Sun Property Group (SPG) has taken a major step to reinforce its commitment to consumer trust by securing Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) from Resilience Insurance for its nearly completed Willoughby development on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.

The boutique project, Aurora, comprising 12 apartments and a ground-floor commercial space, is one of few in the region to adopt the forward-thinking insurance model—offering a point of difference in a competitive market.

For Cameron Johnson, General Manager at Sun Property Group, the decision to adopt LDI was rooted in the company’s long-standing philosophy of maintaining a highly personalised relationship with its end users.

“We’ve always taken ownership over our product,” Johnson said. “Introducing LDI is not just about peace of mind for the buyer—it’s about raising the internal bar. It becomes the baseline for how we do things going forward.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=205006]

While hundreds of developers and builders have taken out an LDI policy from Resilience Insurance, the insurance is still relatively new to Australia. Johnson says he sees significant future potential with LDI nationwide, with both&nbsp;regulatory and market frameworks starting to evolve to support its wider use in class two buildings.

“When we started the Willoughby project, LDI was still just a concept being floated by the Building Commissioner’s office," Johnson says.

"Delays in the construction timeline gave us the unique opportunity to adopt it as the product became more available in late 2023."

That timing aligned with a shift in construction contractors on the project, which opened the door for a more collaborative and considered implementation of the insurance. According to Johnson, Resilience Insurance was proactive and solution-oriented.

“It wasn’t just about us buying a product off the shelf. It was a dialogue—how can we work together to deliver something that meets both of our needs?” he added.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=5717]

LDI covers major structural defects for up to 10 years post-completion and offers an alternative to the traditional developer bond held under the Department of Fair Trading’s scheme. SPG prudently factor in a two per cent cost profile for such measures into its feasibility, treating it as “business as usual.”

“What LDI does is show the consumer that we’re front-ending our responsibilities—design, delivery, documentation, execution. That whole chain of custody is assessed and independently reviewed throughout construction. It’s a rubber stamp on quality,” Johnson said.

In a region where no other nearby developments currently carry LDI, the move also creates a market differentiator. While some projects may carry an iCIRT rating, few offer the depth of protection and oversight that LDI provides, especially outside of publicly listed organisations.

Aurora is being brought to market by Henry Burke of McGrath Projects. With the recent cut in interest rates Burke expects that many first home buyers and investors will jump at the chance to buy in Aurora due to its convenient location, fantastic retail amenity, picturesque parks with leafy walks, and excellent transport connections with only one stop to Sydney CBD. He expects a local owner-occupier to secure the standout penthouse which offers 175 sqm of internal space and further 200 sqm of outdoor space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=205010]

Johnson says Aurora residents will not only benefit from the first right insurance policy, which means action is taken immediately rather than often long and complicated battles as developers and builders point fingers at each other as to who created the issue, but from how it can benefit the strata communities of the building.

Many buyers, especially first-time apartment owners, have limited understanding of shared infrastructure or the responsibilities of Owners Corporations. LDI adds an important layer of education, structure, and protection.

“People want to move in and enjoy what they’ve bought. But when things go wrong, that’s when emotions and stress levels rise. The insurance policy gives owners a clearer path to resolution—an assured, regulated compensation process. It also helps equip owners and managers with the knowledge they need to maintain the building properly.”

The insurance includes tools such as service penetration matrices and access documentation—going far beyond standard build drawings. Johnson says it’s about delivering not just a home, but a sustainable, manageable asset.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109919 project_image_fid=343670]

Sun Property Group continues to build on its strong track record across Sydney’s Lower North Shore, with an upcoming major development of its Bowen Street, Chatswood landholdings and additional projects underway in Melbourne. The team recently completed its debut Melbourne apartment project, The Brookville in Toorak, showcasing their commitment to delivering high-quality, design-led communities.

In a region where no other nearby developments currently carry LDI, the move also creates a market differentiator

Joel Robinson

Sun Property Group approaches completion of Willoughby's first apartment development with 10-year Latent Defects Insurance

Renowned developer-builder DASCO has unveiled its much-anticipated new development in the heart of Epping.

The architectural brief for Turner Studio was to “create a community where residents are completely immersed in a paradise for the senses.”

The result is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/senso-epping-242-244-beecroft-road-epping-nsw-2121">Senso</a>, a series of buildings that have been oriented around an unrepeatable 10,000 sqm-plus site to create a facility-laden, landscape-first precinct, something of which Epping and its surrounds have not seen before.

There are 479 apartments available in a variety of floorplans across the five buildings, a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in addition to a curated penthouse collection.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4553]

The apartments have been designed to appeal to the owner-occupier market, with generous floorplans, premium materials, and optional upgrades including integrated refrigeration, bespoke joinery, and motorised blinds.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a>, who builds its own developments, is once again bringing peace of mind to its clients by taking the 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy offered by Resilience Insurance, which protects buyers against any structural or waterproofing issues for 10 years post completion of the building. This insurance can only be taken out by the builder or developer and not by individual apartment owners.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4552]

DASCO is known for creating more than just apartments — they create places where people connect. Senso will have over 4,000 sqm of resort-inspired communal amenity in the form of two rooftop pools, a celestial outdoor cinema, wellness club, sensory walk, and an observation deck, in addition to multiple BBQ and outdoor communal areas on multiple levels, intended to deliver a complete lifestyle offering within the residential environment.

There will be over 800 sqm of retail space on street level, which will likely be run as hospitality venues.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Located adjacent to the new Epping Town Centre masterplan, and just a five-minute walk from Epping Metro Station, Senso offers seamless access to Macquarie Park, Chatswood and the Sydney CBD. Families who are interested in the large two- and three-bedroom apartments are within proximity to several regarded educational institutions including Macquarie University, James Ruse Agricultural High, and Cheltenham Girls School.

The project also leverages Epping’s growing dining and retail precinct, proximity to Macquarie Centre, and access to natural assets including Terrys Creek walking trails and Boronia Park.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4399]

With a 33-year track record and over 7,000 dwellings delivered, DASCO continues to develop and build; a business model that enables integrated delivery and peace of mind, especially when Senso is backed by Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), providing 10 years of protection for buyers at no additional cost.

The launch of Senso Epping reinforces DASCO’s active pipeline of Sydney-based developments at a time when the market is increasingly focused on owner-occupier appeal, delivery confidence, and long-term quality.

DASCO is partnering on Senso Epping with leading Australian alternative asset management firm Metrics, which has more than $30 billion in assets under management.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

DASCO reveals Senso, Epping’s first resort-style apartment development

Preliminary data by research giant Charter Keck Cramer reveals a 54 per cent decline in Build to Sell apartments across Australia's capital cities, while the Build to Rent boom continues with a 378 per cent increase over the last five years.

Charter Keck Cramer's upcoming National State of the Market Report - Key Metropolitan Areas, scheduled for release in September, will reveal&nbsp;a dramatic transformation in apartment supply patterns across Australia's capital cities between FY2016-2020 and FY2021-2025.

The Build to Sell (BTS) apartment sector has experienced a substantial contraction, with total supply falling by 54 per cent compared to the previous five-year period. The decline represents a reduction of 149,200 apartments across all capital cities.

<img alt="BTS Charter Keck Cramer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3db2ddf3-e7c0-481f-b8b9-63efb365cb80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-20%20at%2011.26.34%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=bsQl8inhZA7FeiPamnGvw1tse0obBdSd" />

Sydney led the downturn with a decrease of 73,600 apartments, followed by Melbourne (-42,800) and Brisbane (-26,800). Perth and Adelaide also recorded significant declines of 6,400 and 2,400 apartments respectively. Only Gold Coast and Canberra bucked the trend, with modest increases of 500 and 2,300 apartments.

In stark contrast, the Build to Rent (BTR) sector has emerged as a major force in the apartment market, recording a remarkable 378% increase in supply. This growth added 8,590 apartments across the capital cities during FY2021-2025. Melbourne dominated BTR growth with 6,160 additional apartments, while Sydney contributed 2,100 units. Brisbane and Canberra also recorded growth of 800 and 330 apartments respectively. Gold Coast and Perth recorded minor declines, while Adelaide maintained steady levels.

<img alt="BTR CKC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca13ffd4-ab93-4828-afd2-4c3dccbd2b51" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-20%20at%2011.28.54%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=SXNnpcJuFD36ViWOwF6izBBqcQc3NWao" />

“These preliminary findings indicate a fundamental shift in Australia's apartment development landscape, with traditional Build to Sell models giving way to institutional Build to Rent developments,” said Richard Temlett, Charter Keck Cramer’s National Executive Director of Research.

"This transition reflects changing investor preferences, regulatory environments and housing affordability challenges across major metropolitan areas.”

The complete Charter Keck Cramer National State of the Market Report – Key Metropolitan Areas will provide comprehensive analysis of these trends, their underlying drivers and implications for developers, investors and policymakers when released in September.

Build to Sell apartment supply drops 54% in five years across Australian capital cities

Verso Development Group is seeking to bring over 1,100 apartments to the heart of Brisbane's Toowong, with plans filed for a $1 billion, triple tower development known as Toowong Central.

The landmark urban regeneration project "aims to reshape the core of Brisbane’s inner-west riverside suburb."

Covering over 1.4-hectares across&nbsp;Sherwood Road, High Street, and Jephson Street, Toowong Central has been designed by KHA and will comprise three towers rising 49, 55, and 58 levels.

