Gold Coast developer Drew Group is fast approaching sell-out at its Main Beach apartment development, Lagoon Main Beach.

In the last nine months, Drew Group and sales partner Pezet Matheson have secured 31 sales totalling over $75 million, as the two-tower development advances towards completion under the expert eye of Hutchinson Builders.

“Today's buyers are more discerning than ever," Drew Group Managing Director Jon Drew says.

"It's essential to provide something truly unique that sets a development apart, and we believe Lagoon has achieved just that."

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Just over 50 per cent of recent&nbsp;sales have been to local buyers, reflecting the deep trust and connection within the Gold Coast community that Drew Group has developed over the years.

Demand has been particularly robust at the top end, with two of the three exclusive penthouses already sold, alongside five sub-penthouses. Only seven apartments remain in Lagoon's Signature Series — one&nbsp;penthouse and six sub-penthouses.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108747 project_image_fid=284864]

Drew Group has also removed the much-maligned sunset clause from all contracts at Lagoon. The sunset clause — although rarely invoked, yet on occasion known to have been — allows developers to take back contracts on apartments should the building not be completed within the timeframe specified in the contract.

Pezet Matheson Co-Director Jayde Pezet says the fact Lagoon is&nbsp;within a year of completion, and has no sunset clause in contracts, provides certainty to buyers.

"This is paramount in the current market," Pezet says.

Drew Group has committed to providing the highest level of security inclusions — none more impressive than the Ubiquity Access Control System, a cutting-edge facial recognition technology that is one of the most state-of-the-art keyless entry systems on the market.

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One of the biggest drawcards to Lagoon has been the size of the apartments.

"It is unlikely that any future new development in Main Beach will be able to offer such spacious living at this price point," Drew says.

"Today's buyers are more discerning than ever, carefully evaluating amenities like gyms, spas, workspaces, and beach lockers, along with quality finishes. It's essential to provide something truly unique that sets a development apart, and we believe Lagoon has achieved just that."

Lagoon is set to complete construction in mid-2026.

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Joel Robinson

Lagoon Main Beach approaches sell-out as local buyers drive $75m in sales

National apartment developer Abadeen has topped out its debut Gold Coast apartment project,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/villea-palm-beach-26-mawarra-street-palm-beach-qld-4221">Villea Palm Beach</a>.

Buyers will move into the $120 million development in early 2026, with builder Emicon now focusing its attention towards the fitout stage of the apartments.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen-group">Abadeen</a>’s Executive Chairman and Founder, Justin Brown, said topping out at Villea represented an exciting step forward for the company’s national growth and the delivery of a benchmark coastal development.

“Villea Palm Beach represents everything Abadeen stands for — design-led living, premium quality, and the convenience we are bringing for residents to feel part of a perfect beachside community," Brown said.

"It is a particularly special project for us, being our first with spectacular ocean views, just metres from the water and with the addition of ground-floor retail. To reach the top floor is a proud moment, and I am incredibly proud of the Abadeen and Emicon teams for the way they are bringing this project to life for future residents.”

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Pierre Saab, Director of builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/emicon">Emicon</a>, said topping out was an exciting milestone and the team is now focused on interiors and detailing.

“This is a fantastic milestone to reach. With the final roof pour complete, we’ve moved into the fit-out stage where the detailing will truly bring Villea to life,"&nbsp;Saab said.

"Standing on the top floor, the team was struck by the stunning 180-degree views of the ocean and all that <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a> has to offer — a daily reminder of the exceptional lifestyle this project will deliver.”

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Nick Clydsdale, Director of SRQ, who is managing sales and marketing for Villea, said the milestone marks the next phase of the sales campaign.

“With construction now at its highest point, we are excited to kick start the next phase of the campaign off the back of strong sales momentum driven by the local market,"&nbsp;Clydsdale said.

"Villea is a prized offering in the popular suburb of Palm Beach— ideally suited to owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking a convenient and beautiful coastal lifestyle. At the same time, with forecasts pointing to further price growth across the Gold Coast in 2025, Villea offers investors the opportunity to enter early in the upswing cycle."

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&nbsp;

Designed by acclaimed architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA</a>, Villea comprises 69 two- and three-bedroom residences with light-filled layouts, premium finishes including timber flooring, Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, and high-performance glazing to maximise comfort.

Many residences capture ocean views, while all benefiting from generous open plan designs and access to shared amenities like a&nbsp;pool, gym, barbecue facilities, and outdoor entertaining spaces, all just 400m from the beach.

