Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Woods Bagot

<html><body>
Woods Bagot has designed a new $31 million pier and lift structure which form key elements of the Urbis-led Master Plan for the Rockhampton Riverside Precinct. The project seeks to revitalise the riverside district by maximising the potential of the previously neglected area and transforming it into a hub of community activity.

The riverside pier employs materials that reference the community’s historical past of gold, silver and copper mining in a contemporary way, but just as importantly also represents an economic and cultural rebirth following the damage caused by Cyclone Maria in 2015.

<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/150193_n17_screenhd.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The riverside pier and lift structure which form the Rockhampton Riverside Precinct. Image: Florian Groehn"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/150193_n17_screenhd.jpg?itok=YuetYOO8" title="The riverside pier and lift structure which form the Rockhampton Riverside Precinct. Image: Florian Groehn" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The riverside pier and lift structure which form the Rockhampton Riverside Precinct. Image: Florian Groehn</figcaption></figure>According to Woods Bagot, the riverside precinct has become a destination in its own right not just within Rockhampton but also regional Queensland. As part of the Master Plan, the site has become a public urban park comprising a playground, playful water features, amenities, local artwork, terraced landscaping, and places for shade and outdoor seating.

As part of the design response, the architects drew on and incorporated multiple influences from nearby sites, natural landscapes, and local industries which combined to form the overall composition of the two-story public building.

The 300 sqm building features a public landing on the lower ground level, while the main concourse accommodates a modern restaurant serving fresh seafood and seasonal produce. 
Additionally, the design also draws on the local vernacular forming a direct relationship with the quintessential ‘Queenslander’, with its large overhanging roof providing solar shading while allowing for uninterrupted views of the natural landscape.

The building’s linear shape and industrial aesthetic draw heavily from the steel Fitzroy Bridge to the North, while Mount Archer’s mining history inspired the form of the rich, earthy colour scheme.

The natural materials palette of stone, timber, metal, and glass allowed local craftsmen to assemble elements by hand using traditional methods. Profiled weathered metal 'blades' flank the building and allow for views of the surrounding 19-hectare parkland while providing respite from the sun’s heat.

The 'breezeway' as the name suggests allows cool breezes to flow through and ventilate the building naturally, while the building’s vertical lift responds to the location’s subtropical climates and flood-prone coast, acting as they way-finder to the site, alluding to the masts of ships.

Clad in Corten steel, the lift's robust exterior reflects the rich tones of the landscape and the history of copper, gold and silver mining in the area.

Solar panels on the roof generate green electricity which is fed back into the local power grid, while electric vehicle charging and bicycle maintenance stations are available throughout the park.

<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/150193_n11_screenhd.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The design draws on the local vernacular and landscape. Image: Florian Groehn"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/150193_n11_screenhd.jpg?itok=vZoRH4G_" title="The design draws on the local vernacular and landscape. Image: Florian Groehn" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The design draws on the local vernacular and landscape. Image: Florian Groehn</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
Rockhampton Riverside Precinct has become a destination for everyone to visit, occupy and enjoy. The vision of restoring the energy from the gold period has been realised along with the aim to provide the people of Rockhampton with a world-class civic and recreational space.

The finished design delivers over 30,000 m2 of public space, tripling the amount of civic and open space that previously existed.

Putting people at the centre of the design process is always where we start, and this is exactly the outcome we planned for – creating a special place for community gathering and to drive a groundswell of local pride in the city.

- Mark Damant, Woods Bagot Principal
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Urbis worked with Rockhampton Regional Council on the redevelopment of the Riverside Precinct, a world-class waterfront area on the shores of Queensland’s Fitzroy River. 

The design incorporates playground areas, river lookouts, shaded walkways and gathering spaces. A streetscape along iconic Quay Street integrates the city’s edge with the riverbank parklands.

(The) design will revitalise and activate Rockhampton’s iconic riverside precinct by establishing a high quality realm space that will be widely celebrated and used by the community. 

- Urbis
</blockquote>

 
</body></html>

Laurence Dragomir

Woods Bagot and Urbis revitalise Rockhampton Riverside precinct

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Mirvac has announced it has secured banking and insurance group Suncorp as the anchor tenant within its new $800 million development which will form a "new city precinct" in the heart of Brisbane.

Suncorp will occupy 40,000 sqm of Premium Grade office space within the 32-storey tower designed by Woods Bagot.

Located at <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=80+Ann+Street&amp;entry=gmail&amp;source=g">80 Ann Street</a>, the development has been likened to a new city precinct comprising many diverse places, rather than a singular building, says the architect.

<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/p3lvi8n.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title='The $800m development has been described as a "new city precinct". Image: Woods Bagot'><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/p3lvi8n.jpg?itok=6EaCiA8K" title='The $800m development has been described as a "new city precinct". Image: Woods Bagot' width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The $800m development has been described as a "new city precinct". Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>The design aims to repair the city fabric by returning the last remaining piece of Brisbane’s oldest surviving fruit and produce market on Turbot Street while also providing a porous public realm at the ground floor.

Additionally, the development will act as a catalyst to the upcoming Brisbane Live precinct and the development of the north west quarter of the CBD around the Roma Street Station.