<img alt="Toowong Central" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="48611e3d-7123-4b99-b2cb-bfa4bc98024f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenities.png?VersionId=yKBexB.BgCkq4OET8fHDkWs0d3DjxOKJ" />

According to the Urban Context Report prepared by Urbis, Toowong Central is positioned as a “city-defining precinct reclaiming Toowong as ‘the best destination in the west’,” with a vision to deliver density differently, strengthen Toowong’s identity, and lead subtropical urban design.

There will be a wide range of apartment configurations, from one-bedrooms to five-bedroom penthouses, as well as short-term accomodation offerings. The design prioritises pedestrian permeability, with an activated public realm featuring a central civic plaza, laneways, and street-level retail and dining.

“The central square’s structure, programming, scale and location creates a social anchor - shaped by its edges, flexible for use, and animated by a diversity of experiences throughout the day and into the evening,” the Urban Context Report noted, reinforcing the project's ambition to become a vibrant community destination.

Design excellence was pursued through an international design competition, attracting entries from renowned practices such as UNStudio and BIG. KHA’s winning design distinguished itself with a ceremonial approach to the public realm, integrating terraces, tiered seating, and green infrastructure to promote social interaction and resilience.

The development builds upon two existing approvals: the 25- and 20-storey towers of the Aviary Toowong proposal, and a separate 25- and 24-storey approval at 88 Jephson Street. Consolidation of these fragmented landholdings under a precinct-wide approach allows for increased community value and cohesive urban integration.

Urbis Director Nicholas Stevenson said Toowong Central will bridge the gap in Toowong's current experience, unlocking the potential of the wider precinct.

"Overcoming experiential constraints and leveraging contextual advantages – Toowong Central will redefine Brisbane's inner west.”

<img alt="Toowong Central" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73f7a702-625d-452d-9df2-30a0863ac1e8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/master.png?VersionId=TZdh6wxGC_8IIroXpdkZfuhlS8mFZnea" />

Toowong Central’s ambition extends beyond residential and commercial outcomes. Uses under consideration include a world-class hotel, university facilities, a museum, and health and wellness services, reflecting its role as a western gateway to Brisbane’s growing innovation corridor between the CBD and the University of Queensland.

Urbis Managing Partner James Tuma said Brisbane has no greater opportunity to showcase the future of urban living than Toowong – a sustainable, economically vibrant, and people-centric place that embodies the best of Brisbane.

[The plans] gives us a glimpse into our future as a globally relevant, youthful, entrepreneurial, and distinctly subtropical city.”

$1 billion Toowong Central to deliver 1,100 apartments to undersupplied Brisbane market

In <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/runaway-bay-qld-4216">Runaway Bay</a>, new townhouse-scale waterfront residences are rare - but ones built to the standards found on Sovereign Island are almost unheard of.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/ocean-suites-on-jennifer-10-12-jennifer-avenue-runaway-bay-qld-4216">Ocean Suites on Jennifer</a>&nbsp;changes that, delivering a calibre of construction and detailing that places its seven villas well above the typical market offering in this northern Gold Coast pocket.

Ocean Suites on Jennifer will be move-in ready before Christmas this year, giving buyers the chance to spend the summer on the water in one of Runaway Bay’s rare new waterfront residences.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214444]

The development is a collaboration between <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/stuart-osman">Stuart Osman Design</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sand-side-developments">Sand Side Developments</a>, with construction by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/alroe-constructions">Alroe Constructions</a>.

Architect Stuart Osman says the intent from the outset was to create a home people would be drawn to. “When you build anything, the design is to make you want to go hang out in this house,” he says.&nbsp;

Ocean Suites on Jennifer’s design features a front façade softened with planter boxes, rear pool areas, and rooftop decks looking over the water.&nbsp;

Inside, voids and high skylights bring daylight deep into the centre of each home, while ceiling heights of 2.85 metres maintain a strong sense of volume.

Each four-level residence spans 345 to 388 sqm, with layouts accommodating multi-generational living - a ground-floor bedroom suite for older family members and upper levels for the rest of the household. A lift connects all floors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214435]

For Andrew Erwin, Director at NPA, the project’s appeal lies in both its location and the detail in execution.&nbsp;

"At Ocean Suites, you’ve got a canal-front setting with direct Broadwater access and a level of finish you’d normally only see in the city’s most prestigious addresses. The four-level layouts, the glass-framed living areas, the private pools, even the extended kitchens, every part of it has been designed with the buyer in mind,” he says.

Those buyers have so far been a mix of Gold Coast locals and interstate purchasers, many seeking a lock-up-and-leave holiday home or a downsized residence without sacrificing space for visiting family.&nbsp;

Older households with teenage children are a recurring profile, drawn to layouts that support multi-generational living and the ability to host extended stays.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214432]

Material selection reinforces the project’s quality-first ethos, with every home appointed to a premium standard. Kitchens and ensuites feature engineered stone surfaces, complemented by prestige oak engineered timber floors, Victorian ash hardwood staircases, and soft loop-pile carpet.

Premium lighting, statement pendants, ceiling fans, and Fujitsu ducted air conditioning elevate both comfort and design. Each residence also includes a suite of high-end appliances as standard - Fisher &amp; Paykel integrated fridges, Bosch ovens, induction cooktops and dishwashers, Vintec wine fridges, and Franke sinks.

Beyond the interiors, residents enjoy an enviable lifestyle with rooftop terraces, private plunge pools, fire pit areas, outdoor showers, smart home automation, laundry chutes, and private pontoons.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214452]

With no additional upgrade costs, Sand Side Developments underscores its no-shortcuts approach, delivering homes where luxury and amenity come as standard.

Osman adds that the kitchen has been designed as “the main hub of the house” with six metres high skylights above a galley-style layout that “makes it feel bigger, brighter, whiter” and “brings light into the centre of the home.”

Both architect and builder emphasise a shared commitment to delivering the intended design without compromise. “Working with Alroe’s structural team and their construction team, it’s been great to make sure that the look and feel that was originally intended is the result achieved at the end of the project,” Osman says.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138718 project_image_fid=214453]

Outdoor living has been given equal consideration, with rooftop terraces designed for entertaining with a fire pit and bar, and spacious undercover patios featuring private plunge pools.

The marine access is as carefully executed as the homes themselves. An eight-metre gangway leads to a six-metre private pontoon capable of mooring vessels up to 30 feet, just 300 metres by water from the Broadwater.&nbsp;

Even the orientation of each villa has been optimised to capture long views down the canal, across the Broadwater, and south to Main Beach.

With construction in its final stages, just three of the seven villas remain, priced from $3.365 million to $3.695 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=138718]

Sovereign Island standards come to Runaway Bay with Ocean Suites on Jennifer

Sixth Avenue is the newest development by the Melbourne developer Aultun&nbsp;Group.

The homes are part of a unique estate that has been designed by Point Architects to provide high quality living for the discerning owner occupier.&nbsp;

Consisting of a total of 59 townhouses, Sixth Ave. captivates modern design boasting a versatility of space and function, with light filled interiors superbly finished with high quality fixtures. Outside private expansive courtyards make for the perfect ultimate family lifestyle by the bay.&nbsp;

We sat down with Aultun Group managing director Bruce Yang to discuss Sixth Avenue.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=32136]

JR: What demographic was the development pitched at?

BY: The growing numbers of 25-58 year old bayside residences who wanted to keep the bayside lifestyle &amp; improve on their current living accommodation without moving out several suburbs. Therefore affordability was just as important as quality. The homes had to feel as much a part of the beach side living as they did family wise, inclusive of&nbsp;creature comforts that one would expect in a family home, for example great outdoor entertaining areas, well-appointed fittings &amp; fixtures to name a few.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

JR: What was the brief for Point Architects?

To embrace the bayside lifestyle, using colours of rammed earth &amp; beach tones. Create areas that are bright &amp; airy with room for growing families to entertain.

<img alt="" height="905" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sixth_avenue_chelsea_2.jpg" width="1200" />

JR: Which part of the project are you most looking forward to seeing when completed?

Construction commences very shortly, so the time spent designing &amp; planning have come to an end and it&rsquo;s time for realisation. The collaboration of each stage of the development from the site acquisition to completion.

There are many hero moments, though the one that leaves me with goose bumps is seeing families move into their new homes. The buyers take the same experience as we do, they are in anticipation of the possibilities a new home brings.&nbsp; The joy of home ownership is right up there in one of the greatest experience of a lifetime. &nbsp;&nbsp;

JR: What will be the biggest drawcard for buyers to the project?

They say property is about three things, For us they are beach, transport &amp; amenities. What a perfect storm this is with style, quality &amp; affordability.

<img alt="" height="849" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sixth_avenue_chelsea_3.jpg" width="1200" />

JR: How important is the Bayside location? And why as a development team have you decided to focus your projects in that area?

We love the South East &amp; Bayside, it&#39;s where Melburnians go to the beach be it for a day trip or week on the Peninsula. You will always find something new to do, surrounded by some of Melbourne&rsquo;s best government &amp; private schools, the new Mordialloc by-pass will also bring so much value to the area.

Our expectation is that we will see a sharp price increase in property values in Chelsea Heights end of 2022 start of 2023 when this project &amp; the Chelsea railway upgrade have been expected for completion.

The South East &amp; Bayside will always be a better investment not only financially also holistically &amp; social factors wise.&nbsp;

They say property is about three things, for us they are beach, transport & amenities. What a perfect storm this is with style, quality & affordability.



What buyers need to know about Sixth Ave in Chelsea Heights: Urban chats with Aultun Group managing director Bruce Yang

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For many developers, COVID-19 has put a spanner in the works – with buyers acting more cautiously due to the unpredictability of the market. For <a href="/developers/assemble">Assemble</a>, it's quite the opposite. With demand for their latest Kensington project rapidly increasing, Assemble's model proves that going above and beyond to deliver what buyers truly want pays off even in the toughest of times. 

