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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

South Australia

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Development and investment partners are being sought for a world-class Entrepreneur and Innovation Centre (EIC) to help create the next generation of businesses and jobs for South Australia.  
The multi-storey building will become the iconic flagship of the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct and set the global pace for multidisciplinary innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship.
Lot Fourteen is backed by the South Australian and Australian governments and is a key focus of the $551 million Adelaide City Deal to provide a springboard for innovation and bring together the state’s leading abilities in space, defence, new technologies and entrepreneurship. 
The precinct is superbly located in Adelaide’s central business district on North Terrace, one of Australia’s most prestigious cultural boulevards.
Lot Fourteen is being developed as a collaborative ecosystem that is accelerating innovation, driving growth and making a global impact in sectors of strength for South Australia.
The EIC will be dedicated to attracting and retaining talented people in South Australia, creating careers in technology-driven industries, and making the state a compelling destination for investors and global companies.
The EIC will feature a collaborative and curated Innovation Hub on its ground and first floors to facilitate industry and research to come together to drive commercially focused ideas and solutions. 
The Australian Government has committed up to $20 million in capital towards the establishment of the Innovation Hub through the Adelaide City Deal. 
The Innovation Hub will be subject to a lease by the state government.
Lot Fourteen is already home to the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre, the Stone &amp; Chalk Startup Hub and the MIT bigdata Living Lab.
It is also the home of impressive, pioneering businesses such as Myriota, Inovor Technologies, Neumann Space, Chamonix, Presagen and Life Whisperer.
An Expression of Interest has been launched by Renewal SA on behalf of the state government to seek a preferred proponent to complete the Entrepreneur and Innovation Centre design and to finance, construct and own the building.  
Renewal SA, in its development role for the state government, is seeking proponents with demonstrated experience in successfully delivering complex and innovative projects.
Speed to completion is critical, so the state government will provide a fully costed commercial design scheme that could be quickly progressed to meet the requirements of interested tenants including the Australian Government, university sector and global defence and technology companies.  
This will enable the successful proponent to secure lease commitments and to finalise design and construction documentation for a target construction start date of the second quarter of 2021. 
The EOI will close at 2pm (Australian Central Standard Time) on Thursday, September 10, 2020. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Seeking developers for innovation flagship

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The Border Express distribution centre in South Australia has been purchased by Primewest.
The Border Express property is located within the Northern Adelaide industrial Precinct and returns a net passing income of $1.439 million.
“Border Express was a significant acquisition for the trust enabling it to uphold a 7% pa cash distribution to investors,” said Primewest Managing Director David Schwartz.
“A new five year lease was signed at settlement and of the 50,000 plus square metres of land, only 41% is occupied, allowing for further development potential.”
“We are looking to raise more funds for our acquisition pipeline.”
Mr Schwatz said Primewest remained confident in the future of key industrial and logistics markets nationally, as they continued to benefit from Australia’s growing exposure to on-line retailing and e-commerce as a result of COVID 19.
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South Australia's Border Express distribution centre purchased by Primewest

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Murray River oasis on Paisley Island with views from every room has been listed for auction. 
The 2,080 sqm <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-paisley-133377934" target="_blank">Lot 14 River Drive</a> property is just 90 minutes from Adelaide CBD by car. 
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom property is schedules for an online auction on May 7, 2020 through Ray White agents Darren Pratt and Sheridan Huddy. 
“In 1992 I got a phone call from my mate telling me the guy next door was selling his property and asked if I wanted to take a look at it – I didn’t hesitate and went there pretty much straight away,” said the homebuilder and homeowner.
“I took my father, who was visiting from Poland at the time, and what we saw was this shack sat on the banks of the river on the front block.   “I turned to my father and asked his opinion and his advice was to close my eyes, put my hand in my pocket and just buy it, so that’s exactly what I did.
“After that, I purchased the back block and then the end block, and that gave us three blocks on the one title to play with. “The wildlife here is truly stunning. You can sit on the deck, have a coffee and watch the swans swim by or feed the pet goose, Lucy.  “Also, because we have the three end blocks of the island, there’s no through traffic so the peace and serenity is wonderful.   “The sun rises and sets against the cliffs and you can watch the boats and watercraft go past all day long.  “But my wife and I are in our 70’s now, and this is a property suited to a younger generation, so it’s time for our next chapter in life.”
The owner recalled how he used to work for an architect in Sydney, and after all the planning, he built the property by himself over two years. 
There are 28 lots on the island.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/29/20_Pailsey_3.JPG" alt="">   Ray White Barossa Valley/Two Wells Principal Darren Pratt said the property was an opportunity to capitalise on an amazing river outlook on the water’s edge.
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Murray River oasis on Paisley Island to go under the hammer