A ground floor retail leasing campaign is also underway, with Abadeen set to handpick a curated mix of tenants to enhance the experience for both residents and the wider community.

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Abadeen tops out Villea Palm Beach

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has officially unveiled its vision for a landmark development in Little Bay.

The vertically integrated developer-builder is set to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE</a>, a collection of low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis Architects</a>, comprising 94 apartments.

Targeted at local downsizers, upgraders, nature lovers, and golf enthusiasts, ESTE offers close proximity to Kamay-Botany Bay National Park, Little Bay Beach, and the renowned St Michael’s Golf Club — widely considered one of New South Wales’ top courses.

Many of the apartments, with interiors by Richard Stanisich, boast uninterrupted ocean views — a rare offering in Sydney.

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Residents will enjoy exclusive access to a private rooftop amenity level featuring a heated infinity pool, a fitness centre equipped with the latest TechnoGym technology, and a sauna.

Urban Property Group has taken a careful and considered approach to the design and planning stages, ensuring ESTE delivers an architecturally appropriate and sensitive addition to a suburb that rarely sees new development.

Plans were first submitted to Randwick City Council in late 2022, following concept approval from the NSW Government earlier that year.

Construction commenced in November 2024, with the project expected to top out in Q4 2025 and reach completion in Q3 2026.&nbsp;

Urban was one of the first developers in New South Wales to adopt the sought-after 10-year <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/resilience-latent-defects-insurance">Latent Defects Insurance policy from Resilience Insurance</a>. The policy — that can only be taken out by developers or builders and not by individual apartment buyers — covers any structural or waterproofing defects for a full 10 years post-completion, providing buyers with the most comprehensive protection available when purchasing off the plan.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/what-is-latent-defects-insurance-and-is-it-bringing-confidence-to-the-off-the-plan-apartment-market">What is Latent Defects Insurance and is it bringing confidence to the off the plan apartment market?</a>

SRM Residential will be launching ESTE in the coming months.

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Urban Property Group unveils ESTE Little Bay apartments

For the first time, prospective off the plan apartment buyers in Sydney's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/homebush-nsw-2140">Homebush</a> can purchase with the confidence of a 10-year defect protection for their new apartment building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bridge-road-residences-homebush-3-5-bridge-road-homebush-nsw-2140">Bridge Road Residences</a>, the latest development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ventus-group">Ventus Group</a>, is the first new apartment complex in the area to offer the highly sought-after 10-year Latent Defects Insurance, provided by Resilience Insurance.

This policy, which applies to all 80 apartments in the new building on Bridge Road, covers homeowners against&nbsp;structural or design defects defects that may arise within the first 10 years after the building's completion. It can only be taken out by the developer or builder of the new development, and not by individual apartment owners.

Half of the apartments in the building have already been quickly snapped up. Buyers have been attracted by the insurance policy, along with the guarantee of a quality build, thanks to the insurance's Technical Inspection Service. This service involves third-party experts visiting the construction site at least once a month to ensure the building is being properly constructed, making defects highly unlikely.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6989 project_image_fid=2132]

Located on Bridge Road, the development offers a mix of apartment configurations, from studios to three-bedroom apartments.

Apartments have been designed&nbsp;by MX Architects with liveability in mind, featuring open-plan layouts, engineered timber floors, wool-blend carpet in bedrooms, and either ducted or split-system air conditioning depending on configuration.&nbsp;

Many apartments also include north-facing aspects or oversized balconies, enhancing natural light and outdoor usability.

The development includes landscaped communal gardens with a central lawn, shaded seating, and barbecue areas. A rooftop terrace offers views across the city and Sydney Olympic Park. These amenities are designed to provide outdoor spaces for both relaxation and socialising, without increasing maintenance burden.

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Bridge Road Residences is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Homebush Station and close to major road links including the M4 and M8.&nbsp;

Residents will have immediate access to Rochester Street’s cafes, grocers, and restaurants, as well as retail and dining hubs at North Strathfield’s Bakehouse Quarter, Strathfield Plaza, and DFO Homebush.&nbsp;

The area is also well-served by schools and tertiary institutions, including Homebush Public School and the University of Sydney.

Construction is being led by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/one-way-dc">One Way Development &amp; Construction</a>. They are expecting to complete the build in Q3 2026.