We spoke with Assemble's Managing Director Kris Daff about the future of affordable housing in Australia, and the launch of Assemble's latest project 15 Thompson Street, Kensington. 

<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/screen_shot_2020-05-28_at_12.23.36_pm.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="294" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-05-28_at_12.23.36_pm.png?itok=TlUbdjBZ" width="580"></a></figure>Urban: Congratulations on the launch of Assemble's Kensington Project! With unique features such as a lending library, woodfire pizza oven and parcel delivery with fridges, it's clear you've really thought through all the practical things people want in a home and delivered them in an innovative way. What are the features you are most proud of about 15 Thompson Street? 

Kris Daff: We’re very proud of the overall design of our latest development, 15 Thompson Street, Kensington. We have always taken a resident-led approach to design and have surveyed over 1,500 potential future residents to establish what are their actual needs, not just relying on our views on what they should have! We then fed this information into our work with our collaborators including architecture practice, Hayball, and landscape architecture practice, Oculus, to design a neighbourhood that responds directly to our future residents' needs and desires.

I love the open breezeways and vertical gardens that connect each home, along with a ground floor pocket park and the large rooftop that encourages people to get together and meet their neighbours over the barbeque, woodfire pizza oven and communal (and pet!) play facilities. This opportunity for spaces which allow for casual interactions between residents is often what is missing in many apartment developments.

<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/screen_shot_2020-05-28_at_12.23.49_pm.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="318" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-05-28_at_12.23.49_pm.png?itok=O6bhv49A" width="580"></a></figure> 

U: This time is pretty uncertain for the housing market in Australia – yet over the past few weeks, you've received daily applications from first home buyers, individuals and families – proving that people are in fact still buying property. What do you think is the secret to your success? 


KD: The process of buying a new property can be very stressful at the best of times, let alone during this unprecedented time, we are currently experiencing due to COVID-19. The flexibility, transparency and trust that is embedded in the Assemble Model has given people a great deal of comfort and confidence, especially for first home buyers, who want to own their own apartment but find the traditional purchasing options a real strain. The Assemble Model offers long-term rental stability for five years, with then the option to buy the apartment at an agreed price that is fixed in advance of us commencing construction. This gives our residents a total of seven years to save.

The model works to support those seeking to ultimately own their apartment in an Assemble project, with established minimum household incomes (MHI) to ensure each applicant is eligible (but not obligated) to purchase the property after they rent for the five-year period. Residents are offered free-of-charge opt-in financial coaching through construction and the lease to assist them in reaching their homeownership goal. At the of the lease period, they can choose to buy their apartment if it still suits their circumstances – many have called it the ultimate try before you buy scenario.

U: With housing security becoming a fear for many Australians in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what kind of financial security does rent-with-the-option-to-buy offer property seekers?

KD: The ‘rent-with-the-option-to-buy’ development offer (the Assemble Model) negates the need for prohibitive up-front cash deposits by offering residents with a stable rental, ample time to enjoy their well-designed home, all while working towards a savings goal. We are promoting homeownership and creating an environment where they are encouraged to improve their financial wellbeing.

Once their five-year lease period is up, residents can then decide if it is the right financial and lifestyle choice before buying into the project. They have the flexibility to not exercise their option to purchase their apartment if it no longer suits them, without being financially penalised.

U: For people who are currently experiencing employment uncertainty but can still make rent payments, is there still a way for them to apply for rent-with-the-option-to-buy?

KD: Yes. Our model is aimed at supporting those with a low- to moderate-income households with a total household income from $60,000 can have the opportunity to gain a foothold on the property market – between 80-90% of Assemble Model apartments are classified as affordable for these households.

The two-year construction period and five-year rental period is designed to provide a seven-year home deposit savings timeframe – the average length of time it takes people to save for a home deposit. We also have an <a href="/expert-insights/buying/resetting-your-finances-during-covid-19-a-financial-coachs-guide">in-house financial coach, Sarah</a>, who assists residents in setting up a savings plan, so once their lease is near completion, they are in the best financial position to buy their apartment.

U: In a <a href="/expert-insights/buying/rent-with-an-option-to-buy-the-housing-model-helping-first-home-buyers-into-the-property-market">previous interview with Urban</a>, you said, "We strongly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to access stable housing" which is so important. I'm sure there are many readers who are keen on the Assemble concept but don't live in Melbourne. Do you have plans to expand your model to other states across Australia? 

KD: Yes, we are a fast-growing business, with two <a href="/news/introducing-the-assemble-model-a-new-pathway-to-apartment-buying-and-ownership">Assemble Model projects</a> in Melbourne, including <a href="/buildings/38-albermarle-st-393-macaulay-road-kensington">393 Macaulay Road</a> and 15 Thompson Street in Kensington, and other sites soon to be announced.

We are also expanding in affordable Build to Rent projects and have a number of partnerships in place to develop more affordable apartments and community housing. We are actively looking at site opportunities interstate including Sydney and Brisbane – watch this space!

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-05-28_at_12.24.21_pm.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="319" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2020-05-28_at_12.24.21_pm.png?itok=Tk2PKhdc" width="580"></a></figure> 

U: How do you think COVID-19 has impacted the future of housing in Australia? What changes do you foresee the industry making in response to the current situation? 


KD: This time has illustrated how important it is to create homes that foster connected communities.

COVID-19 has seen us retreat to our homes. It is important to have access to good natural light and ventilation, and ample space and flexibility. Having the ability to get outside and enjoy fresh air has also been vital so gardens and outdoor play spaces will be a non-negotiable for people seeking their next property move. Quality, well-designed housing should be accessible to all, and that is the driver of all Assemble developments.

U: And finally, what would your ideal neighbourhood look like and why?

KD: My ideal neighbourhood is one which provides housing designed for people, not investors and that is free of any anxiety around the residents’ housing future. As a result of that certainty, a neighbourhood that fosters a sense of inclusion and participation.
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Olivia Round

Assemble's Kris Daff discusses 'rent-with-the-option-to-buy' and the future of housing in Australia

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Known for their aptitude for <a href="/news/urbans-tour-of-the-shelley-st-display-suite">bespoke design</a> and a focus on environmental sustainability, <a href="/developers/oz-property-group">Oz Property</a> are soon to embark on yet another exciting development, this time in Victoria's leafy suburb of Wantirna.

Recently, we caught up with Oz Property's Sales and Communications Manager, Scott Williams, and Oz Property Director, Raghav Goel, ahead of the project's launch, to find out more about what's on the cards for the luxury <a href="/new-townhouses">townhome</a> development. 

Urban: Tell us about your newly acquired site in Wantirna.

Raghav Goel: We recently agreed to purchase the old Wantirna Heights School site located on Kingloch Parade. It’s a strategic site, as there’s not much land left in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, certainly not such large parcels anyway. 

Scott Williams: The site was a central point of the community for over 40 years. The school actually included the neighbouring Schultz Reserve as well (now a park and local football club). There are a number beautiful old trees filled with native birdlife singing away, which really enhances that leafy suburban atmosphere. 

<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/56_kingloch_parade_aerial.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="544" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/56_kingloch_parade_aerial.jpg?itok=Jf7YEg7O" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied.</figcaption></figure>U: Oz Property Group’s latest three developments are all beautiful, luxury townhomes with an industrial aesthetic. Is this a design trend which is likely to extend to your Wantirna development?

RG: Wantirna has a completely different historical context to our recent inner-city developments. The suburb boomed in the 60’s and 70’s with lots of architect-designed project homes in a mid-century modern style, so we’re doing lots of research into that. We have a soft spot for modernist architecture and I dare say so do our architects, so it’s more likely to be in that direction. 

SW: Encouragingly some of the early community survey results have also supported that connection. 

U: What secrets can you let our Urban property seekers in on about your plans for this development?

SW: While it’ still early days, the proposal is for 51 homes and most are 4 bedrooms. These include a majority being single or double-storey. 

A key element of the proposal is a blue-green spine through the central part of the site. This will not only add a sustainable irrigation system for the plants and trees, but also support the native birdlife. We’ll retain the large trees on-site and also add over 40 different species of plants and hundreds of new trees. 

RG: And most but hopefully all the homes will have internal courtyards in addition to the primary outdoor space.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/56_kingloch_parade_blue_green_spine.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="384" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/56_kingloch_parade_blue_green_spine.jpg?itok=CskCD6bo" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied.</figcaption></figure><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/56_kingloch_parade_blue_green_spine_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="458" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/56_kingloch_parade_blue_green_spine_2.jpg?itok=Qw_jhzVR" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied.</figcaption></figure>U: How do you discover what prospective buyers will want from a new property in the development?

SW: We worked on a face to face community engagement in March with some local businesses and sporting clubs, and are now speaking to the neighbourhood through a <a href="https://ozpropertygroup.com.au/project/kingloch-parade-wantirna/">series of surveys</a>. Although this coincides with Council’s formal advertising process, our intention is to get more in-depth feedback and importantly any stories from the people who know this site best. 

RG: We found a quote in an old newsletter for the school when it was being closed “I hope the legacy of Wantirna Heights brings happiness to the people who are housed in the proposed new estate. It was a place where children were nurtured and supported and a place that generated happy memories for the families involved”. This really stuck with us, so hopefully we can deliver this.