Internally, the workplace design for Suncorp will enable people to work together as one holistic community which champions the City of Brisbane’s vision for ‘<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/planning-guidelines-tools/neighbourhood-planning-urban-renewal/neighbourhood-plans-other-local-planning-projects/city-centre-neighbourhood-plan/new-world-city-design-guide-buildings-breathe&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1531788783392000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHPtDGhSvcIkObD8BXabLrp-Dj-lg" href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/planning-guidelines-tools/neighbourhood-planning-urban-renewal/neighbourhood-plans-other-local-planning-projects/city-centre-neighbourhood-plan/new-world-city-design-guide-buildings-breathe" target="_blank">Buildings that Breathe</a>’.

Architects Woods Bagot describe the very flexible large floorplates which carry wide structural spans and minimal internal columns, and with excellent access to daylight and views as “dream floorplates”. Providing a large continuous space on each level, the floorplates are linked with intertenancy stairs and atria that create larger interconnected communities all the way up the Suncorp's lease.

<blockquote>
This is unlike anything else in the city. Spanning an entire block between Ann and Turbot streets, the development will help connect the CBD to the Roma Street precinct, the two courts buildings and surrounding plazaz and squares to make a distinctive precinct of its own with an unprecedented civic and retail offering.

This is also a mixed mode building in the true sense with arrival spaces connected to the outside via louvered and openable facades. With terraces and balconies available to each community within the tower Suncorp’s people will be able to step outside at every third level, without having to go all the way down to the ground.

There will be an abundance of natural daylight and fresh air for optimum workplace wellbeing and connectedness … Brisbane has the perfect climate to bring inside.

- Mark Damant, Director and global workplace architecture leader at Woods Bagot
</blockquote>

The development also echoes Woods Bagot's <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/1-william-street&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1531788783393000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF_ipFxsm_1P9fXufD2PpvcJDLpTA" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/1-william-street" target="_blank">1 William Street</a> project, which brought together nearly 5,000 Queensland public servants from 16 sites to a single location. Suncorp staff are currently dispersed across three sites throughout Brisbane’s CBD, with the floor plate and spatial planning of its tenancy intended to support greater collaboration and happier staff in an efficient and highly productive workplace environment.

80 Ann Street aims to raise the benchmark of premium office accommodation in Brisbane, incorporating the latest thinking and technology to provide a vertically integrated working environment.

Key to this is the adoption of a sustainable approach to the design which embraces the sub-tropical climate of Brisbane, providing breathable spaces and a flexible working environment which promotes the health and well-being of the building community and the success of their businesses.

<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/laiku0t.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The design incorporates breathing floors to improve the working environment. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="298" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/laiku0t.jpg?itok=FvSaWFXd" title="The design incorporates breathing floors to improve the working environment. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The design incorporates breathing floors to improve the working environment. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Breathing floors which have been designed as mixed mode ‘garden terraces’ that connect employees with the outside world and provide fresh air, are located at levels 23 and 32. 

Timber pods housing meeting rooms, collaboration spaces and other client engagement spaces float on these floors as informal meeting or working spaces.

The roof level hosts function spaces and a kitchen facility with the remaining area comprising a shaded roof terrace with outdoor settings, herb gardens and plans for small fruit trees. A high level roof soffit will act as a projection backdrop for cultural displays and potentially light shows providing the Brisbane skyline with a new focal point.

<h2>Project details</h2>

<ul>
<li>Project: <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=80+Ann+Street&amp;entry=gmail&amp;source=g">80 Ann Street</a>
</li>
	<li>Location: Brisbane, Australia</li>
	<li>Client: Mirvac and Suncorp</li>
	<li>Status: Development approved, in design development. Completion due 2022.</li>
	<li>Value: AUD 800 million</li>
	<li>GFA/ Area: 84,263 m2
</li>
	<li>Height: 32 storeys</li>
</ul>
<h2>Woods Bagot Global team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Brisbane - Mark Damant, HangChung Ling, Christopher Lewis, Mark Nilon, Su Chen, Graham Whawell</li>
	<li>London - Nik Karalis</li>
	<li>San Francisco - Christina Kyrillou, George Waters, Eli Linger, Maulana Murdan, David Barry</li>
	<li>Sydney - Amanda Stanaway, Bradhly Le, Olivier Solente</li>
</ul>
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Mirvac lands Suncorp for Brisbane's $800m Ann Street development

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Apartment developer Conquest is on course to realise a new vision for its segment of the Strathfield Golf Course redevelopment.

Having already taken the project to site works, Conquest is seeking council consent in order to replace two approved residential buildings with fresh Woods Bagot designs. Charged with creating a superior residential outcome, Woods Bagot has removed part of Building B's footprint and added additional residential levels above.

The design enhancements over the existing approved buildings are set to yield improved solar access and additional open space between both buildings.

<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/image48_14.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A reworked Centenary Drive outlook. Planning image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="301" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image48_14.jpg?itok=GD-IuZlZ" title="A reworked Centenary Drive outlook. Planning image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A reworked Centenary Drive outlook. Planning image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Taken to market as The Greens, Conquest will bring to fruition the apartment development across a re-zoned land plot which included the former practice fairway, clubhouse and car park which was sold by Strathfield Golf Club during 2015.

Conquest's initial plans included 178 apartments, with the Woods Bagot scheme bumping the number marginally upward to 183. Bulk excavations for basement levels have begun in earnest for The Greens although its exterior composition is subject to final approval.

82 apartments are slated for Building A whilst 101 are housed within the taller Building B. The overall development mix consists of 2 studio, 15 single, 139 dual, 17 triple and 2 quad bedroom apartments.

