When long-time Ivanhoe locals Graeme and Catherine, decided it was time to downsize, they weren’t necessarily in a rush.&nbsp;

Like many in their stage of life, they had started thinking about apartment living, but anticipated making the shift in two to three years.

That timeline changed when they visited <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe">Candela</a>, a new boutique development by <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>. The project ticked all the boxes they were looking for: location, quality design, and long-term lifestyle benefits, which prompted them to bring their decision forward.

“It was the right place at the right time,” they said. “We knew immediately it ticked all the boxes, and we didn’t want to wait.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=358855]

Their decision to downsize was driven by a combination of practical needs and lifestyle considerations. Their existing home, while much loved, had become increasingly difficult to maintain. It spanned multiple levels, included extensive front and back gardens, and was starting to show the wear that comes with age.&nbsp;

They were looking for a more manageable lifestyle, one with less upkeep and more freedom. A brand-new apartment with no maintenance requirements and the ability to simply “lock up and leave” gave them peace of mind and a greater sense of control over their future.

Financially, the purchase made sense as well. The available stamp duty savings, strong price-to-value offering, and timing of the settlement suited their plans, making the transition smoother and more cost-effective. The apartment's design and inclusions further supported their choice.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357493]

The layout was both functional and flexible: three bedrooms, a butler’s pantry, a separate laundry, and a large open-plan living area. It gave them the freedom to host a family, accommodate guests, or set up a home office. The expansive balcony and elevated views added to the appeal, providing a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors.

“It just had a really good flow,” Catherine noted, something they found lacking in many other apartments they’d considered, particularly in the established market.

Candela’s boutique scale was another deciding factor. With a smaller number of residences and a top-floor penthouse position, the couple felt the development offered the privacy and space they were looking for, without feeling isolated.

“We liked that it wasn’t a huge development. It felt well-balanced, modern but still with a sense of community, not overwhelming,” they said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357508]

Equally important was the ability to remain in Ivanhoe, a suburb they know well and have deep roots in. After 46 years in the area, proximity to local parks, shops, and familiar faces mattered just as much as the apartment itself.

“We didn’t want to give up the community we’ve known for decades. Candela allowed us to upgrade our lifestyle while staying in the place we call home.”

With a Walk Score of 90, the village location supports a convenient, connected lifestyle. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/ivanhoe-vic-3079">Ivanhoe</a> Station is just a eight-minute walk away, and the neighbourhood offers access to parks, cafes, restaurants, and schools along Upper Heidelberg Road, all within easy reach.

Beyond the apartment, the couple also saw value in the broader vision for Candela, one that integrates residential living with public spaces and local amenities.&nbsp;

The development introduces 58 new apartments as well as a mix of commercial and social spaces that integrate contemporary architecture with the suburb’s existing character.&nbsp;

At ground level, residents will find a charming café and a lifestyle wellness centre, perfect for unwinding and rejuvenating. Meanwhile, the rooftop garden offers a stunning vantage point for residents to enjoy breathtaking sunsets, host gatherings, or enjoy barbecues with family and friends. It's not just a place to live; it's a vibrant community where every moment is an opportunity to connect and create lasting memories.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

Staff Writer

Why Ivanhoe locals are choosing to downsize to Candela

Mark and Roy Makari are expanding their presence in Sydney’s South West with a second major proposal for Leppington, this time envisioning a 900-dwelling mixed-use development just 850 metres from their previously lodged tower trio on Fifth Avenue.

Project management and construction management firm Creative Vision filed the plans for the&nbsp;multi-building project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/230-rickard-road-leppington-nsw-2179">230 Rickard Road, Leppington</a>. The proposal seeks to establish a new focal point for the precinct through a high-density, transit-oriented development supported by diverse land uses.

According to the Scoping Report prepared for the Department of Planning, the scheme includes around 900 apartments across multiple towers, including 135 dwellings designated for affordable housing. A mix of market and subsidised apartments will be supported by ground-level activation through retail and office space, a childcare centre, and a hotel, forming a comprehensive urban precinct.