SW: Although the <a href="https://ozpropertygroup.com.au/project/kingloch-parade-wantirna/">online survey</a> is for local residents, we’re also encouraging feedback from future residents about things that may not be relevant to the locals - such as the need for a wok room or electric car chargers in their homes. 

U: How involved are buyers in the design process? Are they able to request any iterations prior to construction?

RG: Yes, sometimes we do accept requests during construction but it can be tricky. 

SW: Traditionally most of our buyers have customised the spaces, but prior to construction. This is something we encourage so they can build an emotional connection to their homes right from the start. 

<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/56_kingloch_parade_sketch.png" rel="gallery-all" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="287" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/56_kingloch_parade_sketch.png?itok=xkwLqW6U" title="56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>56 Kingloch Parade. Image supplied.</figcaption></figure>U: What does the timeline look like for this project?

RG: We’re running a two-stage planning process. The first application is for a masterplan, which will be followed by a planning permit application hopefully later this year. 

So it’s not a traditional waterfall timeline, as we’re committing to a lot more work upfront in the hope of a tailored response to the project. 

U: And finally, with Oz Property Group’s reputation of building healthy and sustainable homes, how are you planning to further develop these standards across your future projects?

SW: In addition to the integrated water management system, we’re looking more in-depth into rubbish sorting and collection and using reusable building materials with circular economy principles. We may even end up without any gas connections (fossil fuel free) i.e. electric cooktops, but traditionally this has had some resistance from buyers. All this will be in addition to the now usual solar panels and high energy ratings. 

We recently did an episode in our publication (<a href="https://blueprint.ozpropertygroup.com.au/">blueprint</a>) about sustainability in real estate. The big learning was how broad the spectrum of sustainability really is and how there are so many ways we can practice sustainability in our projects. This can range from getting the early design right, to the construction, but also how these considerations affect how people actually live and want to live. 
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Oz Property's Scott Williams and Raghav Goel discuss their latest project in Wantirna

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Recently we had a chat to ICD Property's Development Director Alice Smith about how ICD is adapting as a result of COVID-19, advice for buyers looking to purchase in the current market and the future of property in Australia once COVID-19 is over. 

Urban.com.au: What are the key changes ICD Property has noticed in the market as a result of COVID-19? 
  
Alice Smith: As COVID-19 continues to develop as do the changes we’re seeing in the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/changes-the-real-estate-industry-will-experience-as-a-result-of-the-coronavirus">property market</a>. For instance, due to Government restrictions that came into place quite early encouraging people to stay home, one of the first changes we noticed in the property market was lower foot traffic in display suites and sales centres.  
  
Due to more people staying indoors. In response, however, online <a href="/guides">property listings</a> started experiencing an upward trend of visitation. Similarly, project websites and requests for information online such as brochures, pricing lists, etc. have become more popular and seen more demand.

U: How is the business pivoting its strategy to account for the current restrictions surrounding social distancing and isolation requirements? 
  
AS: The number one priority for us at the moment is the health and safety of our staff, partners, consultants, and purchasers. And we’ve taken appropriate actions to protect all these groups whilst upholding the Government’s <a href="/guides/covid-19-is-it-possible-to-practise-social-distancing-at-home-absolutely">social distancing requirements</a>. For instance, last Wednesday 15 April marked 5 weeks of all <a href="/developers/icd-property">ICD Property</a> staff working from home.  
  
The leadership team decided quite early in the best interest of our staff and those we work with, we would implement a few rules including: a travel ban eliminating staff requirements for any domestic and international work-related travel; and indefinite work-from-home for all staff. We also immediately transferred all in-person meetings with partners and consultants to digital video call meetings to protect those we work with too. In relation to purchasers, we minimise the number of people in our sales centres and display suites at any one time by changing their opening hours to be by private appointments only.  
  
On top of increasing the cleaning of these sites to include regular additional hospital-grade sanitation. We’re now focusing on doing everything we can to ensure we’re fully able to service our purchasers and other stakeholders with the best remote customer service experience as they would experience in person. Another way we’re doing this is by offering purchasers video-call conferences with sales agents across all our projects so they’re able to still take them through marketing brochures, available stock, and find the perfect future home.

U: What advice do you have for buyers who are considering buying property in the current market? 
  
AS: Of course there’s never one umbrella piece of advice to apply to everyone, so I think my biggest piece of advice for buyers right now would be to <a href="/expert-insights/buying/is-buying-new-the-right-move-in-2020-a-perspective-from-a-property-strategist">assess what is right</a> for them in their situation. Short, medium and long term. Of course, the record low RBA cash rate cuts that we’re starting to slowly see be passed through the banks means purchasers at the moment can take advantage of some of the cheapest mortgage interest rates we’ve ever seen. Or that we’ve seen in a long time.  
  
It can be enticing and further assist those who are wanting to purchase their <a href="/guides/how-to-buy-a-house-in-2021-a-guide-for-first-time-home-buyers">first property</a> by cutting a bit off their monthly repayments. It’s also advantageous to those wanting to refinance their current home or investment property. Staying on top of market news and having a good understanding of your own personal position is my best tip for property purchasers at all times, not just in this new COVID-19 environment.

U: What extra precautions is ICD Property taking to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of their staff and clients? 
  
AS: As previously mentioned, we are enforcing social distancing by implementing indefinite work from home. However, of course, we understand working from home can be difficult for some people who lack the right equipment or perhaps have children. To help transition staff into their new working environments, ICD Property’s incredible HR team Hayley Randall and Laura Burgess quickly conducted formal work-from-home surveys to assess the functionality and safety of each staff’s environment. They then went on to provide additional equipment such as monitors, keyboards, mouses, ergonomic chairs, internet, etc. to those who needed it. 
  
On a company level we’ve cancelled all corporate events including training, speaking opportunities, marketing events, and the like. It’s important to us that if we aren’t asking our staff to attend business travel and events, then we aren’t asking our consultants to do the same. We’re also ensuring all our construction sites stay up-to-date with Government guidelines such as social distancing rules. Which is something that continues to change and we monitor each day. 
  
Acknowledging that this time can be tough for some and lead to feelings of isolation and being disconnected, we’re implementing a lot of things to keep up staff morale, culture, and mental wellbeing including:

<ul>
<li>Bi-weekly confidential phone call check-ins with HR</li>
	<li>Online group training sessions with experts in the fields of resilience, stress management, health, and the like.</li>
	<li>Replicating an in-office setting as much as we can with the online program ‘Discord’ which allows us to set up virtual rooms and have casual online conversations like we would in the office (for example, we have created a ‘Kitchen’ room for people to have their morning coffee in and most mornings you can find multiple staff in their having a morning chat before they go on with their work).</li>
	<li>Maintaining one of our oldest traditions which is doing The Age’s daily super-quiz in the kitchen by now doing it every Monday – Friday on video conference together and sharing lunch.</li>
	<li>Friday 5pm virtual games and drinks to ease into our weekend and catch up. We also use this as an opportunity to share positive news across the company such as milestones, achievements, and praising one another.</li>
	<li>Encouraging all staff to once a week get on a phone/video call with someone else in the office just to catch up and keep one another company.</li>
	<li>HR team doing lots of surveys across multiple fields such as the safety and user-friendliness of each staff’s home office (and providing equipment where needed such as monitors, wifi dongles, etc.), mood/mental wellbeing of staff, etc.</li>
	<li>Regular updates from the leadership team to reassure staff of the company’s position and create some transparency and certainty for staff</li>
</ul>
U: What support are you hoping to receive from advocacy groups such as the PCA and UDIA, and the Australian Government? 
  
AS: It’s difficult to pinpoint any one outcome as the situation is constantly evolving. What we’d hope to see is advocacy groups and the Government working hand-in-hand for the best outcome of all Australians. Which we’re already starting to see the beginnings of with advocacy groups and Government meeting regularly and sharing their mutual interests to stimulate the economy and keep people in jobs as much as possible. ICD Property’s Deputy Managing Director, Sal Quah, is actually a Property Council of Australia member of their Future Directions committee and hopefully through that relationship ICD will be able to provide some assistance and leadership to the industry as needed.

U: What are you planning as a business once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted? 
  
AS: To date, we’ve been business as usual (understanding that times are very much unusual) and of course, there have been necessary pivots and methods of adapting, but we will continue to be flexible to the changing environment and innovate our approach as needed. I’m sure once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it’s safe to return to work and we’re in a safer environment, ICD Property will have all staff get together and share many high-fives to celebrate coming out the other end of this stronger. 
 

U: How do you think this experience will change the way the property market in Australia operates moving forward? 
  
AS: Although this is a challenging time for all Australians, it’s also an opportunity for us to band together and grow stronger. Companies are demonstrating their strength and resilience and Australians are, in our very quintessential Australian way, rallying behind businesses. In property specifically, a lot of developers right now are looking into providing as much online material to purchasers as they can. Due to the stay-at-home restrictions. Where we previously might not have seen all projects have display suite videos or virtual apartment tours online, we’re seeing an increased demand for this from purchasers. They want to access information online from the convenience and safety of their homes. Although this is obviously a current trend in response to COVID-19, it may be something that continues into the future. I think the overall heavier use of technology and innovation will be one positive thing that affects our industry into the future as a result of COVID-19.

Lead image: Render of ICD Property's latest redevelopment project, City Tattersalls Club in Sydney.
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ICD Property's Alice Smith discusses the future of Australia's property industry after COVID-19

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LAS Group and Qualitas are pushing ahead with plans for their One Wellington project located on a 2,400 sqm at St Kilda Junction. The mixed-used development comprises a mix of retail and residential apartments across two towers of 26 and 10 levels respectively. 47 apartments will be accommodated within the podium, 27 apartments in the East Tower and 126 in the West Tower, designed by K.P.D.O.