Despite the planning manouvre, Conquest has noted the development is expected to be complete by mid 2020.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image46_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Marketing render for The Greens. Image: Conquest"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="481" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image46_12.jpg?itok=2yS_5Vla" title="Marketing render for The Greens. Image: Conquest" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Early marketing render for The Greens. Image: Conquest</figcaption></figure>One of a number of Sydney clubs that have sold down their land holdings in order to attain financial security, Strathfield Golf Club sold more than 20,239 square metres of land for  $50.5 million.

Wedged between the gold course proper and Strathfield South High School, the easternmost portion of the sold land is under the control of Metro Property Development. 50 lower density townhouses are nearing completion, with the higher density Conquest apartments on the western portion of the site. 

The three and four bedroom luxury townhouses overlooking Strathfield Golf Course are known as Fairway Residences.

<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/image49_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The townhouse aspect is all but complete. Image: Metro Property Development"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image49_10.jpg?itok=xHowmjZY" title="The townhouse aspect is all but complete. Image: Metro Property Development" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The townhouse aspect is all but complete. Image: Metro Property Development</figcaption></figure>
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silvermb

Conquest on course for its Strathfield apartment intentions

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In keeping with Apartments.com.au's awards theme over the last two weeks, Woods Bagot last week announced that seven of its projects had been shortlisted finalists in this year's World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards program and its sister program, the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors.

The WAF Awards are the world’s largest, live architectural award, combining keynote presentations from leading international figures alongside live judging presentations from over 400 award finalists.

Woods Bagot’s project shortlist comprises three future projects and four completed buildings. The six shortlisted WAF projects are:

<ul>
<li>Younghusband Woolstore Development, Melbourne</li>
	<li>Melbourne Innovation Precinct, Melbourne</li>
	<li>Elwood House, Melbourne </li>
	<li>Short Lane, Sydney </li>
	<li>St Mary’s Calne School Library, London; and</li>
	<li>Sunshine Insurance Plaza, Beijing</li>
</ul>
While West Hotel, Sydney in conjunction with Fitzpatrick + Partners is shortlisted in the INSIDE World of Interiors Awards.

Selected from a record number of entries, WAF's 536-strong shortlist includes projects from 81 countries across 39 prizes and categories.

<blockquote>
Being a multi-project finalist at WAF affirms Woods Bagot's place on the international stage. It’s immensely gratifying as a global studio to now present these projects to the exceptional talent of our national and international peers.

- Domenic Alvaro, Woods Bagot Global Design Leader
</blockquote>

Woods Bagot will present each shortlisted project to judges in a series of live events at the festival in Amsterdam, 28 to 30 November. The awards will be decided by over 130 judges from more than 35 countries.

More info on the shortlisted projects is available below:

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/younghusband&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH68YWKIqqKOQV8BZ8K3qb-8r4SfQ" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/younghusband" target="_blank">Younghusband Woolstore Development</a>, Melbourne

Category: Commercial Mixed Use – Future Project

<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/130430_n5_screenhd_yh.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Younghusband Woolstore. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="478" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/130430_n5_screenhd_yh.jpg?itok=TeRCLwPs" title="Younghusband Woolstore. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Younghusband Woolstore. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>Younghusband transforms a former 100-year-old wool factory in Melbourne’s inner-west into a community-focused commercial site. Co-working, education, food, retail and wellness spaces have been woven into the buildings diverse spaces, allowed to co-exist thanks to modifications made in the floor plate to bring light into previously unlit spaces and to create connections through the spaces for the movement of air and people.

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/news/plans-for-melbourne-s-new-innovation-precinct-approved-by-victorian-government&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEfiKcyFaUWAyShWKhmUhVtKntKFg" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/news/plans-for-melbourne-s-new-innovation-precinct-approved-by-victorian-government" target="_blank">Melbourne Innovation Precinct</a>, Melbourne

Category: Commercial Mixed Use – Future Project

<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/130395_n19_screenhd_mip.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Innovation Precinct. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="437" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/130395_n19_screenhd_mip.jpg?itok=IZlq-95E" title="Melbourne Innovation Precinct. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Innovation Precinct. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>The Melbourne Innovation Precinct seeks to establish Australia’s leading campus-centred, multi-disciplinary innovation precinct where university, industry, government, entrepreneurs and researchers co-locate and collaborate to enhance Australia’s innovation, productivity and sustainability agendas. Situated on the corner of Swanston and Grattan Streets in Carlton at the site of the former Royal Women’s Hospital, the precinct is the main ‘gateway’ vista into the Melbourne Innovation District, announcing its bold ambitions.

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/sunshine-sanya&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGAo-Scx8V3MorSMD3GsBedGTEXPg" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/sunshine-sanya" target="_blank">Sunshine Insurance Plaza</a>, Beijing

Category: Mixed Use – Completed Buildings

<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/320028_n589_screenhd_sunshine.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sunshine Inusrance Plaza. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/320028_n589_screenhd_sunshine.jpg?itok=bibvhd5F" title="Sunshine Inusrance Plaza. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sunshine Insurance Plaza. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>Inspired by a string of pearls, Sunshine Insurance Finance Plaza provides a soaring new addition to Sanya Bay’s rising skyline. Located at the southern tip of China’s Hainan Island, the mixed-use development features a 35-storey tower above a tiered retail podium and lush gardens. The tower comprises A-grade offices, a 4-star Park Hyatt Hotel, a private clubhouse and a rooftop pool.

