" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gall.jpg?itok=GgqMGyh2" title="Gone, gone… Galleria. Image: Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Gone, gone… Galleria. Image: Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>Essentially no, not to the same degree.

Box Hill is the unequivocal gorilla of the eastern suburbs apartment market for both number of projects and their sheer size; three more residential projects due to enter the Apartments.com.au Project Database will push Box Hill past 30 separate current projects. Doncaster too, punches hard with 22 separate listings. Lower in height yet denser is the order of the day on Doncaster Hill.

Glen Waverley, on the other hand, is shaping as a secondary eastern suburbs apartment hub, similar in many ways to Ringwood.

Peruse the respective structure plans and Ringwood's <a href="http://www.ringwoodgoingplaces.com.au/ImageLibraryAssets/Resources/040816%20Final%20Report%20August%202004.pdf">Transit City Study Area</a> is discernibly larger than the <a href="http://www.monash.vic.gov.au/files/assets/public/building-amp-planning/monash-structure-plans/glen-waverley-principal-activity-centre-structure-plan.pdf">Glen Waverley Activity Centre Structure Plan</a>. It seems the demand is present within Glen Waverley, but the availability of land holdings ripe for higher density development may not be.

That's not to say Glen Waverley won't be without some landmark developments. In addition to <a href="/buildings/sky-garden-235-springvale-road-glen-waverley">The Glen's redevelopment</a> which will deliver hundreds of new apartments, City of Monash has identified the Central Car Park site as an ‘Opportunity Site’ which is mandated to host a tower in excess of 10 levels.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image3jtx.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="JTX International's Glen Waverley bid. Image: JTX International"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="334" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3jtx.jpg?itok=lrl21Kyj" title="JTX International's Glen Waverley bid. Image: JTX International" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>JTX International's Glen Waverley bid. Image: JTX International</figcaption></figure>Seen above is <a href="http://www.jtx.com.au/project/town-centre-glen-waverley/">JTX International's bid for the Central Car Park</a>. In addition to residential towers, a new town square, library and community meeting spaces are likely to be built in accordance with Council's wishes.

While City of Monash have yet to endorse a preferred bid publicly, the above scheme may give an indication as to what can be expected. It shapes as Glen Waverley's defining development.

In terms of what has actually entered planning, the most recent Glen Waverley high-density project currently before the City of Monash is <a href="https://youtu.be/n4OfREEe9Eg">15-17 Marriott Parade</a>, with the combined site selling for a record residential sales price of over $7 million.

The 2,169sqm plot is now subject to a four-level planning application with 63 apartments included, split between one and two bedroom options. Located on the periphery of the Glen Waverley Activity Centre, 15-17 Marriott Parade is opposite both the Ibis Hotel and City of Monash's headquarters.

<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/architeria_front_01-1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A rendered 17 Marriott Parade, Glen Waverley. Image: Architeria Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="241" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/architeria_front_01-1.jpg?itok=PCRCa-Je" title="A rendered 17 Marriott Parade, Glen Waverley. Image: Architeria Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A rendered 15-17 Marriott Parade, Glen Waverley. Image: Architeria Architects</figcaption></figure>Mel Gawi of Architeria Architects provided the following comments regarding 15-17 Marriott Parade:

<blockquote>
Architeria Architects were engaged to design apartments on this site and the brief was to create a stunning new landmark for Glen Waverley.

The design has allowed for soft and curvy corners, enhancing the principles of Feng Shui. Further, the building is shaped as a number 8, a prosperous number, as the two curves meet in the middle to expand along the sides. The internal courtyard allows for natural cross ventilation throughout all the apartments and creates an oasis for the residents to enjoy.

It has been an absolute pleasure to design an apartment building of this nature. As the site sits on the fringe of all activity, I believe the architecture will not only blend in with the higher density buildings across the road, but be a positive contribution to Glen Waverley in general.
<cite>Mel Gawi, Principal, Architeria Architects</cite>
</blockquote>
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Could Glen Waverley emerge as another eastern suburban apartment hub?

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Plus Architecture have unveiled another of their burgeoning portfolio of current projects by way of a new 57 level residential tower in the northern reaches of Melbourne's CBD. Developer Burbank Australia is seeking approval for the residential conversion of 96-102 Franklin Street which has acted as its inner city office for some years.

Burbank House as it's known is no stranger to proposed development with Burbank Australia gaining approval during 2002 for a residential conversion of the existing building into an 11 level complex holding 95 apartments. Prior to this a permit was also issued for a 25 level residential tower onsite.