Apartments.com.au spoke to LAS Group Managing Director Les Smith who provided valuable insight into the development and the company's motivations for purchasing the site and reworking the endorsed scheme to produce One Wellington.

Apartments.com.au: What was the appeal of the One Wellington site for LAS Group?

Les Smith: We’re always looking for great inner-city locations that are unique and special in a number of ways. When we found the site for One Wellington St Kilda, we went through an extensive research and design development phase, obsessing about every aspect of the project, from the site itself, to its historic and current day context and really, most importantly, how people could live there and use the space. So we had an idea of what we wanted to develop in this location, and this site provided the perfect place to do it.

Because of its unique positioning, the sweeping park, bay and city views at One Wellington St Kilda will never be built out. The site is surrounded by Melbourne’s most vibrant and lively neighbourhoods offering residents choice and connectivity.

We wanted to embrace the ‘multifaceted’ nature of the site, which sits at the edges of St Kilda, St Kilda East, Albert Park, Prahran and Windsor communities, which are all very different, despite being so close to each another.

We wanted to take that richness and extend it to the building itself to create something multifaceted, and suitable for a diverse group of residents.

We talk to people on the home hunt all the time, and so many say how frustrating it is looking for an apartment that doesn’t feel mass produced; that it’s a struggle to find something more to their taste.

So knowing that, and with the site we’d found, we started exploring other ways we could create real choice and flexibility in a home, including interiors that could be personalised, and amenities people wouldn’t necessarily have access to in a freestanding home.

U: The site had a permit for a multi-storey residential development. Was this a major factor in the acquisition of the site?

LS: It has some bearing on our decision, however the location was the real major factor.

<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/img89.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A previous scheme for the site. Planning Image: Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img89.jpg?itok=vfbbzYv1" title="A previous scheme for the site. Planning Image: Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A previous scheme for the site. Planning Image: Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>U: Rather than proceed with the endorsed scheme, LAS Group instead chose to engage K.P.D.O. who you have previously collaborated with on the Fawkner Residences. What was the driver behind this?

LS: K.P.D.O. really understand what, from a design perspective, future residents of St Kilda want.

But they also design spaces based on how the resident is going to feel, rather than designing based on trends only. It means their designs are more interesting, often unexpected, and always thoroughly considered.

K.P.D.O. consider the location and neighbourhoods, and design spaces that compliment those inside and out.

At One Wellington, they have created an elegant building that will sit beautifully in a high-profile site, and they’ve also created intelligent, beautiful internal spaces for residents to enjoy.

U: What was your brief to K.P.D.O?

LS: We find specific sites that we like and we spend a lot of time engaging with our design teams to get the right outcome not just for future residences, but also the local community.

St Kilda Junction is a prominent site that’s very visible in the skyline so we spent a lot of time thinking about how we build it externally.

We wanted to create a building that would have a conversation with its neighbour, The ICON, rather than compete with it.

Putting a brightly coloured building would have been too loud, so we wanted to put something that was also colourful, but in a more subtle way.

U: What are some of the challenges associated with developing on a site bordered by busy vehicular thoroughfares? 

LS: There were no real issues. Nelson Street provides great access – it is the back door of the development with car park entry. As a developer, I’d rather be constructing here over some of the constrained sites in other CBD or inner-city locations.

U: Who is the target market for One Wellington?

LS: One Wellington St Kilda is for home buyers who want to reconnect with and immerse themselves in the vibrancy of inner city living. It ticks all the boxes for home buyers who value choice, personalisation and connectivity.

That’s why we’ve designed the building and interiors in a way that purchasers can really personalise their new home to their personality, lifestyle, style and taste. Not only can residents personalise the interiors of their apartments, the building’s flexible design principle makes it easy to combine apartments across most levels of the building, providing even more choice.

We want home buyers to become far more involved in the design of their apartments and buying a home at One Wellington means purchasers will have access to an incredible, award-winning design team at K.P.D.O. that most people don’t have the funds to access.  

We want people to come and tell us what they want, not ask what we have. If you’re a family with three teenagers, we can give you a four-bedroom plan with two living areas. If you’re a couple who likes to entertain, we can give you indulgent living spaces. 

We understand that many first home buyers are entering the market much later and so they have established careers and a bigger budget than younger first home buyers. They are also more discerning in their tastes and want to express their personality, style and taste in their home.

We are also seeing downsizers who want to reconnect with the vibrancy of St Kilda. A big drawcard for them is the expansive Albert Park Lake across the road as well as the incredible park, bay and city views that can never be built out. One Wellington boasts the best apartment views in Melbourne.

<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/gs-kpdo-st-kilda-road-1-exterior-hero-1250px.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="One Wellington will provide the entry statement into St Kilda. Image: Gabriel Saunders"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gs-kpdo-st-kilda-road-1-exterior-hero-1250px.jpg?itok=RyOFzB8C" title="One Wellington will provide the entry statement into St Kilda. Image: Gabriel Saunders" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>One Wellington will provide the entry statement into St Kilda. Image: Gabriel Saunders</figcaption></figure>U: The site isn't short on amenity for residents as it's located in close proximity to Albert Park, Fitzroy Street and the St Kilda foreshore, while also being a short tram ride away from the Melbourne CBD.  Do you expect this will be a big appeal to prospective buyers?

LS: Yes. More and more people are taking advantage of the lifestyle benefits that come with inner city apartment living.

We have seen an increasing popularity of apartment living, not just for young couples, professionals and families, but also the downsizers so there is a greater demand for residences that are functional, practical, sustainable and truly liveable. 

Aside from the connected, multifaceted location, and access to local amenities and facilities like the pool, gym, cinema and concierge, an apartment at One Wellington is going to feel like a home, not just a carbon copy of every other apartment in the building.

Of course it makes it challenging for us to offer so much choice in an apartment – but we genuinely think it’s the right thing to do for people buying into a community like this. Personalisation is beyond a trend – it is going to become instrumental to all residential apartments.

We’ve really thought about that aspect of One Wellington, making sure the connection between home and the surrounding neighbourhoods would be seamless.

It might sound trite, but we’ve thought about the liveability of each space, each room, and each individual, whether you’re driving, walking or cycling to and from home.

It’s the considered, small moments that matter – we’re thinking of liveability as the new luxury.

---------------

Check out Apartments.com.au tomorrow for our interview with K.P.D.O Director and Architect Stephen Javens.

For more information visit www.onewellington.com or click on the <a href="/new-apartments/1-wellington-street-st-kilda">One Wellington Project Page</a>.
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Laurence Dragomir

LAS Group's Les Smith discusses One Wellington

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In the lead up to the Victorian Architecture Awards dinner, to be held on Friday 29th June, Apartments.com.au will be profiling a number of architects who have had projects shortlisted for the awards, in addition to commentary on current issues and challenges within our built environment.

Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA) - where I worked for five years and continue to admire from afar - has been shortlisted for four awards this year ranging from residential, heritage, interior and educational architecture.

The practice is highly regarded amongst peers for its continued contribution to the built environment, which is not only reflected in the impressive body of work completed to date but also the office's success in consistently recognised for its achievements, particularly over the last 4 years for the following projects:

<ul>
<li>2017 AIA Commercial Architecture Award, Victorian Chapter for TarraWarra Cellar Door</li>
	<li>2017 AIA Residential Architecture Award – New, Victorian Chapter for Seaberg</li>
	<li>2016 Eat Drink Design Awards TarraWarra Estate – Highly Commended</li>
	<li>2016 IDEA Interior Design Excellence Awards TarraWarra Estate – Highly Commended</li>
	<li>2014 AIA National Architecture Awards, Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (New) for House at Hanging Rock</li>
	<li>2014 AIA Harold Desbrowe Annear Award for House at Hanging Rock</li>
	<li>2014 AIA Heritage Award for Wertheim Factory Convrsion – Studio 9</li>
	<li>2014 AIA Public Alterations &amp; Additions for Birralee Primary School</li>
</ul>
Apartments.com.au caught up with KTA founder and Principal, Kerstin Thompson to discuss how the studio continues to design a diverse portfolio of projects, which draw on and make meaningful connections to their context.

Apartments.com.au: KTA has worked on a diverse range of projects and typologies over the years - how do you continue to develop original and creative work?

Kerstin Thompson: We approach every project from first principles which is easy when it’s a project type you haven’t worked on before because you don’t have rote thinking to fall back on, but even with repeat project types like our police stations, the combination of a generic brief with wild variations in context and community provides plenty of opportunity for original thinking on each project.

We certainly value the fact that KTA doesn’t specialise but rather maintains a curiosity for any kind of project assuming an alignment between the client’s aspirations and KTA’s core values.

U: The Victorian College of the Arts former Mounted Police Stables is a highly recognised project in the Victorian Architecture Awards shortlist this year. How do you achieve leading design across different realms such as outstanding heritage architecture and interior architecture?

KT: Every project starts with pre-conditions. Even a site without any built form will have strength of context whether this is its ecology, cultural history, patterns of use etc. Our work with heritage buildings is simply engaging with the richness of existing built form and for us this presents a fascinating launching pad for transformation to enable new uses and understandings around a site.

Also, we always approach every project through a clear conceptual intent that guides our thinking across landscape interior, architecture &amp; site infrastructure. For us boundaries between interior and exterior architecture are false.