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/elwood-house&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEgwn_nTW4j82HdP1l4yjJr4pmzYw" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/elwood-house" target="_blank">Elwood House</a>, Melbourne

Category: Small Scale Housing – Completed Buildings

<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/130148_n21_screenhd_elwood_3_shannon_mcgrath.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Elwood house. Image: Shannon McGrath"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/130148_n21_screenhd_elwood_3_shannon_mcgrath.jpg?itok=XQy_3MNd" title="Elwood house. Image: Shannon McGrath" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elwood house. Image: Shannon McGrath</figcaption></figure>With 30 finely crafted residences, Elwood House challenges the genre of medium density residential against the values of community and gathering, neighbourhood texture and scale, memorial to its past, and owner experience. Reflecting the local grain and scale of its beachside village, the development evolves the location’s heritage into a more refined solution for the area that transforms the typically low-scale residential language of the area into a modern interpretation of multi-residential living.

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/short-lane&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGWS0Tz0B5xyXcHfGv3pYXEJA-U9w" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/short-lane" target="_blank">Short Lane</a>, Sydney                                                             

Category: Small Scale Housing – Completed Buildings

Conceived as an urban garden, Short Lane is an undertaking in providing humans with a connection to nature in a dense, inner-urban setting that lacks greenery. The mixed-use development retains the diversity of its local neighbourhood and creates places for more of it to happen – with new botanical spaces, walkable laneways and venues for local participation.

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=http://architectnews.co.uk/2018/03/13/woods-bagot-receives-planning-permission-pioneering-school-library-wiltshire/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGQR5JpDaHYJJ8BN0M9aZ-WG4RRgw" href="http://architectnews.co.uk/2018/03/13/woods-bagot-receives-planning-permission-pioneering-school-library-wiltshire/" target="_blank">St Mary’s Calne School Library</a>, London

Category: Education – Future Project

<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/15905_st_marys.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="St Mary's Calne School Library. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="319" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/15905_st_marys.jpg?itok=qTcJjZDv" title="St Mary's Calne School Library. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>St Mary's Calne School Library. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>With a vision to design an inspiring academic environment which fosters a love of learning, creativity, debate and scholarship in its pupils, the St Mary’s Calne School Library is a rich, academic haven. Designed as a stand-alone pavilion, the library is at the heart of the school. The building layers from solidity to lightness and from internal to external, creating a sense of arrival and then discovery, culminating in framed views of the orchard beyond.

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/west-hotel&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1530575430547000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHCvpO6TN_ghuDrdFWUCgEWPaONfg" href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/west-hotel" target="_blank">West Hotel</a>, Sydney (Woods Bagot and Fitzpatrick + Partners)

Category: Hotels (Inside World Festival of Interiors Awards)

<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/120904_n42_screenhd_west_hotel_2_felix_forest.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="West Hotel. Image: Felix Forest"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/120904_n42_screenhd_west_hotel_2_felix_forest.jpg?itok=c_YPPR41" title="West Hotel. Image: Felix Forest" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>West Hotel. Image: Felix Forest</figcaption></figure>West Hotel, Curio by Hilton, is a botanical oasis nestled in the heart of Sydney on an iconic street that is going through a period of renewal due to its proximity to near the city’s newest precinct, Barangaroo.Wedged between an office building and an old Sydney heritage pub, the faceted glass box is an escape from the city. The restaurant, bar, rooms all surround a sunlit, jungle-like atrium within. Woods Bagot has used the crystal-like façade of the base building by Fitzpatrick and Partners as the reference point for the interior design.

Lead Image: Short Lane, Trevor Mein
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Woods Bagot's seven shortlisted for WAF and INSIDE Awards

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Earlier this week Watpac announced that it was successful in winning a $110 million contract to design and build the new Deakin Law School building at the Burwood Campus.

The nine level building, designed by Woods Bagot will comprise 20,000 sqm of teaching and learning spaces, student support and wellbeing spaces, staff workspaces and basement car parking.

The Law School building will provide a hub for meeting, learning, networking, student wellbeing and student services that caters to the needs of next generation learners beyond the classroom. This holistic approach is intended to create a vibrant and engaging interactive campus for students.

Additionally, other innovative features have been incorporated into the design with spaces that facilitate and encourage interactive modern learning and enhance the overall student experience.

Principles of environmentally sustainable design have also been embedded within the design including;

<ul>
<li> Rooftop solar panels</li>
	<li>High efficiency HVAC and lifts</li>
	<li>Rainwater harvesting</li>
	<li>Glare control systems </li>
	<li>Connection to end-of-trip facilities.</li>
</ul>
According to Watpac, the company is looking forward to delivering its first project for Deakin University, while this continues Woods Bagot's relationship with the University at its Burwood Campus. The firm has previously designed the Burwood Highway Frontage Building which accommodates the Faculty of Health, and Deakin University Building I which connects two existing theatres and provides internal and external gathering spaces for students. 
 

<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/a-lc-entry_view.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Deakin's new Law School Building designed by Woods Bagot. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="504" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/a-lc-entry_view.jpg?itok=CYa8oh-2" title="Deakin's new Law School Building designed by Woods Bagot. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Deakin's new Law School Building designed by Woods Bagot. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>The contract builds on Watpac's national pipeline of projects which includes specialised university buildings including Port Macquarie’s Charles Sturt University Campus and the University of New South Wales Joint Health Education Facility.