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Bridge Road Residences brings 10-year defects guarantee to Homebush

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/romano-property-group">Romano Property Group</a> has appointed AG Construct to deliver their boutique new Fitzroy apartment development, Napier 235.

Half of the apartment in the architecturally-striking block of 14 have already been snapped up.

Located just 150 metres from Brunswick Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/napier-235-235-napier-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">Napier 235</a> will bring a mix of two and three-bedroom residences to the tightly held inner-city neighbourhood, including a full-floor penthouse and one townhouse.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a> with landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/florian-wild">Florian Wild</a>, Napier 235 presents a sculptural, low-rise form that aligns with Fitzroy’s heritage character while introducing contemporary detailing.&nbsp;

Residences are all north-facing and feature large private terraces, with living areas that connect to the outdoors via floor-to-ceiling sliding glass.

Inside, kitchens are anchored by 3.5-metre stone island benches and include walk-in pantries, Miele and Gaggenau appliances, and built-in bars with wine fridges in most apartments.&nbsp;

Customisable floor plans allow buyers to tailor internal layouts to suit their needs.

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Sustainability has been prioritised from the outset. Napier 235 ranks in the top five per cent of Victorian developments under current planning policy benchmarks, reflecting efficient energy use and environmentally responsible design.

Napier 235 places residents within walking distance of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/fitzroy-vic-3065">Fitzroy</a>’s food and retail precincts, including Marion, Morning Market, and Bentwood Café. Fitzroy Gardens, Carlton Gardens, and tram connections to the CBD are also nearby. Despite its proximity to major amenity, the development sits within a quieter residential pocket.

Pricing for two-bedroom apartments at Napier 235 starts at $1,225,000.

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Construction to commence at Napier 235 in Fitzroy as Romano appoints builder

Building Design

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Following the call for the registration of more building and design practitioners since its incorporation, the NSW Government has delivered on its promise to restore public confidence in the building industry by successfully passing the Association of Accredited Certifiers (AAC)'s Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019. 
This bill will increase accountability in the construction sector and improve outcomes for consumers. The legislation ensures that building designers and building practitioners are register in NSW and more accountable for their work on building sites. 
AAC CEO, Jill Brookfield said the Bill will increase accountability, protect consumers, and weed out practitioners doing the wrong thing. "The passage of this Bill is a win for the community and a win for every building practitioner who wants their industry cleaned up," said Ms Brookfield. 
“For too long, unregistered building and design practitioners have been allowed to work on NSW construction sites without any accountability. These reforms mean their days are coming to an end. 
“As we have argued for some time, more building practitioners must be registered and insured if we are to improve accountability and outcomes for the community. 
“This will work to establish a more robust construction industry in NSW, which puts consumers first and weeds out operators doing the wrong thing.
“The NSW Government has rightly identified the importance of the construction industry in supporting the broader economy during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These reforms are crucial in ensuring the right framework for the construction industry is in place to assist in the post-COVID-19 economic rebuild.
“The Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019 provides an important framework for improving accountability amongst building practitioners in NSW. 
“The Bill is the first step in addressing this lack of accountability and improving confidence in the entire system.
“Central to ensuring its operational success will be the development of robust and thorough associated regulations, which establish professional indemnity insurance requirements for these newly registered practitioners.”
Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson said the much-needed reforms, passed by Parliament today, mark the start of a new era in the design and construction of buildings in NSW.  
“The NSW Government has a no nonsense approach to achieving and maintaining best practice regulation across all of the industries that it regulates, and the building sector is no exception,” Mr Anderson said. 
“This Bill is all about putting consumers first by giving those entering the property market peace of mind that their home will be expertly designed and built in compliance with the Australian Building Codes.” 
The Minister said the Bill, developed through extensive consultation with industry stakeholders and the public, will ensure NSW has a leading system of design and building regulation that delivers well-constructed buildings into the future.
“The passing of the Bill is a huge step forward in the rebuilding the construction sector into a transparent, accountable, customer-centric industry that consumers deserve,” Mr Anderson said. 
“Owners of apartment buildings with defects will benefit immediately from the statutory duty of care that applies to all new buildings and those less than ten years old.”
Also introduced to NSW Parliament this week is the Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Bill 2020, boosting the Building Commissioner’s power to stop dodgy builders and developers in their tracks.  
The NSW Building Commissioner, David Chandler OAM, will be leading the regulator’s implementation of both Bills, through an expert team of up to 60 new staff who will undertake increased investigation, audit and compliance activities. 
“Combined, these two Bills put the interests of consumers first and show that the Government is serious about lifting the standard of work across the building and construction sector,” Mr Chandler said.
“The laws will give my team a broad range of powers, including the ability to issue stop work orders, prevent strata plan registration and occupation certificates, and to issue hefty fines for those doing the wrong thing.”  
The two pieces of legislation forms one part of the NSW Government’s comprehensive six part reform agenda to lift standards and accountability in the building sector. 
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NSW Government delivers historic building reforms to restore industry confidence

