Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Joel Robinson

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Seasoned Victorian apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a> has logged more than $400 million in sales in its luxury apartment project Palmera Residences at Northcliffe on the Gold Coast.&nbsp;

Central Equity Director Karl Kutner said the sales result reflected a combination of location, product quality and delivery certainty with the project already under construction by building powerhouse Multiplex.&nbsp;

"Surpassing $400 million in sales since launch is a significant milestone and an outstanding endorsement of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera Residences</a>,” he said.&nbsp;

"We believe one of the key reasons for this strong result is the confidence purchasers have in knowing the project is under construction with Multiplex. Buyers are increasingly looking for certainty. They want to know that the project they commit to today will be delivered by an experienced team with a proven track record."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365782]

Kutner said it was clear there was still high demand for luxury projects that offered certainty of delivery.&nbsp;

“We are in a market where many residential developments have faced delays due to rising construction costs, labour shortages and financing challenges,” said Kutner.&nbsp;

"But having construction underway has provided our buyers with resounding confidence backed by more than 40 years of development delivery by Central Equity combined with construction by one of Australia's most respected construction companies."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365785]

Central Equity is one of Australia's most experienced privately-owned property developers. Over more than four decades, the company has delivered in excess of 85 residential developments including 10,000 apartments and many thousands of stand alone homes.&nbsp;

Located on Garfield Terrace at Northcliffe, between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, Palmera Residences occupies one of the Gold Coast's most sought after beachside locations. The development has been designed to appeal to owner occupiers seeking premium residences that combine generous living spaces and resort style amenities.&nbsp;

Palmera Residences will feature an exceptional collection of resort style amenities, including two swimming pools: a generously sized family pool with safe shallow zones for relaxed recreation, and a 20 metre lap pool positioned to maximise all day sunlight.&nbsp;

Residents will also enjoy exclusive access to wellness and recreational facilities including a magnesium pool, sauna, yoga studio, expansive fitted gymnasium, resident lounge, outdoor BBQ’s&nbsp;and indoor and outdoor dining areas, together with a dedicated concierge and luxurious hotel inspired entrance foyer.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365767]

A unique feature at Palmera Residences has been designed to enhance the Gold Coast lifestyle which includes both indoor and outdoor gymnasium facilities, together with thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining areas. A corner café has also been incorporated to provide residents with a destination for their everyday needs.&nbsp;

Kutner said buyer demand had been broad based with purchasers attracted from interstate as well as throughout South East Queensland.&nbsp;

"We're seeing strong interest from owner occupiers, lifestyle buyers and people relocating to the Gold Coast. Many purchasers have been searching for a premium beachside residence where quality, design and delivery are equally important."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Kutner said the sales milestone was an important achievement, but the focus remained firmly on delivering an exceptional development.&nbsp;

"While reaching $400 million in sales is an important milestone, our priority remains delivering a project that exceeds purchaser expectations,” he said.&nbsp;

"Palmera Residences has been designed to become one of the Gold Coast's landmark residential addresses, and we look forward to welcoming our purchasers to their new homes."&nbsp;

There are a limited number of residences remaining in selected configurations with pricing from $2,950,000 to $8,950,000. Palmera Residences is also crowned by expansive penthouses with wrap around views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Construction certainty and strong buyer demand drive major sales result for luxury Gold Coast development

Palmera Residences fly out the door as sales pass $400 million

National property developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/goldfields-group">Goldfields</a> has appointed BINAH as its construction partner for Quartet, its new Brisbane apartment development in the undersupplied suburb of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/milton-qld-4064">Milton</a>.

Located just two kilometres from the Brisbane CBD and moments from key 2032 Olympic precincts, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/quartet-milton-33-manning-street-milton-qld-4064">Quartet</a> will deliver 131 one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments priced from $1 million to $4.2 million, combining elevated design with a wellness-focused lifestyle offering.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=368000]

Goldfields’ Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan Thompson, said the appointment of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/binah-constructions">BINAH</a> marked an important milestone for the project.&nbsp;

“Bringing BINAH on board as our construction partner will allow us to bring our vision for Quartet forward with a team that has a proven track record of delivering high-quality residential projects,” Thompson said.&nbsp;

“We’ve taken a considered approach to progressing the site because we wanted to deliver the whole package. Buyers ultimately back great developers, great projects and great builders, and with Quartet, we’ve made sure all three line up.