Watpac anticipates site works to commence on the Law School building by the end of the month, and says its project team is well-placed to deliver a leading education facility for Deakin University.

<h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
Watpac understands the specific requirements of creating modern learning environments that embrace the changing way students engage with learning and we are excited to work with our new client in delivering this innovative building.

The Group has the desirable combination of education sector and sustainability experience having delivered almost $1 billion of education infrastructure since 2016 underpinned by our commitment to environmentally sustainable design and building practices.

- Martin Monro, Watpac Limited Managing Director
</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>
Thanks to our integrated approach to design and construction, and our diverse experience in the education sector, this state-of-the-art facility will provide Deakin with an exceptional learning space for years to come.

We anticipate peak workforce numbers to reach 230 people and estimate the project will be completed by mid-2020.

- Nick Pavlovic, Watpac Construction Victoria State Manager  
</blockquote>
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Watpac wins first contract for Deakin University

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Intentions to create a new World Trade Center on Sydney's western periphery are gaining momentum.

Infrastructure earmarked for the area, prompted by the construction of Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek, will be fast-tracked by the state and federal governments. Adjacent to land reserved for the new airport, Sydney World Trade Center is backed by Aerotropolis Group who have in turn enlisted Woods Bagot for master plan design duties.

Aerotropolis Group has presented the high-profile $8 billion mixed-use proposal to the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. Included in their vision is "an international convention and exhibition centre, commercial space for multinational companies, an innovation and incubation centre for start-ups and retail and residential space."

Front and centre among the many buildings expected are four signature towers highlighting the latest ESD initiatives.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/image83_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Ground level perspective. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="357" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image83_4.jpg?itok=NoN9IWZ0" title="Ground level perspective. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ground level perspective. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Woods Bagot for their part have envisaged the Sydney World Trade Center precinct as a net zero carbon development.

According to the design practice "energy production, use, storage, recycling and sharing between different types of development in the cluster of the towers and low rise mixed use – and the spaces between them – is a key part of the sustainability goal."

Controlling the master plan has allowed Woods Bagot to implement citywide design and livability features. One of the city's intended outcomes is to "achieve connectivity for allied uses across the project, economy and resilience of the development and to promote sustainable living with food, entertainment, commerce, work and housing, all within reach."

<h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
In combination, the new Western Sydney Airport and the realisation of the Greater Sydney Commission's strategy for the Western Parklands City is an extraordinary opportunity to conceive urban development hosting high tech industries synthesised with the unique natural environment of the Nepean river system and Cumberland Parklands for sustainable living.
<cite>Woods Bagot's design director Neil Hill</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
WTC Sydney is a project that will resolve the structural problem faced by Sydney by bringing balance to our city which is historically tilted to the east.

We are excited about this project, it will create an ecosystem to promote international trade, economic activity and employment generation by connecting Sydney to the 322 cities in 90 countries through the WTC network.

WTC Sydney will ensure a seamless flow of demand from these 322 international cities to Sydney, causing export from NSW to increase significantly.
<cite>Aerotropolis Group Managing Director and CEO Jomon Varghese</cite>
</blockquote>

An Aerotropolis Summit held today will further push the project's various design and economic aspects. The summit is underpinned by research undertaken by PwC which shows that the Sydney World Trade Center would create 43,500 direct jobs annually, whilst injecting $13 billion to the NSW economy.

The city is penned in for a 2026 opening that will coincide with the new Western Sydney Airport opening.

<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/image88_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Sydney World Trade Center. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image88_8.jpg?itok=VIdEGlU5" title="Sydney World Trade Center. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sydney World Trade Center. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Aerotropolis Group is also active across a number of projects in Leppington, directly south of Western Sydney Airport's future location. The amalgamation of their Leppington interests and Sydney World Trade Center will see a substantial development pipeline in place for the next decade.
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Further details emerge for Western Sydney's proposed World Trade Centre

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Urban.com.au recently sat down to chat with Woods Bagot  Principal Peter Miglis to discuss the firm's more recent residential projects and to get Peter's insight into the apartment market.

<blockquote>
Peter provides a strong commitment towards the design quality of each project’s solution, from its initial conception through to its construction process. Recognised for his innovative design skills, he has been responsible for many award winning projects.

As a Designer, Peter is engaged on a range of key design projects for Woods Bagot globally and is currently working on projects covering the sport, education, residential and commercial sectors.

- Woods Bagot
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/cf_row.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="515" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cf_row.png?itok=WVdaHUF4" title="CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CF Row in Fitzroy. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: There has been a noticeable shift away from high rise to more boutique or bespoke developments of a lower density in the last 18 months. What do you put this down to? A cooling of the investor market? A more maturing apartment market?

Peter Miglis: I think it's definitely all of the above, and what we're finding is that there is a market that is maturing, that has become comfortable with the idea of living in apartments. But apartments not as we've traditionally known them, as these minimal requirements and getting the yield up.

It's now about apartments that adopt qualities of living in a home, and what I mean by that is having more area internally, having a social network within the complex as well.

There's also a pre-requisite that you've got to have a balcony and if you use minimum requirements then they only have to be one-and-a-half to two metres deep - is it practical? Generally it isn't and what you need to do is make the balcony even deeper and go beyond the minimum requirements and make it an extension of the living space.

One thing we've been looking at is how does the balcony or open space almost behave like a courtyard space for a house? So we always circle back when we look at apartment planning - how would a house perform and function? And how would we take those attributes and put that into an apartment plan.