<img alt="Mixed Use Development 230 Rickard Rd Leppington" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="34797362-f3dc-4d84-8235-2657fc5f3bde" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Plan.png?VersionId=Uzckrz9tUpDQl5lX1_WMhjnv16bsr8wG" />

The Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studiosc-0">Studio SC</a> notes that the project “intends to deliver a high-quality, high-density built form that supports the vision for the Leppington Town Centre, integrating mixed-use outcomes and public domain upgrades.” The development is expected to be delivered in stages, although a precise timeline is yet to be confirmed.

The project will be assessed through a future State Significant Development Application, with the Scoping Report indicating the team will seek design excellence via a competitive process or through an expert design review panel. Early massing diagrams suggest a series of mid- to high-rise buildings framing a central landscaped spine, with emphasis on pedestrian permeability and public space.

The planning documentation flags a strong sustainability agenda, stating that the development will “respond to the urban heat island effect, incorporate water sensitive urban design, and prioritise active transport”.

<img alt="Mixed Use Development 230 Rickard Rd Leppington" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="369d7b54-1279-4cde-88ec-dcb215594414" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Podium_1.png?VersionId=QArL7B2kkLt63vl5xvL0FNV_ardAlez4" />

The proposal follows in the footsteps of the Makaris’ nearby Fifth Avenue site, where they’ve submitted plans for three towers comprising nearly 500 apartments, with 10 per cent dedicated to affordable housing. That project features commercial podiums, a childcare centre, and a new public park that would occupy more than a third of the site.

Both developments are situated within walking distance of Leppington Train Station and fall under strategic precinct plans promoting higher density housing. The town centre is undergoing substantial transformation, driven by state government planning reforms aimed at fast-tracking housing delivery.

Together, the two projects represent a combined ambition of nearly 1,400 new homes across just under two kilometres of central Leppington.

First look: 900-home mixed-use precinct planned for Leppington

Leading Australian integrated property development group, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a>, has released the signature penthouses crowning its landmark AURA by Aqualand precinct at 168 Walker Street in North Sydney, unveiling Il Magnate and La Divina as the largest and most luxurious penthouses in the suburb.

With prices anticipated to commence from $15 million, and each accompanied by a new Porsche Carrera 911 valued at over $500K, the residences mark the culmination of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/aura-by-aqualand-north-sydney-168-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">AURA by Aqualand</a>’s decade-long journey and the beginning of its final sales chapter. 
&nbsp; 
Their release follows more than $850 million in record-breaking residential sales and the building’s completion and occupation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=358868]

The Richards Stanisich-designed 284 sqm Il Magnate and 224 sqm La Divina penthouses, collectively known as The Icons of AURA, are conceived as grand luxury homes rather than apartments, with expansive proportions, elevated materiality and curated identities that reflect their status as one-off residences.&nbsp;

Il Magnate features a grande master suite, complete with substantial walk-in dressing area and ensuite, three other bedrooms, second ensuite and another bathroom, powder room, open plan kitchen, scullery, substantial dining area and generous living room divided by a feature fireplace, and a multifunction wintergarden, which is ideal for a study and adjoining office breakout space. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, the La Divina residence offers the same amenities, sans the powder room, on a slightly smaller alternate floor plan configuration.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=358863]

Each occupies half of AURA by Aqualand’s topmost 28th level, comes with four secure car spaces and pairs sweeping Sydney Harbour panoramas with large-scale living spaces, refined detailing and a level of craftsmanship and amenity rarely offered in the North Shore market.&nbsp;

Penthouse residents will also receive Etymon’s ‘Black Key’ private concierge and lifestyle management service, an invitation only offering providing the ultimate in bespoke personalisation, including a range of everyday discrete services, from dinner party management, grocery deliveries, pet feeding or plants watered, dinners, snacks and coffee deliveries, event ticket sourcing, right up to organising travel visas and international airfares. Rarely seen in Australian properties, the service provides residents the benefits of living in a world-class luxury hotel-style home, akin to The Ritz, or the Waldorf Astoria.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=358862]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/richards-stanisich">Richards Stanisich</a>’s Director, Kirsten Stanisich, said the studio set out to craft residences that feel profoundly considered, contemporary and deeply connected to their setting.