“People want certainty, they want to know the project will be built, that the homes will be delivered as promised, and that the developer stands behind the quality of what they create. That’s something Goldfields has built its reputation on over many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367993]

BINAH’s Managing Director, Khalil Hafza, said the company was proud to be partnering with Goldfields to deliver Quartet.&nbsp;

“Quartet is an exciting project to bring to life, particularly given the level of detail in the residences and the extensive rooftop amenity planned for the building,” Mr Hafza said.&nbsp;

“Our focus is on delivering a high-quality build that brings that design vision to life and creates homes residents will enjoy for many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367999]

The facilities at Quartet have been feared towards the roof, with a&nbsp;25 metre lap pool, spa, sauna and cold plunge, and a communal barbecue area and alfresco.

Town planning was designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and brought to life by Melbourne-based architecture firm Cera Stribley.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/cera-stribley">Cera Stribley</a> Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Dom Cerantonio, said the project responds to both its riverside setting and Brisbane’s evolving urban character.&nbsp;

“Quartet has been designed to sit comfortably within its riverside context, offering a refined take on urban living through well-planned, generously proportioned residences that will stand the test of time,” Mr Cerantonio said.&nbsp;

“An emphasis on natural light, natural textures and carefully selected finishes from timber and marble to premium appliances, creates calm, considered interiors designed for comfort and long-term liveability.”&nbsp;

Construction of Quartet will commence in July 2026, with completion anticipated in Q4 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108736]

Construction to commence on 131-residence tower designed around wellness-focused living

Goldfields appoints BINAH for Quartet apartments in Milton

Skyscrapers

<html><body>
Eureka Tower may have stolen the limelight a few years ago yet for many Rialto Towers at 525 Collins Street is still the quintessential building that's instantly associated with Melbourne. A goliath of its day, the structure jointly designed by Gerard de Preu &amp; Partners plus Perrott Lyon Mathieson was officially opened during October 1986 and for the most has remained unchanged there after. Although owner <a href="http://www.grollogroup.com.au/grollo-property/development/rialto/" target="_blank">Grollo Group</a> had at varying times over the proceeding years sought to buy adjoining properties fronting King Street to facilitate further expansion, only recently have signs of redevelopment emerged.

First came the render below carried by<a href="http://f2architecture.com.au/experience/commercial-and-workplace/rialto-towers-2020/" target="_blank"> F2 Architecture</a> on their website. Having a history of work for Grollo Group's development and construction arm <a href="http://www.grollogroup.com.au/grollo-property/management/equiset/" target="_blank">Equiset</a>, including 737 Bourke Street Docklands, the well articulated, interactive and open design seen below would have been an impressive fit within the Collins Street vista.

<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/Ext_Entry-View.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="F2 Architecture vision for Rialto with open space maintained. Image © F2 Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Ext_Entry-View.jpg?itok=oli0UPzD" title="F2 Architecture vision for Rialto with open space maintained. Image © F2 Architecture" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>F2 Architecture vision for Rialto with open space maintained. Image © F2 Architecture</figcaption></figure>Evidently not, as an Australian Financial Review (AFR) article published 6th June 2013 detailed the proposed development. Designed by <a href="http://www.woodsbagot.com/" target="_blank">Woods Bagot</a> Architects, the $45 million dollar expansion would have delivered a six level forecourt building consisting 1,500sqm of retail space and an additional 5,000sqm of office space boosting total office space to an impressive 89,000sqm.

Lodged with Melbourne City Council late May, the planning application is now at a referral stage. Interestingly the AFR article states " It is in a planning zone which does not require a permit and the design will not be advertised." Addresses covered by the application include 487-535 Collins Street and 68-70 King Street.

Publically advertised or not Equiset have added an image of the Rialto redevelopment within their planning application for 464 Collins Street which lies diagonally opposite, both of which are designed by respected architecture firm<a href="http://www.batessmart.com.au/" target="_blank"> Bates Smart</a>.