<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/vca_stables.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Victorian College of the Arts Former mounted Police Stables. Image: Trevor Mein"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/vca_stables.jpg?itok=6ANpN67s" title="Victorian College of the Arts Former mounted Police Stables. Image: Trevor Mein" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Victorian College of the Arts Former mounted Police Stables. Image: Trevor Mein</figcaption></figure>U: How have you balanced maintaining what was existing in the space while entirely changing the purpose of the building?

KT: With VCA, as with much of our work on heritage or adaptive re-use projects, we strive for an ease of fit between old forms &amp; new uses. In this case the already cellular nature of the stables as collection of horse stalls, their remarkable light-filled double height voids was a superb fit with studios for 165 arts students; two art students for one horse.

Similarly, with the former riding school this beautifully proportioned and generous space is now a performing arts space which can accommodate a range of performance practices and formats.

U: What was it like working on an education project that is also expected to serve various other functions such as studio and performing arts spaces?

KT: The Stables and entry octagon needed to serve many purposes. Primarily the school’s studio-based philosophy required mixed-mode spaces that could easily switch from studio to exhibition areas. So the design incorporates a series of sliding panels that enable the school to reconfigure itself – for events, exhibitions, seminars and working studios for a range of art practices as required.

U: When working on a new residential project such as Park House, what influence does the existing streetscape and surrounding architecture have on the design?

KT: Of course, all projects need to be responsive to the people and the place for which they are designed. As a counter to the bland contemporary style of much new one-off housing, KTA uses the architecture of new residential projects to reinforce some valued aspect of the locale to achieve a distinctly local character.

In this instance, its location on the edge of a suburban park influenced its form. In its gradual shift of scale from street to rear, Park House wavers between a suburban modesty and grandeur. The house has an enigmatic neighbourly presence and its low-key street façade belies its size.

The draped roof over the length of the plan creates a gentle silhouette beside the park to the east. Holding the eastern façade together is a veil of woven mesh, which softens morning light and allows daytime views out to the park while maintaining privacy.

<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/kta_park_house.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Park House has been shortlisted in the Residential (New) category for the 2018 Vic Awards. Image: Trevor Mein"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kta_park_house.jpg?itok=8HwOx3SY" title="The Park House has been shortlisted in the Residential (New) category for the 2018 Vic Awards. Image: Trevor Mein" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Park House has been shortlisted in the Residential (New) category for the 2018 Vic Awards. Image: Trevor Mein</figcaption></figure>U: Can you provide an insight into some of the other projects you are working on at the moment?

KT: In line with my earlier comment, our current range of projects are across many different sectors. We are making a foray into the commercial one with a major redevelopment on a prime Melbourne city block. We’ve also recently started work with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne on imagining what a new herbarium as part of a nature &amp; science precinct might be like.

It’s fascinating to be working with RBGV again in such a different setting to our former work for the Cranbourne Visitor Centre. Our work on the Riversdale site, part of the Bundanon Trust, for a new gallery celebrating Arthur Boyd’s legacy is another project through which we can pursue our commitment to a more integrated vision for buildings and landscapes in sensitive cultural and environmental settings.

We are also working on a number of multi-residential projects in Melbourne’s inner-north which are exciting for their precinct-wide impact and opportunity. Parallel to that, our ongoing interest in civic projects includes Broadmeadows Town Hall, currently under construction, which will repair and revitalise the currently car park-dominated town centre.

We’ve just received planning support for the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Elsternwick, which aside from being a very interesting program, also sets a precedent for alternative ways in which heritage buildings can be embedded within new architecture.

U: Through your projects you’re known for breaking new ground. Do you think the intention to break new ground is becoming increasingly common across Australian architecture today?

KT: Depends what we mean by breaking new ground. Sometimes formal gymnastics and façade flamboyance can be mistakenly construed as this, especially in the housing sector, a dress-up of otherwise conventional apartments.

We like to think that it can be more about the invention of new typologies and the sometimes invisible but potent spatial connections that can be forged within our cities and suburbs to create a sense of place and opportunity for many.
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Road to the Victorian Architecture Awards 2018: Kerstin Thompson Architects

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Urban.com.au recently sat down to chat with Woods Bagot  Principal Peter Miglis to discuss the firm's more recent residential projects and to get Peter's insight into the apartment market.

<blockquote>
Peter provides a strong commitment towards the design quality of each project’s solution, from its initial conception through to its construction process. Recognised for his innovative design skills, he has been responsible for many award winning projects.

As a Designer, Peter is engaged on a range of key design projects for Woods Bagot globally and is currently working on projects covering the sport, education, residential and commercial sectors.

- Woods Bagot
</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/cf_row.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="515" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cf_row.png?itok=WVdaHUF4" title="CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: There has been a noticeable shift away from high rise to more boutique or bespoke developments of a lower density in the last 18 months. What do you put this down to? A cooling of the investor market? A more maturing apartment market?

Peter Miglis: I think it's definitely all of the above, and what we're finding is that there is a market that is maturing, that has become comfortable with the idea of living in apartments. But apartments not as we've traditionally known them, as these minimal requirements and getting the yield up.

It's now about apartments that adopt qualities of living in a home, and what I mean by that is having more area internally, having a social network within the complex as well.

There's also a pre-requisite that you've got to have a balcony and if you use minimum requirements then they only have to be one-and-a-half to two metres deep - is it practical? Generally it isn't and what you need to do is make the balcony even deeper and go beyond the minimum requirements and make it an extension of the living space.

One thing we've been looking at is how does the balcony or open space almost behave like a courtyard space for a house? So we always circle back when we look at apartment planning - how would a house perform and function? And how would we take those attributes and put that into an apartment plan.

Maybe one day we don't call them apartments, maybe we adopt another name for them as a fusion between house and apartment coming together. 

U: Three recent low to medium density examples that Woods Bagot have worked on are CF Row in Fitzroy with Deal Corp, Elwood House with Piccolo, and Short Lane in Sydney with Komplete Construction. The projects are unique in the sense that both internally and externally each has a tactile quality in terms of the materiality, a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, in addition to expansive outdoor balconies, that you wouldn't necessarily associate with apartment projects. What were some of the key drivers for these projects for Woods Bagot?

PM: Each of those examples that you cited are all in different locations and so for us it's a question of how do you harness the DNA of those neighbourhoods and fuse it into the design of the apartments? So that there's a sense of belonging to that place.  It was about grafting these places into their context and allowing them to organically contribute to those areas. People want to live in these locations because they authentically want to live and be a part of those particular neighbourhoods.

The other thing these projects do is they consider the choice of materiality and how we approach them from that angle. For example, Short Lane in Sydney was about creating this 'urban oasis' in this very urban context, and providing people with that relief of green spaces in their apartments. 

Ultimately, each solution is bespoke for its location and I think that's that 'magic' that gives it a real spirit as a place, rather than it being something that lacks any sense of identity and could be anywhere. For us it's fundamental that there's a strong contextual connection back to its neighbourhood.  

<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/short_lane.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/short_lane.png?itok=YEYpdt2g" title="Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot</figcaption></figure>U: Building on that, from a design perspective it would appear that a greater degree of rigour and care is required in the design of apartments than maybe we have seen previously. What do you need to distinguish a project in such a competitive market?

PM: I think it's definitely the internal spatial amenity of the apartment, providing spaces which function and are larger than the minimum standards, but then there's also the care to detail, even right down to the kitchen door handles. Moments like that where they are bespoke and they have a sense of individual character and care about them, people have an affinity to that level of detail. 

For example, at CF Row which was previously a furniture store, we took that idea of craft and timber and applied that to our joinery. The handles in the kitchen are shaped in a way that caress the hand so that it's almost like a piece of furniture.

So it's those little moments that people connect with and realise are special.    

U: What effect (if any) do you think the new Better Apartment Design Standards (BADS) will have on the quality of apartments being built moving forwards?

PM: I think the experience of natural light and ventilation in the interiors. Again these are attributes that you would expect to experience in a home, so I applaud the ability to reduce southern facing apartments, greater natural light penetration and ventilation.

U: There's been a bit of recent discussion around BADS and how it has raised the standard and quality of apartment design at the lower end, but has potentially had the unintended consequence of stifling innovation at the upper end. Do you agree?

PM: Yes, in some cases it has. For example, what we have done at Elwood House is where we had a saddleback bedroom, that would be highly undesirable with BADS. So what we did in that case there, we have a perimeter balcony which becomes this garden space and allows natural light and creates a usable area which the bathroom interfaces with as well.  

When you experience it in the flesh, you understand it, but if you were to show someone on a plan it wouldn't comply. So going back to the original question I thin (BADS) does have its limits and I recall when we were presenting that project to the City of Port Phillip we had to show them Garden House in Carlton which had that same scenario, and it wasn't until they saw it in-situ that they could understand how it operates.

I think we have to demonstrate very carefully the benefits when we break away from those BADS requirements.

<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/elwood_house.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/elwood_house.png?itok=56-hySaV" title="Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>U: We're also seeing community engagement and a more fluid design process becoming more common with developers and their respective design teams as part of both the approval and marketing sales process. What are your thoughts on that shift towards a more targeted and engaging process with community and prospective buyers?

PM: It makes common sense. It's like if you were to do your own home, you would consult with your neighbours. Think about it just on those terms, you need to consult with your neighbours and get their buy in and sometimes it can enhance  the proposition you put forward.

We have on a number of project whether it's medium density housing, commercial or mixed-use, we've held major community consultation meetings. One in particular was the Kensington mixed-use project Younghusband where we even received a letter of support from the community once submitted the application.