It is in part a reflection of Melbourne's shift toward high-rise living that the current Plus Architecture-led planning application lodged during December 2015 is by far and away the largest proposal that the site has accommodated.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_1183.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Burbank House as it currently stands "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="371" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1183.jpg?itok=AEt0rSiH" title="Burbank House as it currently stands " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Burbank House as it currently stands</figcaption></figure>Reaching 177 metres, the 57 level building will hold a total of 270 apartments split between a number of living options. 10 heritage apartments are designed into the tower's lower levels with 129 one bedroom, 109 two bedroom and 22 three bedroom/penthouses skyhomes rounding out the tower.

186 bicycle spaces and 86 vehicle bays have also been included, with a regeneration of the existing Franklin Street facade also expected. The following description of the tower was provided:

<blockquote>
The focus is on community and communal spaces with an artisan workshop and artisan heritage apartments within the podium. The building also consist of a dining/master kitchen area with a mezzanine lounge, 2 storey residents library and games room, yoga room, herb garden and pool.

The façade is inspired by crystalline structures. Each crystal module on the building is sized to reflect the internal programme behind. The overall language is both unifying and personalised.

The context is multiplied and refracted in the angular glass façade creating a kaleidoscope reflecting the multiplicity of the city surrounds.
<cite>Plus Architecture</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/franklin2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hero perspective of the development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="891" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/franklin2.jpg?itok=HLiiNW9Z" title="Hero perspective of the development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Hero perspective of the development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>When placed in context, 96-102 Franklin Street would almost be lost in the upcoming crop of tall residential towers in the surrounding area. Earlier this month Apartments.com.au <a href="/news/the-northern-heights-cbd-north-model-updated">published an updated model of the CBD's north end</a> illustrating no less than 9 residential towers in the surrounding blocks ranging from planning to construction that are in excess of 200 metres.

With the addition of 97 Franklin Street and Swanston Central atop the former CUB site this number swells to 11 towers.

While 96-102 Franklin Street sits on the periphery of this cluster, the forthcoming 200 metre tower expected for Victoria Market's Munro site will share the same block as Plus Architecture Franklin Street design, further adding to the tremendous bulk this pocket of Melbourne's CBD is experiencing.
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Plus Architecture's shimmering Burbank House proposal revealed

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The recent upward trajectory of St Kilda Junction has received an exclamation mark of sorts with a massive mixed-use planning application currently with City of Port Phillip.

Located at <a href="/new-apartments/8-12-punt-road-st-kilda">8-12 Punt Road</a> and 3-7 Wellington Street, the project which has been dubbed One St Kilda Junction would stand at over 90 metres if given the green light. Developer Drekoncile Pty Ltd has engaged <a href="/architects/plus-architecture">Plus Architecture</a> who have in turn created a uniquely shaped tower which incorporates a spiral form over its lower levels.

One St Kilda Junction would carry on the recent apartment push into St Kilda Junction, with the area's most recognisable recent addition, <a href="/buildings/the-icon-6-st-kilda-road-st-kilda">The Icon</a>, adjacent to the current Plus Architecture-driven proposal.

<h2>One St Kilda Junction application summary</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image33_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial perspective of the project. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="351" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image33_4.jpg?itok=Sf-Ogmkh" title="Aerial perspective of the project. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial perspective of the project. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Site address: 8-12 Punt Road and 3-7 Wellington Street, St Kilda.</li>
	<li>2,336sqm site with current commercial and limited residential use.</li>
	<li>Proposed 28 level mixed-use tower at 95.55 metres.</li>
	<li>286 apartments: 4 x studio, 130 x 1BR, 130 x 2BR, 18 x 3BR, 4 x 4BR.</li>
	<li>5,230sqm of commercial office space.</li>
	<li>958sqm of retail space over five tenancies.</li>
	<li>Six level basement holding 403 car spaces, 247 storage areas and 103 bicycle bays.</li>
	<li>Communal terrace and resident facilities over level 11.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Plus Architecture design statement</h2>

<blockquote>
Positioned right on the “Junction” the site has a responsibility to achieve significant site status. It must also elevate the built form conditions in the immediate context by setting a new precedent for any future development aspirations.

The result is a spiralling massing that begins at a historical scale of old St Kilda Road, then extrudes vertically to respond to the existing context heights of Wellington Street, with the spiral completing its turn at a height suitable for a symbolic building. The spiral form allows for the landscaping to continue vertically above the street tree canopies on the many terraces that are formed by the spiral shape.

The site shares three boundaries to three separate streets all with activated facades to achieve a day long activity at the ground plans and the immediate levels above. A pedestrian link running North South between Nelson Street and Wellington Street will give Nelson Street the opportunity to have some thriving North facing retail space.