<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/bsmart%20rialto.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The proposed 525 Collins Street upgrade. Image © Equiset"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bsmart%20rialto.jpg?itok=jD6_KwUq" title="The proposed 525 Collins Street upgrade. Image © Equiset" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

<figcaption>The proposed 525 Collins Street upgrade. Image © Equiset</figcaption></figure>Should this be the new and actual expansion one can't help but feel a little underwhelmed by the design that seemingly breaks a glazed facade with either precast concrete panels or aluminium cladding. Bates Smart commercial projects are always aesthetically pleasing yet generally don't set the world on fire in terms of making a design statement or wow factor for lack of a better term.

Speaking as a lover of great design above all else, here's hoping the final, detailed renders when released shows Rialto Towers impending redevelopment in the best possible light given the development will occupy the prime Collins Street and King Street corner. Rialto is an imperious Melbourne building, it's only fitting any redevelopment is of an equal quality.
</body></html>

silvermb

Rialtooooohh boy! Is this 525 Collins Street's redevelopment unveiled?

<html><body>
As some readers would know, a revised planning application was recently submitted for the old Queensbridge Hotel site at 1-23 Queensbridge Street, Southbank. Joint partners Schiavello Group and PDG Corporation intend to expand upon already approved plans for their previous Queensbridge Tower project.

Originally proposing the demolition of two buildings at 1-7 and 9-15 Queensbridge Street and the erection of a slim 276m residential tower, the developers have now decided to demolish a third site at 17-23 Queensbridge Street, which will be merged into the development allowing for much larger floor-plates than its predecessor.

<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/Image17_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial of Southbank with1-23 Queensbridge Street highlighted."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image17_0.jpg?itok=BX6n6RS1" title="Aerial of Southbank with1-23 Queensbridge Street highlighted." typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

While the height remains unchanged, the new tower will now be mixed use in nature. An initial 10 level podium will be followed by 17 levels of hotel accommodation, with the balance consisting of high-end apartments and residential facilities interspersed with five plant levels, for a total floor area of 138,859sqm. Taking inspiration from their earlier proposal and surrounding buildings, architects Bates Smart have evolved the elegant design to now show a bundle of three linked asymmetrical cylindrical towers creating a structure that, with the use of soft undulating forms and platinum/silver glass, is sure to become an iconic tower for Melbourne's Southbank precinct.

The make-up of the tower will see a single level of underground car parking (owing to unfavourable underground conditions), along with 10 levels of above ground car parking catering for 630 car spaces and 186 bicycle bays. A wrap of apartments over the podium and hotel recreational facilities have been included to activate the Queensbridge Street frontage. Directly above the podium will sit 408 hotel rooms, varying in size between 41sqm and 60sqm.

Upper levels contain 604 apartments, boasting 3.5 metre ceilings. 31 levels of mid-rise apartments and 10 levels of high-rise apartments will be split by a recreational level incorporating a pool abutting the northern facade allowing panoramic city views. Typical apartments will range from 61sqm to 137sqm.

<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/Image15_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The proposed Queensbridge Tower as seen from Northbank"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image15_0.jpg?itok=0DQTTOFQ" title="The proposed Queensbridge Tower as seen from Northbank" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Queensbridge Tower incorporates an intended setback of 10 metres to the existing Freshwater Place apartment tower and the approved 25 Queensbridge Street highrise circa approximately 240m, however a variety of initiatives have been undertaken by Bates Smart to help alleviate any perceived intimacy issues. These include a screen-like façade, whilst also employing vertical privacy screening which allow for expansive views, without peering into neighbouring buildings.

Bates Smart have already used this method to great effect on Proximity Apartments which overlook Albert Park Lake, allowing for a stylist and efficient outcome. Further, balconies will be treated as winter gardens with the area protected by awning sashes which can be opened by occupants at their discretion, allowing for additional enclosed living space where desired.

<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/Image13_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Intended sight lines and privacy screeens for Queensbridge Tower"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image13_3.jpg?itok=jnVNiq2C" title="Intended sight lines and privacy screeens for Queensbridge Tower" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

A range of amenities will be located with the building, allowing residents the added benefit of hotel services within the one complex. These amenities include a recreational area on level 10 involving a pool, gym and spa as well as a bar for residents and hotel guests. Level 28 will also include similar recreational amenities, however will be exclusive to hotel members and residents of the upper levels of the building. One notion the planning application focuses on however, is the idea that this development will finally complete Queensbridge Square, in particular opening up the square to the southern end of Queensbridge Street. Bates Smart have designed all three buildings fronting the area allows for continuity of design.