“From the outset, we approached these penthouses with the sensibility of a grand Parisian residence - generous in scale, elegant in proportion and designed to feel more like a handcrafted home than an apartment," Stanisich said.

“Their elevated position and sweeping harbour outlook informed every decision, creating a rare connection between urban sophistication and natural calm. We shaped each space with expressive materiality, sculptural forms and bespoke detailing that invite touch and interaction.&nbsp;

“The result is a pair of residences defined by volume, light and an inherent softness - refined, flexible and deeply personal. These penthouses are unlike anything else in North Sydney, offering a sanctuary of true luxury framed by some of the city’s most remarkable views.”

For Aqualand’s Head of Sales &amp; Marketing, Alex Adams, the collaboration with Porsche underscores the shared ethos behind the residences.

“Aqualand’s collaboration with Porsche underpins both brand’s sharing an obsession with craftsmanship, design excellence, and enduring value," Adams said.

“Our penthouses are created for those who appreciate the finer details and expect the extraordinary at every touchpoint. Including a Porsche simply extends that experience beyond the residence - it’s a continuation of the lifestyle our buyers already live.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292862]

Aqualand’s Managing Director, Jin Lin, said the penthouses represent both the pinnacle of AURA by Aqualand and an important design benchmark for the company’s future pipeline.&nbsp;

“These stunning penthouses reflect the purest expression of Aqualand’s design ambition," Lin said.

“The unparalleled design intent makes them not only the glistening crown of AURA by Aqualand, but the crown of North Sydney itself. They’re essentially a thank you gift to a burgeoning community that deserves this level of quality and architectural consideration.&nbsp;

“We’re leveraging the unrivalled standard set here as the foundation for what comes next, including our upcoming Anderson Street, Chatswood; 15 Blue Street, North Sydney and Central Barangaroo projects. Purchasers of these penthouses will essentially be living inside the blueprint of Aqualand’s future.

“These landmark residences demonstrate how far North Sydney has evolved and the strength of demand for highly curated, bespoke luxury homes. They’re more than penthouses, they’re legacy residences.&nbsp;

“With AURA by Aqualand now a thriving new precinct with residents well and truly settled, and our in-house world-class lifestyle amenity activated, Il Magnate and La Divina represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure an extraordinary piece of North Sydney’s future.”

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=30959]

Joel Robinson

Aqualand launches North Sydney penthouses with free Porsche Carrera 911

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/bokarina-qld-4575">Bokarina</a> Beach has quietly evolved into one of the Sunshine Coast’s most complete coastal lifestyle precincts, defined not just by proximity to the ocean, but by how residential living, local retail and everyday amenity are stitched together.&nbsp;

Gardner Vaughan Group’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bask-bokarina-38-bokarina-boulevard-bokarina-qld-4575">Bask Bokarina</a> now represents the final residential chapter in that transformation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333360]

Over recent years, the Bokarina Beach precinct has taken shape as a walkable, community-oriented neighbourhood, anchored by beachfront access, Lake Kawana to the west, and a growing mix of cafés, specialty retail and public open space.&nbsp;

With Zinc Bokarina already delivered next door by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gardner-vaughan-group">Gardner Vaughan Group</a> (GVG), Bask is the last opportunity to buy a brand new apartment within the precinct, effectively rounding out a fully formed coastal village.

GVG has positioned Bask to strengthen that lifestyle framework. Ten ground-floor retail spaces are planned beneath the residences, extending Bokarina Boulevard’s existing activity and reinforcing the area’s everyday convenience, from casual dining and coffee to local services, within a short walk of the beach.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333359]

The residential component comprises 135 apartments across two buildings, Mydas and Caretta, with a clear shift toward larger three- and four-bedroom layouts and penthouses. That mix reflects a maturing buyer profile in Bokarina, where demand is increasingly led by owner-occupiers and active downsizers seeking space, permanence, and connection to place rather than short-term coastal accommodation.