The digital façade which holds the podium together as a horizontal band is a response to existing on site conditions, the unique traffic environment, and the vibrancy of St Kilda. This digital façade will also assist to elevate the identity of St Kilda Junction and this proposal.
<cite>Town planning report for One St Kilda Junction</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Digital desire</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/image6_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Light and colour are set to dominate lower levels. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="301" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6_4.jpg?itok=DKwfeGUd" title="Light and colour are set to dominate lower levels. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Light and colour are set to dominate lower levels. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>Very few Melbourne planning applications have sought to include integrated digital façades as part of their development, yet given One St Kilda Junction 's positioning and existing exposure to billboard adverts the development team have chosen to apply digital screening over levels three and four.

Adverts, urban art installations and public information announcements are possibilities for the digital overlay which would capture passing traffic from Punt Road, St Kilda Road, Fitzroy Street and Barkly Street.

Consisting of semitransparent panels which would be internally illuminated by LED's the digital façade would still allow for external views and light penetration as it would for the most shroud office space over levels 3 and 4.

<h2>Expectations and reality</h2>

The development falls within the St Kilda Road South Precinct which is a preliminary strategic framework aiming to create new planning controls for the area.

At the time of One St Kilda Junction's submission the strategic framework plan had not yet been fully fomalised. It would seem that the development team has sought to utilise this 'grey area' with a proposal of 95 metres as opposed to the 35 metre limit called for within the preliminary strategic framework.

The Icon directly south of One St Kilda Junction passed successfully through VCAT during 2012 at 57 metres, thus providing a midway point or potentially a precedent between the developers want of 95 metres and Council's expectations of 35 metres. Council will not make a decision upon the merits of the proposal until this Wednesday at the very earliest.

<h2>One St Kilda Junction development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Drekoncile Pty Ltd</li>
	<li>Project Manager: Pomeroy Pacific</li>
	<li>Architects: Plus Architecture</li>
	<li>Town Planning Consultants: <a href="/developers/urbis">Urbis</a>
</li>
	<li>Structural Engineers: BG &amp; E</li>
	<li>ESD and Services Engineers: Simpson Kotzman</li>
	<li>Traffic Engineers: Traffix Group</li>
	<li>Waste Management: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Wind Engineers: Vipac</li>
	<li>Building Surveyors: Floreancig Smith</li>
	<li>Shrine of Remembrance Vista Property Assessment Report: Bosco Jonson Pt y Lt d</li>
</ul>
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St Kilda Junction subject to its biggest development yet

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In addition to news of a <a href="/news/a-new-melbourne-icon-squarely-in-minister-wynnes-hands-447-collins-street">new iconic design for 447 Collins Street</a>, last week also yielded additional information on a handful of other sizeable Melbourne residential developments.

Spanning four separate suburbs, the six proposals are all substantial towers with the smallest containing some 321 dwellings. All bar one of the six have been championed by established property players which maintain a national presence, and combined are capable of adding near on 3,000 new apartments into the Melbourne market.

See below an overview of the six projects which are at differing stages of the development process:

<h2>SKY ONE Box Hill - 545 Station Street, Box Hill</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/image9_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="SKY ONE Box Hill. Image courtesy Golden Age Development Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="349" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image9_2.jpg?itok=zXJGcpOU" title="SKY ONE Box Hill. Image courtesy Golden Age Development Group" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>SKY ONE Box Hill. Image courtesy Golden Age Development Group</figcaption></figure>The wraps are off Golden Age Group's newest project dubbed SKY ONE Box Hill. After picking up the approved development site in a recent sales campaign headed by CBRE, Golden Age Group have elected to rework the approved Buchan Group-designed 34 level tower.

In its place will stand a sleek 35 storey tower consisting of luxury apartment above retail uses across lower levels. Launching in the first quarter of 2016, SKY ONE Box Hill is a continuance of Golden Age Group's surge into the Melbourne apartment market which has yielded six high-rise projects in a few short years, including the under construction <a href="/buildings/victoria-one-452-472-elizabeth-street-melbourne">Victoria One</a> which will eventually stand at 241 metres.

<h2>Shadow Play - 105 Clarendon Street, Southbank</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/image8_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Shadow Play's distinctive silhouette. Image courtesy Enrich Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8_1.jpg?itok=79079FuV" title="Shadow Play's distinctive silhouette. Image courtesy Enrich Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Shadow Play's distinctive silhouette. Image courtesy Enrich Property</figcaption></figure>BPM revealed last week that Melbourne builder Icon Co will construct its marquee Southbank residential tower. Valued at $300 million and designed by Elenberg Fraser, Shadow Play is expected to reach completion in May 2018 following the commencement of demolition on the existing structures onsite.

Included are 475 one, two and three bedroom apartments serviced by 150 podium parking spaces and a 600 square metre communal space across level nine.