The podium has been designed to keep uniformity with the current built environment along Queensbridge Street, drawing inspiration from the geometry of the Freshwater Place podium, with horizontal and vertical lines prevalent in the design. At ground level the development will include a large Schiavello showroom space, which is designed to be an “important visitor attraction in Southbank”. At street level, blue stone paving and greenery will be incorporated, an initiative which will definitely improve the area which is devoid of any vegetation at present.

<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/Image1111.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Queensbridge Street activation as envisaged by the planning aplication"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image1111.jpg?itok=dSoGaHym" title="Queensbridge Street activation as envisaged by the planning aplication" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Currently sections of Queensbridge Square are not pedestrian friendly, which was originally implemented to protect the area from party goers at the then QBH nightclub. The subsequent closure of the club and intended development of the site will allow for greater accessibility in and out of the square with the removal of the elevated wall separating Freshwater Place and Queensbridge Square.

The lack of smaller retail tenancies to help activate the area is noteworthy, although there are a great variety of outlets in the adjoining Freshwater Place precinct. Further the architects have emphasized the showroom component which they along with Schiavello believe will become a destination in itself. Based upon the plans there's no doubt Queensbridge Tower is one of the highest quality proposals in Melbourne at the moment and will definitely enhance Southbank. If approved, eventual construction will likely to be a joint venture between developers Schiavello and PDG, following the success of other recent developments undertaken by the pair including <a href="/buildings/prima-tower-31-queensbridge-street-southbank">Prima Pearl</a> in Southbank and <a href="/buildings/abode-318-318-russell-street-melbourne" target="_blank">Abode Apartments</a> on Russell Street.

 

All images © Bates Smart 

 
</body></html>

melbournee12

Planning Application > 1-23 Queensbridge Street, Southbank

<html><body>
The reaction from some Melburnians with regards to the marketing campaign by Hong Kong-based developer Far East Consortium, comparing its apartment development on the corner of Spencer and Lonsdale Streets to New York is genuinely one of amusement.
There is hardly the need for any in depth research to convince most Melburnians the comparison is rather silly. However the comment piece <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/comment/developers-tall-tales-are-all-pie-in-the-sky-20130603-2nm20" target="_blank">‘Developers' tall tales are all pie in the sky’</a> ​by ABC Producer Daniel Ziffer and published in The Age yesterday seeks to attach a greater importance to the comparison beyond that of just a property marketer's strategy.
The main thrust of the article is the form of high density development currently underway in Melbourne will have “unknown consequences for the area” and result in “dense and grim neighbourhoods where skyscrapers block light and life from the streets” like Hong Kong compared to that amazing place called New York where “more than half the housing stock … is in small to medium developments, often ''walk-ups'' without lifts.”  And the “avenues are wider than Melbourne's street grid, and apartment buildings are set back from the street to allow sunlight to hit the ground.”
As the author was a one time resident and frequent visitor it would be assumed he might have seen one of the more than 70 apartment towers in New York taller than the tallest building in the Upper West Side development on Spencer Street. But maybe the views of these giants were blocked by the 4869 apartment towers over 10 storeys in height in New York City. I guess it would also be easier to miss the avenues in New York are generally 100 feet wide, exactly the same width as streets in Melbourne’s Hoddle Grid like Lonsdale Street.
Any recent visit to New York would also reveal the developing trend towards larger and taller apartment buildings in Manhattan. The latest example of this is the tower currently under construction at <a href="http://432parkavenue.com/?state=home" target="_blank">432 Park Avenue</a> which at 426 metres high will be taller than the former World Trade Centre twin towers.
The author has an issue with a developer utilising a New York inspired marketing strategy to sell some apartments but he has no qualms in comparing the same development on Spencer Street to Caroline Springs which is an even more ridiculous comparison.
This comment piece is just another in the ongoing campaign against the development of tall buildings in Melbourne by The Age newspaper. It is disappointing the same newspaper which has campaigned vigorously in the past against the environmental and social impact of urban sprawl, embodied in places such as Caroline Springs, now breaks with its previous consistency and publishes 3rd party commentary deriding the redevelopment of disused industrial sites in the CBD as an alterative to urban sprawl.
Nicholas Harrison is an urban planner with over 10 years experience.
</body></html>

nwharr

Caroline Springs in the sky?