Maybe one day we don't call them apartments, maybe we adopt another name for them as a fusion between house and apartment coming together. 

U: Three recent low to medium density examples that Woods Bagot have worked on are CF Row in Fitzroy with Deal Corp, Elwood House with Piccolo, and Short Lane in Sydney with Komplete Construction. The projects are unique in the sense that both internally and externally each has a tactile quality in terms of the materiality, a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, in addition to expansive outdoor balconies, that you wouldn't necessarily associate with apartment projects. What were some of the key drivers for these projects for Woods Bagot?

PM: Each of those examples that you cited are all in different locations and so for us it's a question of how do you harness the DNA of those neighbourhoods and fuse it into the design of the apartments? So that there's a sense of belonging to that place.  It was about grafting these places into their context and allowing them to organically contribute to those areas. People want to live in these locations because they authentically want to live and be a part of those particular neighbourhoods.

The other thing these projects do is they consider the choice of materiality and how we approach them from that angle. For example, Short Lane in Sydney was about creating this 'urban oasis' in this very urban context, and providing people with that relief of green spaces in their apartments. 

Ultimately, each solution is bespoke for its location and I think that's that 'magic' that gives it a real spirit as a place, rather than it being something that lacks any sense of identity and could be anywhere. For us it's fundamental that there's a strong contextual connection back to its neighbourhood.  

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/short_lane.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/short_lane.png?itok=YEYpdt2g" title="Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Short Lane, Sydney. Image: Woods bagot</figcaption></figure>U: Building on that, from a design perspective it would appear that a greater degree of rigour and care is required in the design of apartments than maybe we have seen previously. What do you need to distinguish a project in such a competitive market?

PM: I think it's definitely the internal spatial amenity of the apartment, providing spaces which function and are larger than the minimum standards, but then there's also the care to detail, even right down to the kitchen door handles. Moments like that where they are bespoke and they have a sense of individual character and care about them, people have an affinity to that level of detail. 

For example, at CF Row which was previously a furniture store, we took that idea of craft and timber and applied that to our joinery. The handles in the kitchen are shaped in a way that caress the hand so that it's almost like a piece of furniture.

So it's those little moments that people connect with and realise are special.    

U: What effect (if any) do you think the new Better Apartment Design Standards (BADS) will have on the quality of apartments being built moving forwards?

PM: I think the experience of natural light and ventilation in the interiors. Again these are attributes that you would expect to experience in a home, so I applaud the ability to reduce southern facing apartments, greater natural light penetration and ventilation.

U: There's been a bit of recent discussion around BADS and how it has raised the standard and quality of apartment design at the lower end, but has potentially had the unintended consequence of stifling innovation at the upper end. Do you agree?

PM: Yes, in some cases it has. For example, what we have done at Elwood House is where we had a saddleback bedroom, that would be highly undesirable with BADS. So what we did in that case there, we have a perimeter balcony which becomes this garden space and allows natural light and creates a usable area which the bathroom interfaces with as well.  

When you experience it in the flesh, you understand it, but if you were to show someone on a plan it wouldn't comply. So going back to the original question I thin (BADS) does have its limits and I recall when we were presenting that project to the City of Port Phillip we had to show them Garden House in Carlton which had that same scenario, and it wasn't until they saw it in-situ that they could understand how it operates.

I think we have to demonstrate very carefully the benefits when we break away from those BADS requirements.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/elwood_house.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/elwood_house.png?itok=56-hySaV" title="Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elwood House. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>U: We're also seeing community engagement and a more fluid design process becoming more common with developers and their respective design teams as part of both the approval and marketing sales process. What are your thoughts on that shift towards a more targeted and engaging process with community and prospective buyers?

PM: It makes common sense. It's like if you were to do your own home, you would consult with your neighbours. Think about it just on those terms, you need to consult with your neighbours and get their buy in and sometimes it can enhance  the proposition you put forward.

We have on a number of project whether it's medium density housing, commercial or mixed-use, we've held major community consultation meetings. One in particular was the Kensington mixed-use project Younghusband where we even received a letter of support from the community once submitted the application.

Another more recently was in Richmond on Lennox Street, where we had community consultation as well. At the beginning people are always a bit apprehensive but then when the transparency and the trust comes in, people start to feel more comfortable.

People are quite clever and they know medium density is going to continue and a good way to stop the urban sprawl, people are conscious of the urban sprawl so they do want to foster some medium density so I guess it's a balance isn't it?        

U: Looking at the Nightingale model, for example, where some of the smaller and emerging architecture firms are steering the ship both in terms of capital and design for the projects. Do you see some of the larger architectural practice's such as Woods Bagot becoming involved in these community driven projects and even potentially funding them either under the Nightingale brand or as part of a JV with a developer as we're seeing with Nightingale Brunswick East?

PM: An interesting challenge for a large global organisation like Woods Bagot through its corporate structure to be able to fund a project, the ambition would be great but I think the logistics would be somewhat inhibiting. 

We're definitely in admiration of architectural practices that are putting their money where their mouth is, and influencing outcomes by funding these projects. I absolutely applaud that approach, and I think we need examples like that to show the shift that can happen.  

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Duvpzg78L7Q" width="560"></iframe>
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Discussing apartment design with Woods Bagot's Peter Miglis

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Perri Projects in conjunction with joint venture partner Wingate Property, has received development approval for a $150 million mixed-use project on the edge of the Melbourne CBD opposite Carlton Gardens. This project will include 70 apartments across 20 levels of residential plus premium commercial and hospitality on the ground floor and podium levels.