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Native to southeastern Australia, the powerful owl (Ninox strenua) is <a href="https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/conserving-threatened-species/threatened-list" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.15999984741211px;">threatened</a> and facing the prospect of homelessness.
These birds don’t make nests – they use large hollows in old, tall trees. But humans <a href="https://doi.org/10/gc3d8n" target="_blank">have been removing</a> such trees in the bush and <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0099403" target="_blank">in cities</a>, despite their ecological value.
Owls are lured into cities by abundant prey, with each bird capturing <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/possum-assassins-move-into-town-20030913-gdwc1e" target="_blank">hundreds of possums per year</a>. But with nowhere to nest, they <a href="https://www.uppercampaspelandcare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Powerful-owls-Bronwyn-Isaac-March-2015.pdf" target="_blank">struggle</a> to breed and their population is at risk of declining even further.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322261/original/file-20200323-112707-oeoljh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322261/original/file-20200323-112707-oeoljh.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Existing artificial nest designs include nesting boxes and carved logs /Author provided
Conservationists tried to solve this problem by installing nesting boxes, but to no avail. A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290200038_A_powerful_Owl_disperses_into_town_and_uses_an_artificial_nest-box" target="_blank">2011 study</a> in Victoria showed a pair of owls once used such a box, but only one of their two chicks survived. This is the only recorded instance of powerful-owl breeding in an artificial structure.
So as a team of designers and ecologists we’re finding a way to make artificial nests in urban areas more appealing to powerful owls. Surprisingly, the answer lies in termite mounds, augmented reality and 3D printing.
<h2>Bring in the designers</h2>
Nesting boxes aren’t very successful for many species. For example, many boxes installed along expanded <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-plan-to-protect-wildlife-displaced-by-the-hume-highway-has-failed-78087" target="_blank">highways</a> fail to attract animals such as the squirrel glider, the superb parrot and the brown treecreeper. They also tend to disintegrate and become unusable after only a few years.
What’s more, flaws in their design can lead to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322544621_Nest_box_design_for_a_changing_climate_The_value_of_improved_insulation" target="_blank">overheating</a>, death from <a href="https://nestwatch.org/connect/news/to-paint-or-not-to-paint/" target="_blank">toxic fumes</a> such as marine-plywood vapours, or babies unable to grow.
Designers and architects often use computer modelling to mimic <a href="https://www.academia.edu/208933/Towards_Morphogenesis_in_Architecture" target="_blank">nature</a> in building designs, such as Beijing’s <a href="https://www.arup.com/-/media/arup/files/publications/t/arup_journal_1-2009.pdf" target="_blank">bird’s nest</a> stadium.
But to use these skills to help wildlife, we need to understand what they want in a home. And for powerful owls, this means thinking outside the box.
<h2>What powerful owls need</h2>
At a minimum, owl nests must provide enough space to support a mother and two chicks, shelter the inhabitants from rain and heat, and have rough internal surfaces for scratching and climbing.
Traditionally, owls would find all such comforts in large, old, hollow-bearing trees, such as swamp or manna gums at least 150 years old. But a <a href="https://www.oferlevyphotography.com/Birds-of-prey/i-j5JMnWs/A" target="_blank">picture</a> from Sydney photographer Ofer Levy, which showed an owl nesting in a tree-bound termite mound, made us realise there was another way.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322262/original/file-20200323-112688-o530b1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322262/original/file-20200323-112688-o530b1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Owls have been observed using termite mounds in trees for nesting. Blantyre, Author provided
Termite mounds in trees are oddly shaped, but they meet all necessary characteristics for successful breeding. This precedent suggests younger, healthier and more common trees can become potential nesting sites.
<h2>A high-tech home</h2>
To design and create each termite-inspired nest, we first use lasers to model the shape of the target tree. A <a href="https://www.academia.edu/40371565/Modelling_Workflows_for_More-than-Human_Design_Prosthetic_Habitats_for_the_Powerful_Owl_Ninox_strenua_" target="_blank">computer algorithm</a> generates the structure fitting the owls’ requirements. Then, we divide the structure into interlocking blocks that can be conveniently manufactured.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322263/original/file-20200323-112712-tasmfj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322263/original/file-20200323-112712-tasmfj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Trees and their surroundings can be scanned by lasers for precise fitting. Author provided