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EXPERT OBSERVER
“Dull and uninspiring apartment buildings” were the words used by the Burwood mayor, John Faker, in an article run in The Australian Financial Review on Thursday 4th October that blamed planning rules (NSW Apartment Design Guide) for ‘blocking’ better quality design.
On the contrary, the adoption of the design guide has delivered much more attractive and liveable apartments than those built in the 90s. The guide is not responsible for poor construction quality - nor a presumption that maximum allowed residential floor space can be achieved on every apartment site without an appreciation of its setting.
PIA appreciates the mayor’s comment that the design guide had become a box ticking exercise among some developers to get projects across the line quickly while maximising yield. It is the rigid application of the guide in these cases that can cause problems. 
The NSW Government implores consent authorities that ‘apart from the non-discretionary development standards (clause 30 of SEPP 65), the ADG is not intended to be, and should not be applied as, a set of strict development standards’ (Planning Circular June 2017).
While the guide improves consistency and sets a minimum standard, it is not in a position to inspire design excellence. Outstanding design is achieved through great ideas expressed in collaboration among designers, developers and planners who appreciate the opportunities and context of the site.
The Planning Institute of Australia recently ran training on the Apartment Design Guide. Industry leading architect Michael Harrison from Architectus, highlighted that ‘compliance for compliance sake is not a good idea…there should be some flexibility for good design’. He noted that there is room for varying a development standard and the Design Advisory Panels can and should assess the value of innovation.
The Planning Institute of Australia supports the Apartment Design Guide. It reduces contradictions, confusion and conflicts in the assessment of residential apartment buildings and encourages a consistent approach to quality residential apartment design across NSW. It also enables consent authorities to list non-compliance with the Guide, to stop poor development and mandate that qualified architects are required to design apartments.
The Apartment Design Guide is also supported by guidelines on the setting of buildings (Better Placed), so that design of buildings and their precincts are interlinked to result in good places to live and enjoy social activity.
The Planning Institute of Australia agrees that the Guide needs to be applied with flexibility to promote innovation and enable slight non-compliance where the location context calls for it and where there is design merit.  
The Planning Institute of Australia supports the NSW Government being active in promoting better design to ensure that living conditions and amenity improve alongside urban growth.
John Brockhoff is a policy advisor and planner at the Planning Institute of Australia.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Planning is not to blame for poor apartment design outcomes 

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What will the building of the future look like?
Engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon has released a white paper on the topic, including what’s driving demand, challenges inherent in reaching ‘intelligent building’ status and what some of the next steps in this journey might be. 
Titled 'Buildings of the Future: science fiction or science fact?', the white paper is based on interviews of industry professionals who were asked to imagine what Buildings of the Future might look like and how they might be created.
“The major drivers identified in the paper have the potential to reshape the built environment industry in the next 30 years,” said Peter Greaves, Aurecon’s Buildings of the Future Leader.
Author Arthur C Clark once said that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. In a way — this captures the essence of what technology installed in Buildings of the Future should aim to achieve. The technology should ‘just work’ without the user understanding how. 
It says that 3D printing technology will have a huge impact on the design engineering industry.
“The 3D printer is significantly disrupting the traditional design role held by the structural engineer but, at the same time, presents exciting new opportunities in how building designers will create, relocate and shape Buildings of the Future,” said Greaves.
A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to Buildings of the Future is becoming less palatable nowadays while new, flexible construction materials, including composite materials, additive manufacturing concrete, solar polymers and carbon fibre balsa, is fuelling new design approaches. 
“These options are unlocking the architectural limitations of size, weight and shape that the building and construction industry works within today,” he said. “To bring this to life, the thought processes, measurements and methods commonly used in our industry will also have to evolve.”
It said another innovation in the building management field was developing shared services in facilities management within a precinct.  
Greaves said innovators would work on the idea of shared building maintenance hubs, which would be designed to provide facilities for all local buildings to centrally monitor electricity, water, energy storage common areas and integrate other aspects of maintenance and management of operational efficiencies.
The Western Sydney Airport and Greater Sydney’s development could become a prime example of an opportunity to implement this, says the paper.
It highlighted the ‘whole of precinct’ approach to the management of facilities and wider infrastructure assets and stressed the 2017-2018 Federal Budget’s commitment to several large infrastructure projects in the area, including high-speed rail to Western Sydney.
“If we’re going to help design Buildings of the Future, we have to be able to envision them,” said James Bennett, Aurecon’s managing director, Built Environment. “Aurecon wants to be a forerunner in helping our clients identify the opportunities this presents and facilitating these changes.”
“Those who shape Buildings of the Future will be those who, firstly, realise that our world is changing and have the boldness to not only let go of, but question, the status quo so that working with government and economic leaders, we might reimagine our physical spaces and infrastructure. Engineers need to lead such conversations,” asserted Bennett. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Buildings of the future: science fiction or science fact? 