Another more recently was in Richmond on Lennox Street, where we had community consultation as well. At the beginning people are always a bit apprehensive but then when the transparency and the trust comes in, people start to feel more comfortable.

People are quite clever and they know medium density is going to continue and a good way to stop the urban sprawl, people are conscious of the urban sprawl so they do want to foster some medium density so I guess it's a balance isn't it?        

U: Looking at the Nightingale model, for example, where some of the smaller and emerging architecture firms are steering the ship both in terms of capital and design for the projects. Do you see some of the larger architectural practice's such as Woods Bagot becoming involved in these community driven projects and even potentially funding them either under the Nightingale brand or as part of a JV with a developer as we're seeing with Nightingale Brunswick East?

PM: An interesting challenge for a large global organisation like Woods Bagot through its corporate structure to be able to fund a project, the ambition would be great but I think the logistics would be somewhat inhibiting. 

We're definitely in admiration of architectural practices that are putting their money where their mouth is, and influencing outcomes by funding these projects. I absolutely applaud that approach, and I think we need examples like that to show the shift that can happen.  

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Duvpzg78L7Q" width="560"></iframe>
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Discussing apartment design with Woods Bagot's Peter Miglis

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Gamuda Berhad through its local arm Gamuda Land has recently settled its first flagship Australian development at 661 Chapel St, South Yarra.

661 Chapel St represents the group’s first foray into the Australian market and the Bird de le Coeur designed development comprises 116 apartments across 30 levels with views tht extend over the heritage-listed Melbourne High School, the Yarra River and beyond to the Melbourne CBD skyline.

Believing in the quality of the project with its location, never to be built out views and strong design credentials, Gamuda Land bullishly began construction in April 2016 prior to launching the project, despite the usual 60% pre-sales required by Australian banks to commence construction.

The penthouse for 661 Chapel St is expected to fetch a record $22m and is being sold as a shell with David Hick’s engaged to design the fit-out, so the purchaser can completely customise the residence.

The penthouse is a 792 sqm residence over 3 levels and the design currently includes: 

<ul>
<li>3 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms</li>
	<li>Sauna</li>
	<li>Steam and shower room</li>
	<li>Gym and yoga room</li>
	<li>Cinema</li>
	<li>Study</li>
	<li>Wine cellar</li>
	<li>Butlers pantry (with secondary fully functional kitchen)</li>
	<li>Rooftop bar and private pool with courtyard</li>
	<li>Sweeping views from the CBD right out to the Dandenong ranges</li>
	<li>93 sqm of balcony space and 82 sqm of rooftop</li>
</ul>
<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/gamu9654_661_penthouse_in06_penthouse_retreat.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The fit-out for the penthouse is completely customisable and has been designed by David Hicks. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="271" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gamu9654_661_penthouse_in06_penthouse_retreat.jpg?itok=vH5sMpjj" title="The fit-out for the penthouse is completely customisable and has been designed by David Hicks. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The fit-out for the penthouse is completely customisable and has been designed by David Hicks. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au spoke to Gamuda Land CEO Ngan Chee Meng prior to the official launch party to discuss 661 Chapel St, the penthouse and the companies ambitions for further development opportunities in Melbourne.

Urban.com.au: What was the appeal of Melbourne to Gamuda Land and more specifically South Yarra as a suburb?

Ngan Chee Meng: We see Australia, particularly Melbourne as a highly sought-after destination given its long-standing reputation as the world’s most liveable city, quality education and economic stability.

Location is key in our selection for development. We have found South Yarra to be one of the suburbs that could provide a fulfilling lifestyle given its convenience to our residents, with its close proximity to the CBD, public transport network, surrounding areas of greenery such as Royal Botanical Garden, Yarra river; artisanal cafes, boutiques and restaurants all within walking distance.

South Yarra also has a long-standing reputation as a highly sought after suburb, being in the inner east pocket of Melbourne and surrounded by other reputable suburbs such as Toorak.

UM: 661 Chapel St has a strong theme of artwork embedded in the design of its spaces from the moment you arrive, with Gamuda working closely with Andy Dinan of Mars Gallery. What was it like working with Andy Dinan?

NCM: We selected Andy and her gallery to curate the artwork in 661 Chapel St given her experience and background in public spaces. We had also wanted a selection of artwork that showcases works from emerging Australian artists that we believe will be a value add and worthy investment for the development.

We worked hand in hand with Andy and her team, as well as Bird de la Coeur, the project architect in curating the artwork selection in 661. It was a carefully thought out process and it was a pleasure working with them, we are very pleased with the outcome.

UM: With the majority of 661 Chapel St selling locally and to owner-occupiers, what is the expectation for the sale of the penthouse?

NCM: With the sheer scale of the penthouse, we anticipate it will likely attract an owner-occupier, who may have business interests in Melbourne given its inner urban location, or use the penthouse as a secondary or additional residence for their interests/family use.

<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/gamu9654_661_penthouse_in03_penthouse_kitchen.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="David Hicks has designed the penthouse which is being sold as a shell. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="272" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gamu9654_661_penthouse_in03_penthouse_kitchen.jpg?itok=iXEOo8sk" title="David Hicks has designed the penthouse which is being sold as a shell. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The penthouse has expansive views of the CBD skyline. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>UM: David Hick's will be on hand to customise the design of the penthouse which is currently being sold as a shell. What was the process for selecting David and what factors influenced your decision for selecting him?

NCM: We wanted David to design this penthouse as a ‘one-off’, one-of-a-kind penthouse for 661 Chapel St. While he is a local Melburnian, David’s vast international experience is also a key factor in our selection. We felt David understood what a 
penthouse of this calibre could look like for not just the local market, but also those from overseas, whether it is in Asia, Europe or America given his experience, diverse yet distinctive style.

UM: The views back towards the CBD over Melbourne High are unlikely to ever be built out? Do you see this as a major selling point of the development?

NCM: Definitely. Being in this pocket of South Yarra and Melbourne itself, not being built out is a rare luxury. There are not many developments that can offer never to be built out views and not have the residents look into the next building/apartment in their surrounds from the apartment. This has been one of our strongest selling points.

UM: Gamuda Land has already expressed a desire to develop further projects in Melbourne. Is a return to South Yarra on the cards or is Gamuda looking all over Melbourne for opportunities?

NCM: Being our maiden project in Australia, we wanted to build on our experience here. 661 Chapel St is a considerably smaller project for us when we compare it to what we have in our portfolio, but it is a good stepping-stone for us and allowed us to meet the market’s needs.

Moving forward, we will definitely continue to look for opportunities in Melbourne, and we are in the enviable position to handpick strategic landbanks with great potential to be transformed into value creating assets.
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Gamuda Land settles on 661 Chapel Street, launches penthouse

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Today Apartments.com.au turns the spotlight on Warren and Mahoney, an international architectural design practice based in Australia and New Zealand. With a 65-year history and a 300-strong team of outstanding talent, they’ve been recognised with more than 300 awards for work ranging from commercial developments to landmark public buildings.

The design-led practice offers core services including architecture, interior design and workplace design. The office has deep expertise in strategy and briefing, customer experience design, urban design, master planning and sustainable design

Warren and Mahoney strongly believes that identity matters: that projects designed to reflect their users’ shared identity are more meaningful and more enduring, both aesthetically and commercially. They have a deep awareness of cultural context that applies to their work, including indigenous, diversity and environmental considerations.

As a recognised leader in environmentally sustainable design, Warren and Mahoney places emphasis on sustainability as key to architectural excellence, and on finding practical ways to lessen environmental impacts.

Apartments.com.au recently sought to gain further insight into the architectural practice's design process, methodology, portfolio of work and aspirations for the future, summarised in the below Q&amp;A with Warren and Mahoney Principal Nick Deans. Keep an eye out for Apartments.com.au's follow up interview with Principals Nick Deans and Richard Weinman on an upcoming episode of the podcast.

<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/stanley_street_apartments_5_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Interiors of Stanley Street apartments in Collingwood. Image: Warren and Mahoney"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="325" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/stanley_street_apartments_5_0.jpg?itok=n1RPqAk_" title="Interiors of Stanley Street apartments in Collingwood. Image: Warren and Mahoney" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Interiors of Stanley Street apartments in Collingwood. Image: Warren and Mahoney</figcaption></figure>Apartments.com.au: How large is the practice and how many staff are based in the Melbourne office? 

Nick Deans: We are a practice of 300 staff across 7 studios in Australasia, and we currently employ 50 people across our two Australian studios. Our business model operates as one studio, as such we are able to draw on expertise across the studio network, and we are able to scale up/down very quickly in-house to meet client requirements.

UM: What projects is the studio currently working on locally in Melbourne?

ND: Our Melbourne practice is currently engaged in:

<ul style="list-style-type:circle;">
<li>La Trobe University Sports Park</li>
	<li>Deakin University Central Plaza Project</li>
	<li>6 x mid-rise residential projects for Gurner, including The Spanish Club.</li>
	<li>We completed two projects for Gurner in 2017, including Stanley Street Apartments in Collingwood, and Regent Residences in Richmond.</li>
</ul>
UM: One of the more notable projects that has been in the press recently is the former Spanish Club being developed into apartments by Tim Gurner. Can you speak a bit about this project and some of the challenges involved in working in a historically sensitive context such as Fitzroy on the site of a well-known Melbourne institution?

ND: Melbourne is a melting pot of cultural diversity and we are very proud to play a part in the continuation of ‘The Spanish Club’ which is an iconic institution on Johnston Street, representing the heart of the Hispanic Festival since its inception.