Design and amenity have followed the same logic. Residents will have access to a heated plunge pool, gym, private dining room with a full kitchen, landscaped communal gardens with barbecues and a firepit, and a shared herb and vegetable garden, facilities intended to support daily use rather than resort-style turnover. Pet-friendly features, including a dog wash bay, acknowledge both buyer expectations and the area’s dog-friendly beach, located around 250 metres from the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333366]

“Bokarina has become one of the Sunshine Coast’s most desirable beachside communities, and Bask represents the very last chance to buy new in this location,” GVG Director Sam Gardner said.&nbsp;

“Our focus has been to create spacious, functional apartments that meet the needs of locals who want to downsize without compromise, as well as those seeking a full-time coastal retreat.”

Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Kawana, Bask apartments have been oriented to capture outlooks toward the water or the Glass House Mountains, reinforcing the project’s connection to its natural surroundings. With parks, beachfront paths, hospitals, retail and public transport already in place, Bask arrives at a point where the broader precinct is no longer emerging, but established.

Construction is expected to complete in Q3 this year, with apartments ready to move into this Spring.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=141609]

Bask to complete Bokarina’s Sunshine Coast lifestyle precinct as final apartments are released

Property development giant <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/avid-property-group">AVID Property Group</a> is approaching completion, and sell-out, of its Surry Hills apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-rathbone-23-47-flinders-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">The Rathbone</a>.

The Flinders St project has sold well over half of its 32 apartments, which will sit above two retail spaces.

Now hitting the market are the final 14 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, which start from $1.15 million. AVID is targeting a mid-2026 completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5947 project_image_fid=51208]

AVID General Manager New South Wales Danny Boubli said as more apartments are introduced to increase housing options in inner-city areas, homebuyers are searching for a &nbsp;sense of belonging in addition to location, convenience and value.&nbsp;

“There are very few opportunities for new developments in Surry Hills, and since acquiring the site, we’ve even seen one early purchaser merge two apartments plans together, reflecting the demand for a spacious, premium offering in a prime location,” Boubli said.&nbsp;

“Demand has been strong since we launched to market – we don’t see these final apartments staying on the market for long.”&nbsp;

Architectural firm Studio SC has designed the building which pays homage to the former 1900s Rathbone Terraces that once sat on the 990 sqm island site.

Boubil said the team has made every effort to create "truly liveable apartments", through&nbsp;functional floor plans, security, storage, and the inclusion of quality fittings.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5947 project_image_fid=51207]

&nbsp;

Sustainable design has also been implemented throughout the development, with natural light flooding each apartment, ventilation throughout, extensive landscaping and where possible, materials with a high level of recycled content and low volatile organic compound paints have been used. &nbsp;

Apartments range in size from 57 sqm for the one-bedrooms to the large-scale 165 sqm three-beds which are priced at $2,575,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5947]

AVID launches final apartments at The Rathbone, Surry Hills

University of Sydney

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A $40 million project to refurbish university-owned residences in Sydney’s inner-city Darlington has been approved by the NSW Government in an attempt to provide more safe and affordable accommodation to students.

Owned by the University of Sydney, the terraces will offer 336 students and visiting academics affordable single and double room accommodation across the original Darlington Road complex and four new buildings, between two and four storeys.

“Darlington Terraces will be renovated and four new buildings built providing new and improved student housing in the heart of the inner-city and within minutes of public transport,” Stokes said.

The development will also include new landscaping, park upgrades and public art, delivering broader benefits to the local area.

University of Sydney vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Garton welcomed the approval. 
 

<h2>Other residences ideal for students or investors in Sydney</h2>

While COVID-19 may have halted the flow of international students to Sydney’s inner-city, suburbs, an off-the-plan purchase offers investors an affordable asset as they wait for the borders to reopen.

Urban takes a look at three residences located in high-student populated areas nearby the city’s leading universities:

1. Eminence, Zetland 
Address: 811 Elizabeth Street, Zetland NSW 2017 
One-bedroom apartments from $745,000

[smartcode_project:default project_id=21882]

Delivering some of Zetland's most luxurious oversized apartments, Eminence is a new offering from Meriton. 

Located a short 600-metres from Green Square and 3.5-kilometres from the CBD, Eminence brings together beautifully-considered living environments with vibrant onsite amenities, including a childcare centre, podium gardens and retail.  
 