<h2>32-44 Flinders Street, Melbourne</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/image10_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Further revised. Image courtesy SJB Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="402" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10_5.jpg?itok=lLwKnD0x" title="Further revised. Image courtesy SJB Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Further revised. Image courtesy SJB Architects</figcaption></figure>DEXUS Property Group's first foray into the local residential market has gone through the approvals ringer with a redesign implemented which saw the initial proposal trimmed from 66 levels to 56, while the total number of dwellings has also fallen from 625 to 496.

Melbourne City Council planners have recommended objection based upon excessive height, inadequate setbacks and overshadowing although DEXUS's intentions will lie with the Minister for Planning as the gross floor area of the building proposed is in excess of the 25,000sqm benchmark.

<h2>295-309 King Street, Melbourne</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/image11_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="295-309 King Street. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="335" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image11_4.jpg?itok=gcAI9D3a" title="295-309 King Street. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>295-309 King Street. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>Also back under the gaze of Melbourne City Council is an application that first surfaced during October 2014. Council planners have recommended refusal for the tower based upon revised plans which were received on 14 October 2015 and which includes 440 apartments within a 215 metre tower.

Although the revised plans were submitted post the amendments to the Melbourne Planning Scheme which would consequently render the application invalid, its initial submission date during 2014 suggests it will likely be judged under the old planning provisions… or so the theory goes.

<h2>1 Collins Wharf, Docklands</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/image14_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Lend Lease's latest Docklands offering. Image courtesy The Australian"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image14_1.jpg?itok=PF_du3JI" title="Lend Lease's latest Docklands offering. Image courtesy The Australian" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Lend Lease's latest Docklands offering. Image courtesy The Australian</figcaption></figure>The Australian reported last week on Lend Lease's latest addition to Victoria Harbour is in the form of a Bates Smart-designed residential tower. Covering 28 levels and encompassing 321 dwellings the stepped tower will sit diagonally opposite Library at The Dock and will be a follow-up the the precinct's premier apartment projects Convesso and Concavo, also Bates Smart creations.

1 Collins Wharf will follow on from the current six residential towers that are under construction within Victoria Harbour as Lend Lease enjoys robust demand for Melbourne apartments from both local and overseas purchasers.

<h2>38 Freshwater Place, Southbank</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/image21_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A prized development site. Image courtesy CBRE"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image21_4.jpg?itok=qamzVdWB" title="A prized development site. Image courtesy CBRE" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A prized development site. Image courtesy CBRE</figcaption></figure>One of Melbourne's premier development opportunities is up for grabs with 38 Freshwater Place put on the market by M &amp; L Hospitality. With approval in place for a 273 metre tower which could not be repeated under new planning rules, competition to secure the site is expected to be strong.

METIER3 have designed the sweeping tower with 496 apartments and 390 hotel suites included, although the successful buyer may choose to convert the scheme to a purely residential outcome.
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Six premier residential developments jostle for the spotlight

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Amidst the ongoing political kick-to-kick over the handling of Fishermans Bend, a new era has begun as the Urban Renewal Area's first project has officially commenced construction. Developer Blue Earth Group's Gravity Tower now sees head contractor Hamilton Marino in charge of the project which fronts Montague Street and Gladstone Street.

Geotechnical Engineering has been engaged as a specialist subcontractor, going about delivering foundation piling for the 31 level tower with its conspicuous Continuous Flight Auger rig onsite.

With no basement levels Gravity Tower is set to rise at pace. As is the case with the majority of projects within Fishermans Bend, car parking provisions for the tower are located above ground owing to floodplain considerations.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_7831.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Construction at Fishermans Bend's first build"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="328" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_7831.jpg?itok=XqpY67B3" title="Construction at Fishermans Bend's first build" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Construction at Fishermans Bend's first build</figcaption></figure>The tower will see 144 apartments included upon completion and will be capped with the 'Altitude' club containing various facilities for residents such as dining area, Teppanyaki grill and an outdoor cinema. Created by Plus Architecture, the towers facade will feature angled, syncopated fins that will provide it with an altogether unique exterior.

Being the first project to reach construction, Gravity Tower will command sweeping views upon completion when it will appear as the only substantial project on the Fishermans Bend skyline.

This will not be the case in the medium to long term as additional projects within Montague Precinct become reality. Designated as Fishermans Bend's high-rise precinct, no less than seven additional towers are approved on the same block as Gravity Tower while a host of high-rise planning applications directly north of the project remain at planning with the likelihood that they will ultimately stymie Gravity Tower viewlines.