<html><body>
The office tower is set to make a return to Melbourne’s CBD, with planning Minister Matthew Guy <a href="http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/6016-190-million-crowning-glory-for-queen-street" target="_blank">recently approving</a> a 50 storey development at 272 Queen Street. Standing at 205.4m tall, the building if constructed would become the first office tower to reach a height above 200m since the building boom of the early 1990’s which produced multiple large-scale office developments such as the Melbourne Central tower and 120 Collins Street. Designed by Peddle Thorpe Architects for developer Dale Rose Pty Ltd, the newly approved $190 million dollar skyscraper would include 5 basement levels holding of 84 car park bays, motorcycle-bycicle areas, store rooms and services. DPCD planning notes indicate the tower would add 35,561sqm of new office space to Melbourne’s CBD, with typical floorplates of 832sqm. 20sqm of space is envisaged for every worker, therefore it's expected that 40 people per floor or 1778 people in total would work at 272 Queen St.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Img_6826.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="272 Queen St aspect as seen from Queen St &amp; Lonsdale St"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Img_6826.jpg?itok=CjZupoh-" title="272 Queen St aspect as seen from Queen St &amp; Lonsdale St" typeof="Image"></a>
<figcaption>272 Queen St aspect as seen from Queen St &amp; Lonsdale St. Image © Peddle Thorp Architects.</figcaption></figure>A double glazed curtain wall consisting of an extruded diagonal grid frame with random translucent triangular glazed panels will grace the north and west façades, with the remaining faces of the tower consisting of triangular patterned precast concrete panels which are designed to complement the north and west sides while allowing for future development either side. On the east façade, the precast panels will rise to a height of 120 metres – the height of an already approved building next door at 399 Little Lonsdale Street, before changing to the curtain wall façade seen on the north and west sides. The wind effect study image below includes 399 Little Lonsdale (also a Peddle Thorp design), as well as a block form for the adjoining 254-266 Queen St indicating another sizeable tower may be in the works for what is now the Bank of China Melbourne office.

<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/Image2_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Wind effects study diagram with the approved 399 Lt Lonsdale. Images © Peddle Thorp Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image2_5.jpg?itok=F1a6Pf2f" title="Wind effects study diagram with the approved 399 Lt Lonsdale. Images © Peddle Thorp Architects" typeof="Image"></a>
<figcaption>Wind effects study diagram with the approved 399 Lt Lonsdale. Images © Peddle Thorp Architects.</figcaption></figure>There will be 3 plant levels within the structure, located on floors 11, 30 and 49, which have been recessed further than typical floors in order to break up the sheer vertical form of the tower and those plant levels will be clad in contrasting perforated metal facades to create transition areas within the building. One of the most interesting design elements associated with this development will be the incorporation of photovoltaic film which will be embedded into cantilevered bay elements along the north and west facades. Through this initiative, the building will draw upon the light it receives to generate an electric current which will then be fed back into the power grid of the building.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Img_6790.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="272 Queen St at street"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Img_6790.jpg?itok=VUgxsWX2" title="272 Queen St at street" typeof="Image"></a>
<figcaption>272 Queen St at street. Image © Peddle Thorp Architects.</figcaption></figure>At street level dual entrances will be available off Queen Street and Little Lonsdale Street, with a new café to front Little Lonsdale in order to bring activity to the lesser used thoroughfare. While this development has been approved, it was not the first application that was submitted for the site; an earlier proposal submitted would have reached an even taller 220m. Key differences between the initial and approved plans include the height decrease to 205.4m, a decrease in the typical floor plate from 964sqm to 832sqm, increased setbacks from Queen Street, reduced setbacks to Little Lonsdale Street and an increase in podium height from five to ten levels. As yet there are no set plans for the tower to begin construction, it's likely that an anchor tenant will be required before Dale Rose Pty Ltd can approach financial institutions for construction funding.
</body></html>

Skyscrapers

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Skyscrapers

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News