To assemble the nests, we use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality" target="_blank">augmented-reality</a> headsets, overlaying images of digital models onto physical objects. It sounds like science-fiction, but <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337915977_Holographic_Construction" target="_blank">holographic construction</a> with augmented reality has become an <a href="https://www.boeing.com/features/2018/01/augmented-reality-01-18.page" target="_blank">efficient way to create new structures</a>.
So far, we’ve used <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00107-015-0987-9" target="_blank">3D-printed wood</a> to build one nest at the University of Melbourne’s System Garden. Two more nests made from <a href="https://www.scientific.net/AMR.1041.83" target="_blank">hemp concrete</a> are on the trees in the city of Knox, near the Dandenong Ranges. And we’re exploring other materials such as <a href="https://eartharchitecture.org/" target="_blank">earth</a> or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095263517300353" target="_blank">fungus</a>.
These materials can be moulded to a unique fit, and as they’re lightweight, we can easily fix them onto trees.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322264/original/file-20200323-112712-f3k3j.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322264/original/file-20200323-112712-f3k3j.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
With augmented reality, it is easy to know where to place each block. Right: Views from the augmented reality headset. Author provided
<h2>So is it working?</h2>
We are still collecting and analysing the data, but early results are promising. Our nests have important advantages over both traditional nesting boxes and carved logs.
This is, in part, because our artificial nests maintain more stable internal temperatures than nesting boxes and are considerably easier to make and install than carved logs. In other words, our designs already look like a good alternative.
And while it’s too early to say if they’ll attract owls, our nests have already been visited or occupied by other animals, such as rainbow lorikeets.
<h2>Future homes for animal clients</h2>
Imagine an ecologist, a park manager or even a local resident who wants to <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/nature-in-the-city-strategy.pdf" target="_blank">boost local biodiversity</a>. In the not-too-distant future, they might select a target species and a suitable tree from an online database. An algorithm could customise their choice of an artificial-nest design to fit the target tree. Remote machines would manufacture the parts and the end user would put the structure together.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322265/original/file-20200323-112694-1i3vv8e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322265/original/file-20200323-112694-1i3vv8e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Nests from 3D printed wood are easy to install. Author provided
Such workflows are already being used in a variety of fields, such as the custom <a href="https://n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com/" target="_blank">jewellery</a> production and the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2015.914" target="_blank">preparation of dental crowns</a>. It allows informed and automated reuse of scientific and technical knowledge, making advanced designs significantly more accessible.
Our techniques could be used to ease the housing crisis for a wide range of other sites and species, from fire-affected animals to critically endangered wildlife such as the swift parrot or Leadbeater’s possum.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133626/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dan-parker-970005" target="_blank">Dan Parker</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bronwyn-isaac-1002025" target="_blank">Bronwyn Isaac</a>, Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kylie-soanes-17023" target="_blank">Kylie Soanes</a>, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-bradsworth-1002021" target="_blank">Nick Bradsworth</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757" target="_blank">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stanislav-roudavski-197787" target="_blank">Stanislav Roudavski</a>, Senior Lecturer in Digital Architectural Design, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-jones-127463" target="_blank">Therésa Jones</a>, Associate Professor in Evolution and Behaviour, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-owls-are-losing-their-homes-so-were-3d-printing-them-new-ones-133626" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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