<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/image6_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Gravity Tower. Images courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="309" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6_1.jpg?itok=TR-wxEXY" title="Gravity Tower. Images courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Gravity Tower. Images courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>Commencement of works on Gravity Tower follows Blue Earth Group's recent move to initiate another development within Fishermans Bend. BEG Developments Pty Ltd is behind a planning application lodged during late October covering 245-251 Normanby Street South Melbourne which falls within Capital City Zone 1 considerations.

At 2,640sqm, the site was offered for sale by agents Dawkins Occhiuto mid year with a ROTHELOWMAN detailed development scheme included for 448 apartments within a tower that looks to reach the 40 storey height limit for the area.

<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/245-251_normanby_road.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="245-251 Normanby Road with the CBD beyond. Image courtesy Dawkins Occhiuto"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/245-251_normanby_road.jpg?itok=1WytVEgc" title="245-251 Normanby Road with the CBD beyond. Image courtesy Dawkins Occhiuto" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>245-251 Normanby Road with the CBD beyond. Image courtesy Dawkins Occhiuto</figcaption></figure>In an overall snapshot Blue Earth Group's move on 245-251 Normanby Street pushes total planning applications for Fishermans Bend to beyond 40 with approximately half holding approval to date. While many planning applications are for multiple low to mid-rise residential developments, there are still in excess of 40 towers proposed or approved for the Urban Renewal Area with the majority located within Montague Precinct.
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Fishermans Bend's first project breaks ground

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Make no bones about it, Cremorne-based DealCorp are back in the high-rise game after a hiatus of sorts in which the developer has pursued low and medium-rise residential projects over a number of suburbs. At the point of their efforts is an intended development within South Yarra's Forrest Hill Precinct that is set to distinguish itself from the pack.

Plus Architecture are responsible for the design which sees the exterior of the 25 level edifice employ a spinal-inspired finish to the tower which is slated to hold 141 apartments and eight office studios.

42-48 Claremont Street also continues the trend in recent times which has seen a string of increasingly taller apartment developments flood into the remaining development plots within Forrest Hill Precinct.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image23_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne High School's perspective of the development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="412" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image23_3.jpg?itok=willlUWx" title="Melbourne High School's perspective of the development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne High School's perspective of the development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure><h2>Application summary</h2>

<ul>
<li>Currently onsite: two level commercial building over 949sqm site.</li>
	<li>Proposed 25 level tower at 80.8 metres.</li>
	<li>141 dwellings: 26 x studio, 26 x 1BR, 85 x 2BR, 4 x 3BR.</li>
	<li>Eight office studios between 61sqm and 94sqm.</li>
	<li>263sqm communal facilities including pool and gym.</li>
	<li>Basement provisions for 100 vehicles and 123 bicycles.</li>
	<li>Landscaped forecourt to Claremont Street.</li>
	<li>Development includes $1.5 million contribution to Public Transport Victoria for South Yarra Station upgrades.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Design statement</h2>

<blockquote>
Claremont Street is a modern built form environment with similar design elements, we set out to find a design solution which provided a unique experience. To produce a standout design and some variation in the Claremont Street skyline we looked to express verticality in the design.

The facade articulation responds to the massing of the building being 'rib' like and a need for screening between apartments. With a 'rib' shape massing the articluation becomes the twisting spine up the building that responds to the internal planning.
<cite>Plus Architecture, town planning submission</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/image46_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Further perspectives created by Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="312" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image46_2.jpg?itok=EmIm-ul6" title="Further perspectives created by Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Further perspectives created by Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>With Stonnington Council's request for further information, revised plans were submitted during September with most visible changes relating to the podium and how it interacts with the street.

<h2>Forrest Hill mushrooms</h2>

DealCorp have initiated the development of 42-48 Claremont Street at a time where development sites within the precinct are becoming increasingly rare. Coupled with the recent approval of <a href="/buildings/capitol-grand-241-toorak-road-south-yarra">Capitol Grand</a>, current proposals seeking approval are pushing further skyward.

<a href="/new-apartments/671-chapel-street-south-yarra">671 Chapel Street</a> is seeking 102 metres while Fridcorp's 627 Chapel Street looks likely to rival its neighbour Capitol Grand with a tower in the vicinity of 160 metres.

42-48 Claremont Street shapes to be the second tallest development along Claremont Street with a fellow residential tower also at planning likely to hold that title. <a href="/buildings/yarra-one-16-22-claremont-street-south-yarra">16-22 Claremont Street</a>'s development team have sought approval for a 98.5 metre Fender Katsalidis-designed tower; coupled with the above developments Forrest Hill will further emerge as a substantial skyline in its own right.