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Sydney's Barrack Place building at 151 Clarence Street has been awarded Australia’s first ever WELL Core &amp; Shell Precertification at the Gold level by the International WELL Building Institute.
Barrack Place is currently being leased by Investa and Savills.
Barrack Place won the Precertification involved upgrading the building systems and improving the design.
Shen Chiu, Senior Development Manager at Investa said while individual tenancies within buildings have achieved WELL Certification in Australia, they are leading the way with the first WELL Core &amp; Shell Precertification in a new development.
“New buildings provide a unique opportunity to deliver a healthy place to work from the ground up," he said.
"The WELL Building Standard allows us to go one step further, by incorporating the science of wellness into the fabric of the building and locking in these benefits for decades to come." 
"Achieving this will allow tenants at Barrack Place to leverage certain aspects of the building’s design and services when doing their own space planning and our team will continue to manage the implementation to ensure it is carried through to WELL Certification.” 
Investa began work towards the pre-certification with IWBI over a year ago to find out how WELL Core &amp; Shell Certification could be adapted to the Australian office environment for the entire base building design at Barrack Place.
WELL is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellness through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. 
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Sydney's Barrack Place awarded WELL Precertification

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The $8 million Orange Regional Museum has been unveiled by Australian architecture firm CRONE, following its completion in November. Covering 1,300 sqm, the museum also houses an exhibition space, visitor information centre, café and council office space.
The firm won a competitive tender process in 2013, based upon a preliminary sketch of the team’s vision of the project, which tied together the new museum, an existing library and art gallery to create a civic square and public space.
Today, the museum hosts temporary and permanent exhibitions on a variety of themes including settlement of the region, mining, the built environment, agriculture, migration, significant events and individuals from the local area.
 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2016/11/22/Crone_Orange%20Regional%20Museum_0A8A0043_credit%20Tom%20Ferguson.jpg" alt="">
Intended as a flexible space it can be used for a variety of functions including outdoor exhibitions or simply an area for visitors to relax.
“We are extremely proud to deliver this contemporary designed building for Orange, which forms an integral part of the community’s civic fabric,” remarked CRONE associate, Ashley Dennis. 
“When designing the museum, we were confident the contemporary design of the building would be embraced by the local community and be reflective of the culture that Orange represents today,” she said.
A key feature of the design is the grassed roof, which rises from the existing lawn, to provide a public green space and new vantage point across the city of Orange. Intended as a flexible space, it can be used for a variety of functions including outdoor exhibitions.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2016/11/22/Crone_Orange%20Regional%20Museum_0A8A0381_credit%20Tom%20Ferguson.jpg" alt="">
CRONE design director Niall Durney added that the business was drawn to the project for its opportunity to create a forward thinking design that would contribute to the community and create a new destination for the area. 
“As our first regional design project, it also ties into the new direction for the company to diversify beyond commercial buildings,” he said.
CRONE also strategically created a civic square between the new and existing buildings, and included amphitheatre seating and café as an adaptable area for events and activations.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2016/11/22/Crone_Orange%20Regional%20Museum_0A8A0605_credit%20Tom%20Ferguson.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;">
Orange mayor John Davis OAM commented that the way the Orange community has already embraced the new museum building is a sign of the quality of its design.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2016/11/22/Crone_Orange%20Regional%20Museum_0A8A0615_credit%20Tom%20Ferguson.jpg" alt="">
“The grass roof is already a drawcard both for visitors and locals. Every school holidays there are young families and children enjoying the space by rolling down the slope,” he said. 
“Along with the theatre, the gallery and the library, the new museum building helps create a fantastic new precinct and I’m looking forward to seeing how the way the community uses it will evolve.”
 