2. Polo Collection, Rosebery 
Address: 55 Rothschild Avenue, Rosebery NSW 2018 
One-bedroom apartments from $710,000

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7588]

Designed by award-winning architects SJB, Polo Collection comprises 275 luxury apartments in the conveniently-located Rosebery. 

Also delivered by Meriton, the four-building complex enjoys connected inner-city living, an expansive floorplan and green vistas thanks to the neighbouring Rosebery Park. 
 

3. Spectrum, Mascot 
Address: 42 Church Avenue, Mascot NSW 2020 
One-bedroom apartments from $620,000

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5873]

Strategically located under approximately five kilometres from both the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales, Spectrum presents 367 spacious apartments across four boutique residential towers. 

Spectrum is surrounded by leafy walkways and podium gardens and offers ideal north and east aspects over the lush central park towards Sydney CBD in over 75 per cent of residences.
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Owned by the University of Sydney, the terraces will offer 336 students and visiting academics affordable single and double room accommodation

max.kwok_55688

NSW Government greenlights Darlington Terraces rebuild for affordable student housing

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Property investors and owner-occupiers seeking growth may well cast their eye over a new university campus based within the Westmead Health and Innovation District in Parramatta.

The framework agreement between the NSW Government and the University of Sydney will see the campus built adjacent to the Westmead hospitals and is likely to draw 25,000 students and 2,500 staff by 2055. 
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said having a university campus at the core of the Westmead Health and Innovation District will drive innovation and catalyse future growth.

“Having the University at the core of the Westmead Health and Innovation District will help transform the district into a powerhouse of invention, creativity, and commercialisation, and home to world-leading enterprises, start-ups, researchers and students,” Mr Ayres said.

NSW Government’s vision for the District is expected to create more than 20,000 new jobs and contribute an additional $2.8 billion of economic output per year to the NSW economy.

<h2>Developments Nearby</h2>

<h2>Georgette Schofields</h2>

<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/kew_georgetta.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="340" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kew_georgetta.jpg?itok=hpMOY12m" width="580"></a>

Within a commutable distance to the new precinct is the low-rise residential development Kew Schofields, in one of Sydney's newest and fastest growing suburbs.

A short 30-minute drive from the Westmead Health and Innovation District, Kew Schofields Stage 2, Georgette, has prices starting at $428,000 with its completion set for late 2021.

There are 137 residences across the five level building.

Buyers can save up to $60,000 buying in to the development with current NSW Government stimulus packages for new build property.

The whole of the masterplan Kew Schofields, slated to be completed by 2022, will have 2,700 sqm of retail space, parks and recreation facilities.

<h2>180 George Street Parramatta</h2>

Harry Triguboff's Meriton have a high-rise under construction in the heart of Parramatta, heralded as Parramatta's tallest residential tower.

Prices start from $502,000 for apartments in 180 George, designed by architecture firm Woods Bagot. It will home 761 apartments and is expected to be finished by December 2021.

<img alt="" height="1015" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/180_george_2.jpg" width="2000">
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The new university campus in Parramatta will likely attract investors and owner-occupiers to its nearby suburbs

Property investors and owner occupiers interested in areas around new University campus in Parramatta

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The wait is almost over for students and employees of the University of Sydney as completion of the highly anticipated Social Sciences building was announced today. The modern and highly sustainable design embraces its heritage context of the Camperdown campus, honouring the legacy of one of Australia’s oldest universities.

Contemporary teaching and learning spaces have been created to encourage collaborative learning through the creation of large light filled open-plan spaces, a design choice made to inspire a sense of faculty community, and inclusiveness.

The design also reflects the University’s commitment to “invention and evolution” by using technological advancements to produce a highly eco-conscious design which meets the University’s Silver As-Built Rating (which is equivalent to a 5 Star Green Star Rating). Features include a well-insulated façade made from metallic bronze-coasted interstitial Sefar micro-mesh interlayer laminated into Okalux Architectural glass. Not only does this create an incredible optical effect, but it also provides excellent thermal protection and encourages natural light flow into the building.