<h2>Development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Dealcorp (Claremont Co. Pty Ltd)</li>
	<li>Architect: Plus Architecture</li>
	<li>Planning: SJB Planning</li>
	<li>Wind: Mel Consultants</li>
	<li>Waste: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Sustainability: Ark Resources</li>
	<li>Traffic: GTA Consultants</li>
	<li>Landscape: Mark Jacques</li>
</ul>
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DealCorp's spinalscraper: 42-48 Claremont Street, South Yarra

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If Rob Adams were to nominate a prime example for his <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/Statistics/Documents/TransformingCitiesMay2010.pdf">Transforming Australian Cities</a> blueprint which was presented over the 2009-2010 period, I wonder if Essendon would be the most appropriate locale today? Advocating medium density housing along major transport corridors, with tram lines to the fore, the document was designed to address the pending population squeeze while also increasing patronage on public transport.

Much discussion ensued post the document's release, with Ivan Rijavec <a href="/expert-insights/buying/ivan-rijavec-on-a-question-of-urban-character">writing an article</a> for Apartments.com.au touching upon the problems of containing development purely along transport corridors. While differing opinions on the document were prevalent, Essendon would surely be the closest fit to what was envisaged five years ago.

With the bulk of the suburb's development occurring in the past five years, the mixed-use nature of Essendon has seen commercial, hotel/serviced apartment, residential and low-cost housing uses delivered; all within metres of rail, tram and bus services.

If general development activity along Mt Alexander Road and Keilor Road is any indicator, the area is well and truly doing its bit to accommodate an increasing population in line with the principles of Transforming Australian Cities. Seen below are a selection of current projects in the area ranging from planning assessment to under construction.

Currently Mt Alexander Road, Keilor Road and the immediate surrounds sees six major apartment developments under construction, with Accord Property Group's Alexa at 1048 Mt Alexander Road currently at site demolition.

<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/image45_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="a selection of current projects along tram line 59"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="649" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image45_0.jpg?itok=AoQeVyOe" title="a selection of current projects along tram line 59" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A selection of current projects along the Tram 59 line</figcaption></figure>Two fresh proposals are looking to reinforce the successes of Essendon while also pushing the boundaries for their respective developers.

First up is Russendon Holdings Pty Ltd seeking approval of a ten level apartment complex directly opposite Essendon Station; with an address of 13-21 Russell Street it would be the tallest building in the suburb if approved. Within the Essendon Junction Activity Centre, the apartment building designed by Plus Architecture would carry 99 dwellings over a 1,196sqm site.

At 34.5 metres in height the design features a 296sqm commercial tenancy at ground level in addition to a 197sqm communal garden while a 192sqm rooftop garden will crown the development.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/photo_2_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Plus Architecture's 13-21 Russell Street."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="305" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/photo_2_0.jpg?itok=_rf4F_VQ" title="Plus Architecture's 13-21 Russell Street." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Plus Architecture's 13-21 Russell Street.</figcaption></figure>More ambitious in terms of apartment numbers is established developer Blue Earth Group's proposal for 144-160 Keilor Road. Nearby to the developer's previous project on Keilor Road and with Tram 59 at its doorstep, the proposed six level complex designed by CHT Architects is looking to add 260 dwellings over a sizeable 5,306sqm site.

To be delivered over two stages, the project would consist of two distinctive buildings finished externally in either cream or black, located above a 296 basement car park. The large site has allowed CHT Architects to deliver three separate northern-facing communal courtyards totalling 829.5sqm while five retail tenancies will front Keilor Road, further enhancing an emerging retail strip found at the base of the numerous higher-density developments completed along Keilor Road during recent years.

<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/image131_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="144-160 Keilor Road designed by CHT Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="292" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image131_0.jpg?itok=921rUqDd" title="144-160 Keilor Road designed by CHT Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>144-160 Keilor Road designed by CHT Architects</figcaption></figure>The stretch of land bookended by Essendon Station and the Keilor Road Activity Centre has certainly seen its fair share of development in recent years, much in line with Rob Adams' Transforming Australian Cities model. With an abundance of development sites along the roughly three kilometre stretch which fronts multiple modes of transport, higher-density development along the corridor is no longer a trend but now the norm.
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Essendon's high density development a model example

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On the surface, the Victorian Government’s <a href="http://delwp.vic.gov.au/planning/policy-and-strategy/better-apartments">“Better Apartments” discussion paper</a> seeks to confirm what every apartment occupier would want to hear: mandating bigger, brighter, cross-ventilated apartments with great outlooks. What it fails to address is that this comes at significant cost.