We have been working with Gurner on the Spanish Club project for the past three years from early feasibility through to the receipt of Town Planning Permit. The project consists of a seven-storey building that includes 40 apartments, and a ground floor tenancy that will become the new home to ‘The Spanish Club’.  Two levels of basement carparking are accessed via a rear lane.

The proposal fully refurbishes the original façade to pay homage to both the heritage of the site and of the Johnston Street precinct.  The massing of the apartment building is set back from the street to visually soften the interface between the old and new.  The design draws on the mass and gravitas of the original façade and reinterprets the scale and portion to create an elegant interplay between both elements.

The upper floors to the building are recessed above the main parapet and feature large terraces over Johnston Street.

We are very excited to be working directly with ‘The Spanish Club’ to create a new club and function space on the Ground Floor of the development. It is great that the iconic institution will be able to continue to operate and will have a future for years to come.

The inherent challenge an infill site is the management of the bulk and massing in the context of the streetscape. Our site sits in an immediate context of largely developed properties, as such we are creating a precedent of development for the streetscape. 

We envisage that in the future it is highly likely that the entire length of Johnston Street will be home to 7-10 storey buildings. We have the responsibility to be good neighbours.  As part of our initial investigation on the site we examined the likely pattern of development from Nicholson to Brunswick Street.  This has informed our setbacks to ensure complementary relationships will exist with a view to the future. Outlook, daylight, and ventilation are fundamentals of inner city living.

The prospect of our city fringe suburbs, Fitzroy, Collingwood, etc, becoming Parisian scale is a future we face to house a growing population. The population is already demanding access to amenity and social infrastructure, ‘The Spanish Club’ is a step toward this ideal.

<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/screenshot_20180411-232750.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Warren and Mahoney's design for The Spanish Club Image: GURNER"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="427" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/screenshot_20180411-232750.jpg?itok=51obeNkz" title="Warren and Mahoney's design for The Spanish Club Image: GURNER" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Warren and Mahoney's design for The Spanish Club Image: GURNER</figcaption></figure>UM: What are some of the critical thinking and processes behind the studio's projects? What would people identify a Warren Mahoney project with? 

ND: Our design vision is built on the understanding that the most authentic, successful and enduring projects are those that reflect the shared identity of their users. Our work strives to capture social and cultural identity in ways that resonate with communities and enhance a sense of belonging.

Our design capability is supported by sophisticated processes and technology that allow us to deliver projects of all scales and complexities. Integral to our work are best-practice documentation and quality management systems, a world-class rendering and visualisation division and an advanced Building Information Modelling (BIM) team.

UM: What are the aspirations for Warren and Mahoney in terms of growth and project sectors and typologies? Is there a desire to work on projects of a certain scale?

ND: Warren and Mahoney has been on a strong upward growth path for the previous 5 years, growing on average 20% per annum. Our business aspires to continue that growth and aims to further expand our studios in Sydney and Melbourne.

However, we’re not pursuing growth for growth’s sake. We believe we have a unique and valuable story and we’re excited to take that story into new cities, and to work with new clients. Hand in hand with our clients, we’ll explore the frontiers of sustainable, people-centred design and in doing so, both reflect and strengthen the communities we serve.

UM: Is there a particular project either here or anywhere in the world past, present or yet to be conceived that you wish the studio worked on or would like to work on?

ND: As a studio we look to projects that display an ethos that lies at the nexus of people and the culture of place.  We believe that identity matters so projects in the vein of The High Line in New York inspire us.

The High Line has not only established a successful activated public realm, it has also provided the framework for a progressive architectural and arts programs along its perimeter.  The project epitomises the strong interest of Warren and Mahoney in the creation of space that is embedded in the culture of the city that it exists in.
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Spotlight on Warren and Mahoney with Nick Deans

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Technē Architecture and Interior Design's move into larger premises on Rathdowne Street in Carlton has also coincided with the appointment of a new director to assist managing the office's growth. Steve McKeag joins founders Justin Northrop and Nick Travers, as the third director at the tightly knit studio, whose name and philosophy means ‘to make, poetically’.

McKeag’s promotion from senior associate reflects strong growth at Technē, which has recently <a href="/news/garden-state-hotel-previously-known-as-rosati">Garden State Hotel</a>, <a href="/news/raising-the-bar-techne-revamps-rooftop-bar-and-cinema">Rooftop Bar and Cinema</a>, and Brunetti Flinders Lane. The practice has also been recently announced as the architect for The Esplanade Hotel, St.Kilda; Tribe Hotels in Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne; and several projects at Glenvill’s YarraBend development in Alphington.

<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/garden-state-07.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Garden State Hotel opened in late 2016. Image: Technē"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/garden-state-07.jpg?itok=flEnzEk_" title="Garden State Hotel opened in late 2016. Image: Technē" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Garden State Hotel opened in late 2016. Image: Technē</figcaption></figure>McKeag has demonstrated his ability across a range of project sectors, from hospitality to commercial developments. A registered architect, he has almost 20 years’ experience, including three years working in the UK for Richard Rogers Partnership (now known as Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) and Reid Architects. For Technē,

Apartments.com.au asked Steve to provide a bit of background on his appointment, in addition to some of the joys of working in the hospitality sector within Technē - he has previously worked as lead architect on major projects including Richmond Club Hotel and the Prahran Hotel.

Apartments.com.au: Your appointment to director has also coincided with Technē's recent move into a new office space on Rathdowne Street in Carlton North. Were both moves as a result of the office's growth? And what are the office's plans for the future in terms of expansion in both staff numbers and other sectors?

Steve McKeag: Yes absolutely. We’ve had the good fortune of an amazing amount of growth since I started at Technē – evolving from 12 people in the Hardware Lane office to 35 in a very short amount of time.

As you can imagine, the amount of desk space has almost halved in that period so the move to Rathdowne Street heralds the chance for us to spread our wings in more ways than one.

The new office signifies a new era for Technē Architecture and Interior Design, acting as a line in the sand that we’re looking at as a catalyst for change as we look towards future growth. UM: Part of your role involves bringing in new projects to the office - are there particular projects you're targeting or areas you would like to further develop experience in?

SM: I do pride myself on my ability to grow and maintain client relationships. Bringing in new clients, as well as servicing and assisting existing clients is a highlight of my role.

In terms of particular projects, I think that hotels are a natural progression from hospitality projects, plus I would like to continue to build upon our growing portfolio of workplace design work. UM: <a href="/news/getting-to-know-techne-profiling-the-dynamic-design-practice"> In an interview with Urban.com.au</a> Nick previously cited the office's pub work as some of his most enjoyable projects in particular the fact that unlike other projects the pubs can be enjoyed by the design team socially and they present a unique opportunity to see first hand how people are making use of the spaces they have designed. What are your most enjoyable projects within the office?

SM: The Espy has been an incredibly exciting project to work on. The location combined with its status as a Melbourne icon has made it particularly rewarding and we’re all thrilled to be involved with its reinvigoration.

I have great memories of visiting the venue in my 20’s so returning the Espy to its former glory in order for a new generation to create fresh memories continues to be an honour.

<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/steve_mckeag_photo.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Steve McKeag was recently appointed as director at Technē. Image: Supplied "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/steve_mckeag_photo.jpg?itok=GRCvGqoj" title="Steve McKeag was recently appointed as director at Technē. Image: Supplied " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Steve McKeag was recently appointed as director at Technē. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>UM: On the topic of pubs do you have a favourite pub? (Doesn't have to necessarily be a new or Technē designed pub?

SM: I think we’re really spoilt for choice in Melbourne for pubs as pub culture is a big part of our city, so it’s very hard to decide. In the city it would have to be a tie between The Gem and Fox Hotel in Collingwood because both are old school favourites. The Gem has a really cool and authentic Americana aesthetic, and the Fox Hotel has a welcoming, quintessentially Melbourne vibe. Both always seems to strike the right tone for a good night.

When I have the chance to get out of the city I can’t go past visiting the Dinner Plain Hotel. Summer or winter, it’s definitely the mountains best pub and you can’t go past the views. Keeping with the alpine theme, the Cardrona Hotel in New Zealand after a day on the slopes is spectacular.

Rumoured to be the most photographed building in the country, the combination of its incredible beer garden and sense of history make it a go-to destination.

UM: Justin previously talked about how the Directors are able to delegate to senior team members, allowing them to take the lead on projects, entrusting them with a level of responsibility to represent the office in meetings. Did you find this approach assisted your development and progression to Director?

SM: Nick and Justin give a lot of autonomy and this creates a supportive and nurturing workplace. Together, they’ve fostered an environment in which team members are able to share experiences and learn from one another.

By asking questions as simple as ‘how would you approach that?’, the leadership team is able to encourage an open dialogue between employees at all levels and create a space where resources and knowledge can be easily shared. Contributing to this open forum type discussions has definitely helped my development and progression to director. UM: How important do you believe mentoring is within architectural practice and how does Technē foster and nurture talent to give staff the confidence to tackle projects of any size and budget?

SM: Mentoring is critical within any architectural practice. The creative side of architecture can be very time exorbitant, so communicating with staff in a way that gets them to lift their heads up and identify the critical task at hand is very important.

At Techne, team leaders will often ask younger staff to identify goals and key tasks early on, so that the confidence to takes projects of any size and budget can be built upon early on. UM: Lastly, UM asked both Nick and Justin this so I'll ask you as well - is there a project either here in Melbourne or globally that you'd like to work on? What would your dream project be?

SM: My dream project would definitely my own house. If the sky’s the limit then extend the fantasy to include a coastal location and a limitless budget. That would be perfect!
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