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Orange Regional Museum's winning design

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Listed property group Lendlease’s first engineered timber office building in Queensland, called 5 King, has been acquired by Impact Investment Group (IIG), in its second commercial building acquisition in the $2.9 billion Brisbane Showgrounds redevelopment.
Standing almost 45 metres, 5 King the nine-storey tower plus ground will be the tallest engineered timber building in Australia and the tallest and largest engineered timber office building by gross floor area in the world.  
It will be the future home of engineering firm Aurecon, with the company committing to lease four of the nine office floors.
It has been designed by architect Bates Smart with engineering provided by Aurecon.
“5 King is the latest example of high-performance workplaces setting new benchmarks in environmentally sustainable building practices,” said Kylie Rampa, Lendlease’s chief executive officer, Property, Australia. 
“The office building will offer tenants the opportunity to generate significant business benefits through large, efficient floorplates that provide flexibility for a variety of modern workplace formats. Its location on King Street provides excellent access to lifestyle amenity and transport options for employees,” she said.
5 King will be built using a building timber called cross laminated timber (CLT) and glulam (glue laminated timber) which has a structural strength akin to the traditionally used concrete and steel. The typical commercial floor plate will comprise 1,588 square metres of net leasable area (NLA), with a total area of 14,921 square metres (NLA) over 10 levels.  
Buildings made from engineered timber have a lower carbon footprint than other building materials: the production process produces zero waste, and timbers are sourced from certified sustainably-managed forests.
According to Neil Barr, Aurecon’s Queensland regional director, the use of timber to lower carbon footprint is a medium that Aurecon has used to good effect.
"Our firm has long seen timber as a viable alternative to steel and concrete and 5 King will showcase the strength of CLT in a ten-storey building."
Lendlease is targeting a 6 Star Green Star Design for 5 King and As Built v1.1 and a NABERS Energy 5 Star rating.  
5 King is due for completion in November 2018, with Lendlease both developing and building the asset. 
It is Lendlease’s fifth engineered timber building in Australia and joins International House Sydney, Forte Apartments and Library at the Dock in Melbourne, and Jordan Springs Community Hub in Western Sydney.
 
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Lendlease sells its tallest engineered timber office building in Australia

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SPONSORED POST
If we had a completely blank slate to work with, how would we design our buildings and cities? How different would they be from the environments we have created now?
That was the question posed by JLL and TEDxSydney earlier this year for their Urban Canvas research project, which surveyed more than 200 professionals from 19 industries and conducted full-day workshops to explore issues around workplaces, buildings and cities.
Participants were asked to imagine creating places for people to work, live and play within the construct of a completely fresh slate - the planet Mars in 2050, made habitable for humans. 
The concept of Mars was used to give people a blank canvas and understand what they would create if they didn’t have the limitations of the existing built environment.
The resultant whitepaper – ‘Is humanity the future architect: how human connections will ultimately shape the future of real estate’ - projects a vision of the future where buildings do more than function as places of work – they promote connections between people and nature, whilst enhancing our health and wellbeing.
“The results unanimously focused on human connections and a desire to be closer to nature,” says Richard Fennell, Australian Head of Property &amp; Asset Management for JLL.
“It seems that amongst our condensed and densely populated skylines, the people living and working within them are craving more open spaces, more air, and more natural materials and environments.” 
Participants sought a lifestyle where home and work were more interconnected in a physical sense - promoting concepts such as community workplaces, co-working and flexible work locations - whilst craving to be less connected mentally and emotionally.
This is a response to the recognition that the modern workforce does not ‘switch off’ - workers no longer leave work behind when heading home, and this is acknowledged as negatively impacting mental health.
“Our basic needs and wants remain consistent with what they were 100 years ago,” Fennell says. “We saw five key themes emerge when asking the TEDxSydney Community to design their future, four of these themes focused on human needs.”
Those five key themes are:
<ol>
<li>Human connections</li>
<li>Health and wellness</li>
<li>Nature and human sustainability</li>
<li>Social consciousness</li>
<li>Robotics and artificial intelligence</li>
</ol>
“Throughout our research, certain mega-trends also emerged that might shape how we interact with our urban environment, including robotics, quantum computing, driverless cars and co-working,” Fennell says. “But it will be a desire for authentic, deeper human interactions, health and wellbeing, and a closeness to nature that will continue to dominate the built environment.”
JLL’s Australian Head of Corporate Account Management, Rajiv Nagrath, says the research found that, despite technological advancements and the potential impacts of robotics and artificial intelligence, there was a desire for a future dependent on people, not machines.
For more information, <a href="https://access.jll.com/tedxsydney/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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How human connections will ultimately shape the future of real estate 