<blockquote>
“We were tasked with designing a transformational building that would integrate its landscape and heritage context to present a new public identity to Parramatta Road, and a sympathetic heritage backdrop when viewed from within the campus. The design was required to respond with a simple and innovative response to a demanding functional brief, with high environmental and social sustainability performance.”
</blockquote>

Jeremy Deale, Principal at Architectus

Art installations throughout the University provide cultural connection to the building's historical significance, traditional owners and faculty. A feature piece emblazoned on the granite façade of the building is a work by Robert Andrew entitled ‘GARABARA’. Garabara is the term for an Australian Aboriginal dance ceremony or gathering where stories are told, and knowledge is passed on to younger generations.

<blockquote>
“It was vital to create a modern facility that both compliments the neighbouring heritage listed buildings, as well as developing a new and innovative building.”
</blockquote>

Jeremy Deale, Principal at Architectus
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Olivia Round

University of Sydney’s highly anticipated Social Sciences building by Architectus opens today

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A new exhibition at the University of Sydney opening this week will look at housing projects from around the world, which could provide solutions to reducing the cost of housing.
Designing Affordability: Quicker, Smarter, More Efficient Housing Now presents more than 20 case studies of houses and apartments internationally, alongside exemplary housing projects in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The exhibition showing at <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/architecture/about/tinsheds/gallery/" target="_blank">Tin Sheds Gallery</a> in the University’s <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/architecture/" target="_blank">Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning</a> is curated by New York-based Marc Norman, an urban planner who has been a strong advocate for affordable housing for more than 20 years.
“It has been interesting to learn that Sydneysiders are experiencing many of the same issues as New Yorkers where, simply put, development costs are exceeding what most people’s budgets can afford,” said Marc Norman.
“A goal of the exhibition is to look at innovative designs for affordable housing, but also look at the broader issue of housing affordability for housing types and populations.
“The best solutions are those projects where design, finance and housing policy are working in unison and creating replicable models for tackling the housing crisis,” he added.
Through case studies, the exhibition shows how architects, engineers, planners, policy makers, tenants and homeowners are crafting new ways to reduce project costs by rethinking how to build and maintain houses, in addition to rethinking the way people live.
From reimagining public housing models, leveraging land and building incrementally, to reconsidering the home and deploying technology, the exhibition looks at different approaches to reducing housing costs.
<a href="https://sydney.edu.au/architecture/about/people/profiles/m.aitchison.php" target="_blank">Associate Professor Mathew Aitchison</a>, Director of the Innovation in Applied Design Lab at the University of Sydney said: “The most striking aspect of the projects in the exhibition is the breaking of conventional boundaries of architecture, planning, property development, finance and construction. It shows a brave, optimistic, inclusive and wide-ranging attitude to innovate, experiment and improve housing solutions.”
The case studies feature varied solutions for a range of housing types from large, publicly-owned housing projects typical during the 1920s through to the 1970s, to privately-owned multifamily buildings, micro units and row homes.
While the make-up of families is now varied, housing choices have been slow to reflect new trends in the way families now live.  Innovative models that integrate sharing, communal facilities and economic development opportunities to create cost savings and build wealth for individuals and communities, are illustrated.
Universally, the competition for land has intensified and acquiring land can be a significant cost in housing construction. Yet the case studies show how major portions of government land are under used, valued and developed, and presents examples where affordability has been developed or preserved in the heart of cities.
New breakthroughs in technology are highlighted that produce hyper-efficient, ‘smart’ apartments that can make city living more affordable, productive and adaptable to lifestyles. By reconfiguring spaces that are multi-purpose and energy efficient, housing and other public costs can be significantly reduced in the longer term.
A <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://sydney.edu.au/news/architecture/295?eventid=11459" target="_blank">one-day symposium</a> on affordable housing will be held in the University’s Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning on Saturday, 8 October. Guest speakers include Marc Norman, along with architects, local policy makers and architecture and planning experts from the University of Sydney and other universities in Sydney. They will examine building innovations, living situations and progressive partnerships unique to Australia that could address housing costs and the affordability issue.
Event details:
What: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://sydney.edu.au/news/architecture/295?eventid=11432" target="_blank">Designing Affordability: Quicker, Smarter, More Efficient Housing Now</a>
When: 6 October - 18 November 2016
Where: Tin Sheds Gallery, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, 148 City Road, University of Sydney
Hours: Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm
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University of Sydney

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