The Government is using this discussion paper as a pre-emptive move to bring Sydney’s SEPP 65 strict planning rules to Melbourne. If this transpires, the industry will be faced with:

<ul>
<li>Massive job losses in the construction industry.</li>
	<li>The cost per apartment will immediately increase by upwards of $150,000.</li>
	<li>Rent will increase 10 percent per apartment.</li>
	<li>The ability for inner-city sites to house our population growth will be reduced by 45% percent.</li>
	<li>Development will be pushed to the fringe where infrastructure costs are greater.</li>
	<li>A lack of new development due to diminished feasibility; a typical two-storey office building in an activity centre will be worth more than the site as an apartment development. Therefore it will not be developed.</li>
</ul>
In essence, supply of dwellings will drop dramatically, and we will be faced with a host of irreversible changes that will affect the industry and the end-user alike.

However, this situation is not a new one…Sydney’s apartment market stopped dead in its tracks for ten years after SEPP 65 was introduced. The market is only just starting to recover now, not because of any reversal of the planning regulations, but because the lack of supply has driven property prices so high that large one-bedroom apartments are fetching upwards of $700,000.

These inflated prices are the only reason why developers can now afford to develop projects which are in line with Sydney’s stringent rules and still offer viable financial returns. Basically, this means that without the inflated prices, developers could simply not afford to develop apartment projects under the planning laws, which has only further perpetuated the cycle of undersupply and market inflation.

Make no mistake – the implementation of design guidelines will remove your right to an affordable apartment in the area you want to live.

Some simple questions the paper fails to address:

Who is complaining that their rent is too low?

Who is asking for apartments to be more expensive?

We need to give apartment buyers a choice. If purchasers want a large one-bedroom apartment there are certainly plenty available. But if purchasers don't have the funds to afford a large apartment, by all means allow them the opportunity to purchase a home; don’t price them out of the market because they can’t afford what the Government is suggesting to mandate. At the end of the day, let the market determine what is desirable and what is a fair price for that dwelling.

In 2014, ‘<a href="/news/is-this-melbournes-best-new-residential-development">The Commons</a>’ apartment building in Melbourne was awarded by the National Architecture Awards as the “exemplar of apartment living”.

This project is a fabulous building, where 50 per cent of the apartments are south facing. If south facing apartments are deemed to be so undesirable, why did the project win the industry’s highest architectural award?

Without south facing apartments, anyone who wishes to live north of the city and desires a city-facing view, will simply not be provided the opportunity to do so.

And too bad if you want a view of our stunning bay - it is positioned to the south. If you purchase in a new development, you simply won’t be allowed to face it.

The last government turned off supply of medium density housing in our suburbs, leaving us with a deficit of 6000 much-needed new dwellings per year. If this government brings in minimum design standards they will all but shut down the apartment market in our regeneration and inner-urban areas. And with the projected population estimated to grow to 7.7 million by 2051, supply needs to increase, not diminish, in order to keep up with demand.

The new guidelines want to make you pay $10,000 more so your walk to the lift is 10m shorter.

Let’s not forget, this discussion paper has been drafted in a way that poses a series of loaded questions. Simply asking people if they would prefer a larger kitchen, or more internal space in their living room, is an irresponsible approach by the Government as it fails to address that these lifestyle choices come at a cost.

Larger apartments cost more money to build and they also decrease a project’s overall yield meaning these costs will all be passed on to the end user. Why don’t we ask legitimate questions that will force purchasers to think about their circumstances – questions such as ‘would you be prepared to pay $100 more in rent per week for a larger living room?’ is likely to illicit a more accurate response than simply ‘would you like to live in a larger apartment?’

The existing planning scheme in Melbourne rewards good design through discretionary height controls. It is a great system that has produced some fabulous buildings: ranging from high-end penthouses to affordable compact apartments.

On the other hand, Sydney’s planning scheme is overly prescriptive and complicated. The outcome has delivered large apartments, yes, but you need to be a millionaire to afford one. There is no such thing as an affordable apartment in Sydney.

The beauty of Melbourne’s market is the availability of choice, and the ability to allow most, if not all, professionals earning a modest wage, to one day own their own home. Let’s not take that opportunity away from Victorians just in the pursuit of short-sighted guidelines that will create more problems than it will fix.

Craig Yelland is a Director of Plus Architecture - an Apartments.com.au Industry Hub member. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Christchurch, Plus Architecture is considered one of the leading architectural firms in multi-unit residential development. He lives in a south facing apartment with his wife and two children.
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cyelland

"Better Apartments" should be retitled "More Expensive Apartments"

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Foreshadowed in an <a href="/news/plus-architecture-begins-2015-with-a-bang">article earlier this year</a> highlighting the exploits of Plus Architecture, one of the firm's most recent schemes has landed with City of Stonnington during early March and is now on public display. Currently a nondescript dual level commercial complex somewhat out of place as opposed to its nineteenth and early twentieth century neighbours, 402-416 Chapel Street is designed to be a 12 level mixed-use development holding prime position on the sought-after retail and entertainment strip.