Located at 23-29 Victoria Street, the plans also include significant improvements to the public realm in line with City of Melbourne’s Urban Forest strategy with a large-scale rejuvenation of the surrounding area.

Perri Projects recruited Woods Bagot to create a design that responded to the significance of the site, adjacent to the UNESCO world heritage Carlton Gardens ensuring future residents will have permanent unobstructed amenity and outlook across the gardens.

Woods Bagot's design for the site brought together its Melbourne, London, and New York studios to reference aspects of each of the cities, in the project.

<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/carlton_gardens_render_-_low-res.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Perri Projects' approved development opposite Carlton Gardens. Image: Supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="384" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/carlton_gardens_render_-_low-res.jpg?itok=3MlBSiGT" title="Perri Projects' approved development opposite Carlton Gardens. Image: Supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Perri Projects' approved development opposite Carlton Gardens. Image: Supplied</figcaption></figure>As part of the Victoria Street project, Perri Projects is also proposing major public realm improvements including a new boulevard interface to McKenzie Street and reworking the current traffic island intersection into an Urban Forest public space in line with City of Melbourne’s Urban Forest Strategy.

The strategy acknowledges the crucial roles green spaces play in Melbourne with its parks, gardens, and tree-lined streets contributing to liveability and quality of life for residents. 

Together Perri Projects and its architects worked closely with council to achieve the permit, with the developer having previously worked collaboratively with City of Melbourne on culturally significant projects such as West Melbourne Waterfront.

The developer's vision for the site marks the latest iteration of its ‘Tailored Living’ series following its collaboration with Woods Bagot at The Englefield in South Yarra, which upon completion will feature seven penthouse-style residences aimed towards the upper end of the market. 

According to Perri Projects, Melbourne represents a long-term focal point for the developer and the Carlton Gardens project reflects its confidence in the city. The development team continues to work closely with City of Melbourne and other major stakeholders on the wider rejuvenation of the surrounding area.

<h2>What they say:</h2>

<blockquote>
Working with a global team of architects will ensure our Carlton Gardens project will reflect the complex cultural fabric of the suburb and deliver an impressive architectural addition to the neighbourhood. The building’s offering is rare – premium residential accommodation with protected northern aspects over the gardens and heritage precinct.

This is a CBD address on the doorstep of the cultural-mecca suburbs of Collingwood, Fitzroy, and East Melbourne. The significance of the site is undeniable and heavily guided our design approach to remain congruent with Carlton’s urban language.

We are currently advancing plans with some very exciting hospitality operators and will have more announcements on this aspect of the project soon.

- David Scalzo, Managing Director Perri Projects 
</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>
Wingate is thrilled to have partnered with Perri Projects on this unique project and is delighted with the successful planning outcome. It is an important first step in bringing to life this visionary building which we believe will become iconic on the Melbourne skyline.

- Ryan Levin, Managing Director Wingate Property
</blockquote>

 
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Perri Projects receives approval for $150m Carlton Gardens project

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Woods Bagot has circulated fresh images of the newly approved Carlton Connect Initiative. 

Outlined by Apartments.com.au at the time of approval, Woods Bagot as the masterplan and lead design architect has also provided commentary on the development which will account for the former Royal Women's Hospital on the corner of Grattan and Swanston Streets in Carlton.

In its place will rise five new connecting buildings around the perimeter of the site, all surrounding a publicly-accessible 'Oculus' open space.

The string of buildings will upon completion lay claim to being the nation's most advanced, and a globally recognised innovation precinct. University of Melbourne staff and students, researchers, local and international businesses and start-up companies will be present in the same location, with the intent of efficiently formulating new ideas and taking them to market.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image45_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Vivid interplay on Swanston &amp; Grattan. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="356" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image45_9.jpg?itok=8eNYxlEa" title="Vivid interplay on Swanston &amp; Grattan. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Vivid interplay on Swanston &amp; Grattan. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Upon completion of the site's demolition, Lendlease will begin construction of the $425 million project mid this year. Shops, cafes, public spaces and a new home for Science Gallery Melbourne will be the public drawcards, whilst accommodation for more than 500 students along with co-working and commercial office spaces will form the backbone of the development.

Owing to the scope, size and complexity of the design, Woods Bagot considers the new precinct as unprecedented in Australia. 

<blockquote>
For this extraordinary site to support people working together in the creative and entrepreneurial ways envisioned by the University of Melbourne's  ambitious plan for innovation, we needed to completely re-think what the project could offer back to both the university and to Melbourne's urban innovation. 

What we've generated are new forms and, importantly, opportunities for exceptional circulation through the site and a great diversity of spaces at ground level, as well as maximising sunlight for wellbeing and sustainability.
<cite>Woods Bagot principal and project design leader, Hazel Porter</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image47_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial perspective. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="433" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image47_9.jpg?itok=CToHb3yN" title="Aerial perspective. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial perspective. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Externally the Carlton Connect Initiative maintains strong design semblance to National Australia Bank's campus at <a href="https://www.woodsbagot.com/projects/national-australia-bank-docklands">700 Bourke Street</a>. Both Woods Bagot designs maintain a similar shape, triangular facade detailing and fissures running the height of the buildings.

Along with the complexities of effectively designing for the melding of multiple entities within a purpose-built precinct, Woods Bagot also factored in sustainability aspects.