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GUEST OBSERVER
Since the beginning of the 20th century the single-function building typology – for example, the office, school, apartment, institution or retail complex – has been subject to regulations requiring separate spaces for “working” and “living”. 
Within this framework, paid labour seldom took place inside the home. Today, people use space differently, which means legislation must change to support different ways of living and working in the one building. 
The post-industrial city, which has existed since the late 20th century, has changed the way people live and work. 
In North America, with the decline of the manufacturing sector in many cities and the “discovery” of the inner city by the 1970s, it became fashionable for people to live in former manufacturing spaces that had been converted for residential use. This trend emerged in New York and then in San Francisco a decade later. 
By the 1990s most cities in North America boasted converted loft districtswhere people were, potentially, both living and working. 
The early adopters of the contemporary live/work movement were artists and craftspeople. Other groups that have since taken advantage of live/work dwellings are entrepreneurs and the self-employed. They may be freelancers who do not keep regular office hours or need permanent office space. 
The availability and affordability of computers, advances in telecommunications and tax deductions for home offices have made the live/work option a practical and economically savvy alternative for many.
<h2>Movement calls for planning reform</h2>
When the contemporary live/work movement gained traction in the 1980s and 1990s, it challenged the North American urban planning system. New legislation allowed for mixed use, blending residential, commercial, cultural, institutional and, where appropriate, industrial uses. 
This included “home occupation”, which incorporated the right to pursue small-scale work activities at home. This model usually placed restrictions on the number of employees and commercial or client visits to the premises.
The term “live/work” signifies that the building or unit is primarily used for residential purposes, but that working is permitted. “Work/live” means the work component takes priority over the residential. In urban planning legislation, live/work is often associated with residential and mixed-use zones and codes, whereas work/live is associated with commercial, industrial or mixed-use zones and codes.
The main difference between live/work and work/live and home occupation is the “disturbance factor” – that is, how intrusive the activities in the building are for neighbours. 
In Australia, home occupations are generally permitted in current residential and mixed-use zones as long as they do not disturb the neighbours. 
While artist communities and creative entrepreneurs in Australia have been blurring the boundaries between living and working for decades, live/work (or work/live) as a formalised land use does not exist.
The adaptive reuse of vacant or underused buildings and lots is a strand of the live/work, work/live movement. Locations such as Collingwood in Melbourne, Northbridge in Perth and Surry Hills in Sydney are all home to numerous adaptive reuse projects and people working in the creative economies. Councils often turn a blind eye to the buildings’ unregulated use.
However, Australia is yet to see the development of new land use or mixed-use live/work zones such as those in North America. Since the 1990s, live/work has also been formalised in Western Europe. By the 2000s, the movement had taken hold in places such as Eastern Europe, Russia and China.
<h2>What are the live/work benefits?</h2>
As a land-use and building typology, live/work can support urban neighbourhoods through providing a diversity of uses, which can be flexible over time. It intersects with housing, job, transportation and infrastructure planning to support an integrated approach to urban planning. 
The live/work ethic advocates for mixing stores, offices and housing. This can help make neighbourhoods busier and more productive, meaning they may be livelier and safer. 
Live/work offers multiple sustainability benefits. These include a reduction in vehicle use, improved air quality, less dependency on natural resources and reduced sprawl. It can also support and promote efficient land use by putting maximum floor area within a given envelope. 
Increased choice as to how and where people live and work, as well as the accommodation of different lifestyles and new demographics, can result in a built environment that is more responsive to the changes in cities that occur over time.
<h2>What changes are needed?</h2>
The City of Perth encourages residential uses within commercial precincts – for example, in West Perth – but what happens when you want to work in your own home in the city or the suburbs? 
How many workers can you have? Can you put up signage? What services are prohibited? How easy or expensive is it to change the use of a building through the planning system? What spaces and safety conditions need to be adhered to? 
The WA planning scheme stipulates that home occupation means that the business cannot employ non-household members. It also cannot occupy over 20m² or have a physical retail component. A “home business” cannot employ more than two people, be larger than 50m², or have a physical retail component.
With a shift in the attitudes of Australian federal and state governments towards innovation and creativity, planning regimes also need to be more creative to support living and working conditions for the 21st century. An increase in densities presents an opportunity to explore further experiments in live/work.
Andréanne Doyon is research fellow, University of Melbourne, and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andreanne-doyon-305144" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Reinventing density: bridging the live-work divide