Holding 75 metres of frontage to Chapel Street and bound by Simmons Street, Bray Street and Grey Street, the island site is one of only two large-scale plots capable of accommodating a significant development along Chapel Street; the other cited within planning documents as the Jam Factory. Subject to a preferred height limit of 19 metres, 402-416 Chapel Street weighs in at double Stonnington's preference, yet the non mandatory height guideline provides scope for a larger structure onsite.

<h2>402-416 Chapel Street application summary</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image83.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hero perspective of the proposed development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image83.jpg?itok=fEYf64pG" title="Hero perspective of the proposed development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Hero perspective of the proposed development. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Existing use: two-storey commercial building</li>
	<li>Site area: 3,306sqm</li>
	<li>Proposed 12 level mixed-use building at 39.9m</li>
	<li>99 residential dwellings: 39*1BR, 57*2BR, 3*3BR</li>
	<li>157 room residential hotel</li>
	<li>1,016sqm of retail (shop) floor space &amp; 719sqm of restaurant space</li>
	<li>820sqm of commercial office space</li>
	<li>Gym, lounges, pool deck and breakfast bar included</li>
	<li>Provision of 248 car parking spaces and 108 bicycle spaces over three basement levels</li>
</ul>
<h2>Big on Chapel</h2>

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As can be seen above the Chapel Plaza complex onsite contains very little architectural merit and as such lends itself to replacement. Chapel Plaza is included within a general heritage overlay covering the wider Chapel Street Precinct, but the site itself has no heritage value.

Consequently the attached heritage assessment focuses on the development's place within a larger Chapel Street context, which is summarised below:

<blockquote>
The proposal will remove an ungraded late-twentieth century building of no architectural, aesthetic or historic value to the HO126 Chapel Street Precinct. On this basis, the removal of this building is acceptable from a heritage perspective.

The proposal is consistent with Council heritage policy to enhance places of cultural significance. It is also consistent with policy that new works should not adversely affect heritage places. The mixed-use development is designed in accordance with strategies and objectives of the ‘Chapel Vision’ and ‘Chapel re-Vision’ structure plans, by maintaining this street’s role as a premier commercial and entertainment district in Melbourne, but balanced with retaining the street’s established heritage character.
<cite>Peter Andrew Barrett, architectural conservation consultant</cite>
</blockquote>

This assertion on building scale and impact upon surrounding areas is further backed by the following statement:

<blockquote>
The built form controls, as worded, are ‘preferred’ and are not mandatory controls. The proposal is considered capable of satisfying the design objectives and built form outcomes prescribed by the Design and Development Overlay without meeting all of its prescriptive controls.

The development has been designed in distinct components with a composition that is complex and varied. This includes a base podium, which is addressed to Chapel Street. A mid-rise element to six storeys and a high-rise tower that through orientation and recessing provides the appearance of two separate structures.
<cite>SJB Planning, 402-416 Chapel Street planning report</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Street level beat</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/image87.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Chapel Street frontage. Image courtesy Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="361" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image87.jpg?itok=NGs5vjG0" title="Chapel Street frontage. Image courtesy Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Chapel Street frontage. Image courtesy Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>Considering the sizeable girth and height of 402-416 Chapel Street, Plus Architecture have sought to refine the considerable street frontage via a number of differing means. A balance between consistency and variation in finishes has been sought at street level, while the podium itself seeks to be consistent with its surrounds at between 3-4 levels in height.

Differing materials, arrangements and elements are present over lower levels, although all are within a modular theme which is referred multiple times within the development documents. This is essentially a reference to the site's heritage surrounds where the majority of structures are quite uniform in size and composition.

Vertical highlights are evident within these modular or 'squared' podium sections as seen above, breaking up the lower levels and providing articulation. This is further bolstered by a vertical green wall which will visually separate the bulk components of the building.

The Simmons and Chapel intersection is subject to a feature design element which differs from the remainder of the podium. Behind the timber cladding and angled screens are retail, restaurant and commercial office space over four levels. Due to its leading edge position and proximity to a the heritage pub opposite, the distinctive, softened podium feature has been employed.

<h2>402-416 Chapel Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Chapel Plaza Pty Ltd / Spotlight Property Group</li>
	<li>Development and Project Manager: Blueprint Group Australia</li>
	<li>Architectural plans: Plus Architecture</li>
	<li>Urban Context and Design Response: SJB Urban</li>
	<li>Heritage Assessment prepared: Peter Andrew Barrett</li>
	<li>Waste Management Plan: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Sustainability Management Plan: Waterman AHW (Vic) Pty Ltd</li>
	<li>Landscape plans: Aspect Pty Ltd</li>
	<li>A Traffic and Transport Assessment: Cardno.</li>
</ul>
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