From winning University of Melbourne's design competition for the project in December 2016, Woods Bagot intended for the design to be bold and iconic, and a symbol of the university's unyielding pursuit of excellence. The focus on the person and their experience within is also a major design aspect thought through by Woods Bagot.

<blockquote>
Innovation comes from people, the way they interact, the way they  collaborate on a common purpose. Therefore, it's essential that every part of this scheme lives and breathes human-centred design

Providing an exceptional educational and professional experience to attract the best and brightest demands the setting of a new global benchmark to stay competitive on the world stage of higher education.  
This education and innovation precinct will complement the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct in Parkville and the Arts Precinct in Southbank. It's also part of the emerging Melbourne Innovation Districts – a City of Melbourne initiative to drive investment in the knowledge economy and help shape Melbourne's future.
<cite>Woods Bagot principal and global education sector leader, Sarah Ball</cite>
</blockquote>

Targeted completion for the development which consists of 74,000 square metres of Gross Floor Area is late 2020.

<h2>Woods Bagot CCI project contributors</h2>

Hazel Porter, Sarah Ball, Alastair Flynn, Harry Charalambous, Wes Baigent, Sophie Blain, Ali Tehami, Femi Akande, Nirvan Basnet, Krisi Patras, Susannah Xu, Pete McKew, Derek Huynh, Roberto Spadaccino, Mluk Nehme, Peter Miglis, Sara Sidari, Kevin Mitchem, Robert Rosamilia, Lara Viguet. 

<div>
<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/image49_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Contrasting built forms. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="572" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image49_8.jpg?itok=JxASvHE9" title="Contrasting built forms. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Contrasting built forms. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>
</div>
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Woods Bagot elaborates on the Carlton Connect Initiative

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Another of Melbourne's expansive list of hotel and serviced apartment developments has reached completion.

Located at the western end of the expanded Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre precinct, the $150 million Novotel Melbourne South Wharf is now open for business. The distinct golden-clad tower is 26 storeys high and accommodates 347 guestrooms and suites.

Its design is a collaborative effort with Woods Bagot and NH Architecture accounting for the overall form, whilst Woods Bagot and Fender Katsalidis divided interior design duties.

<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/p4041404.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Novotel Melbourne South Wharf upon completion. Image: Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/p4041404.jpg?itok=TE_B-ZOL" title="Novotel Melbourne South Wharf upon completion. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Novotel Melbourne South Wharf upon completion. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure>Delivered by Probuild, multinational hotel group AccorHotels which operates the Novotel brand was quick to point out the hotel's new features at handover. Hotel General Manager Glen Erickson said "Novotel Melbourne South Wharf is redefining the four-star hotel experience by providing an exceptional level of amenity, along with the most stringent customer service standards.

Our location also brings together unrivalled access to modern conferencing and events facilities, with the energy and atmosphere of a dynamic, city-fringe precinct rich in history."

<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/image4_19.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Novotel Melbourne South Wharf's bar scene. Image: Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image4_19.jpg?itok=OWYMf_Ee" title="Novotel Melbourne South Wharf's bar scene. Image: Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Novotel Melbourne South Wharf's bar scene. Image: Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>The completion of Novotel Melbourne South Wharf diminishes by one the number of active hotel or serviced apartment developments currently being tracked by Apartments.com.au. Of the 38 still in development, another has flouted its design credentials.

Developer Capital Alliance has released new imagery of the first Marriott to be built in Australia in 20 years.

In conjunction with DKO Architecture, Capital Alliance intend for Marriott Docklands to be a showcase of contemporary hotel design. Reflective of current trends, the development is a step away from a previous generation of hotel design in that many features considered to be the norm have been superseded.

<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/image5_15.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Marriott's intended poolside bar. Image: Capital Alliance"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="384" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image5_15.jpg?itok=WT9yzArH" title="The Marriott's intended poolside bar. Image: Capital Alliance" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Marriott's intended poolside bar. Image: Capital Alliance</figcaption></figure>The development team is positioning the new Marriott as "showcasing a design that boldly illustrates the evolution of the traditional five-star hotel for a new generation of traveller who lives, works and plays much differently." Carpet, branding and desks are on the outer with timber flooring, beds sitting atop frames and exposed joinery included.

In many ways, the new Marriott Docklands interior design mirrors the latest in luxury apartments trends, and employs a higher degree of communal spaces. The 200 rooms are supplemented by a 28-metre rooftop infinity pool and adjoining bar, a ground-level bar, restaurant and cafe, all of which are open to hotel guests, residents and the public.

Marriott International senior director development for the Australia-Pacific region Richard Crawford reinforces the design path taken by the development team. "We’ve reinvented the hotel room as we’ve found that hotel guests don’t use desks in hotel rooms, preferring to lounge on beds or sofas or work in well-designed communal spaces with a relaxed atmosphere.

Our guests do have a strong appreciation of great design and want to stay in high-end hotels that are luxurious while also reflecting the unique character of their location."

Part of a wider mixed-use development, Marriott Docklands is expected to begin construction this year with an eye toward a late 2020 completion date.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image6_19.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendered aspect of Marriott docklands' entrance. Image: Capital Alliance"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="338" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6_19.jpg?itok=0UpUos6U" title="Rendered aspect of Marriott docklands' entrance. Image: Capital Alliance" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendered aspect of Marriott docklands' entrance. Image: Capital Alliance</figcaption></figure>
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