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GUEST OBSERVER
The announcement by NSW Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, that an architecture and design policy will be developed to give a focus on design quality is positive, provided a balance between innovation and regulation is achieved. 
Clearly it is better to have good design rather than bad design of the buildings and precincts in urban areas.
While the intent of the policy is good we need to ensure that design does not become a tick the box assessment criteria measured against prescriptive design manuals.
The draft document states that guidelines, standards and manuals will be developed ‘to assist authorities in the assessment of design proposals.’ 
The draft policy document has many worthwhile statements about the importance of design quality but design quality can be a very subjective issue. The draft policy, for instance, says good design is 'local and of its place' as well as being ‘distinctive, visually interesting and appealing’. This raises the issue of balancing local design that fits in with the existing context compared to the one off exceptional design that stands out.
The Urban Taskforce is supportive of the need for design excellence in the built environment particularly as our urban areas become more compact. Currently State Environmental Planning Policy 65 defines design quality through the Apartment Design Guide for buildings above 3 storeys. 
Any new policy must not duplicate the current SEPP.
The role of The NSW Government Architect is supported by the Urban Taskforce as an advocate for design quality across New South Wales. The current Government Architect, Peter Poulet, is chair of the Taskforce’s Development Excellence Awards jury and we are positive about supporting his role.
The most likely way to lift design quality is to ensure the best designers do the work. This is what SEPP 65 does by ensuring qualified architects design apartment buildings over 3 storeys. The use of design excellence competitions with floor space uplift as an incentive are worthwhile and design review panels with a diverse group of reviewers can also help ensure quality.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the NSW Government to develop appropriate approaches to ensuring design quality as cities like Sydney double in size over one generation. Clearly denser cities need to ensure that design quality gives communities a positive sense about both the private and the public built environment. The NSW Government Architect can play an important role in delivering these quality outcomes.
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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NSW architecture and design policy needs to balance innovation and regulation: Chris Johnson

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A premium-grade office tower at 171 Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD has got a 6 Star NABERS energy rating, making it the first commercial building in Victoria to achieve the grade.
It is also one of three commercial office buildings in Australia to get the rating without green power or renewable energy back up (such as solar, wind, or geo-thermal), said a media release.
The property – developed and owned by Cbus Property and Charter Hall – is managed by Knight Frank’s Asset Management Services team. 
It comprises an 18-level office called the Tower building, plus seven levels of PCA A-grade boutique offices within the Mayfair building. 171 Collins Street features an atrium, a high-end ground-floor lobby, along with retail tenancies to Collins Street; subterranean retail tenancies to Flinders Lane; and basement car parking. 
According to Knight Frank’s Nick Mavropsi, head of sustainability, Asset Management Services, Australia, the 33,136 square metre property was designed for a 5 Star NABERS energy rating.
“The property achieved its design at 18 months after practical completion, with only 65 per cent occupancy. The challenge was to try and improve the 5 Star NABERS energy rating to possibly 5.5 or 6 stars, while maintaining premium environmental conditions to all tenants and complying with all lease commitments,” said Mavropsi. 
<img src="/images/2016/09/12/171CollinsSt2.jpg" alt="">
Leader of the on-ground team in charge of the works, Knight Frank’s senior Facilities and Engineering Manager, Harshana Wijewardane, said, “Fine-tuning all of the services was crucial to maximise the efficiency of the installed plant and equipment, including the utilisation of the smart tools available. These include highly-refined EMS, under floor air distributed system (UFD), access control high level integration and the co-generation system.”
“These initiatives resulted in 171 Collins Street becoming one of just a handful of commercial office buildings to achieve a 6 Star NABERS energy rating without green power,” said Wijewardane. 
Knight Frank’s Managing Director, Asset Management Services, Australia Aaron McGhee said the company wants to replicate its success nationally to all buildings it manages.
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