<p>Melbourne developer Spacious Group has completed Voyage Altona, one of the closest new apartment developments to Altona Beach.</p>

<p>Off the plan purchasers have started moving into the 49-apartment project on Pier Street, with the remaining move-in-ready one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting from just over $500,000.</p>

<p>Display apartments have now been fitted out, allowing prospective buyers to inspect the completed residences by appointment.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=372638]</p>

<p>The completed apartments feature open-plan living and dining areas which extend onto private balconies and terraces, while full-height glazing maximises natural light throughout the interiors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hybrid timber-look flooring, stone benchtops, Miele appliances, porcelain-tiled bathrooms and generous storage feature throughout the building which also features landscaped communal areas, expansive shared terraces, lift access and secure on-grade parking.</p>

<p>Drawing inspiration from its bayside setting, Voyage adopts a restrained palette of warm neutral tones and textured finishes. Many of the apartments take advantage of views across Port Phillip Bay, while the indoor-outdoor living spaces have been designed to make the most of the coastal outlook.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=3286]</p>

<p>Voyage was developed to address what Spacious Group identified as an undersupply of higher-quality apartment product in Altona, with a focus on owner-occupiers looking to remain within the bayside community.</p>

<p>"Voyage responds to very strong local buyer demand for quality, owner-occupier-focused product," says Barry Plant Projects Director Jarrod Farey, who has handled sales since the project's launch.</p>

<p>"The project delivers an elevated lifestyle proposition, with its design and quality of finish far exceeding anything previously produced in the area, as well as its proximity to Pier Street Village and the beach."</p>

<p>The majority of purchasers have been local downsizers and owner-occupiers looking to stay within the Altona community but who previously had limited opportunities to buy a brand-new apartment.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112195]</p>


Joel Robinson

Spacious Group completes Voyage Altona in Altona's beachside precinct

<p>Homecorp has secured approval for a $360 million apartment development at Budds Beach, paving the way for one of the Gold Coast's most amenity-rich residential projects to launch later this year.</p>

<p>Gold Coast City Council has approved Lýon Residences, a 32-level tower that will deliver 178 two and three-bedroom apartments across a prominent corner site at 8-10 Acacia Avenue and 25-27 Oak Avenue.</p>

<p>The approval comes as developers continue to invest in premium lifestyle-driven apartment projects on the Gold Coast, where owner occupiers are increasingly prioritising amenity as much as apartment size and location.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/l-on-residences-25-27-oak-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Lýon Residences</a> has been designed around a resort-style wellness offering, headlined by a Moroccan-inspired spa precinct featuring treatment rooms, a Nordic sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a soaking pool and a residents-only juice bar.</p>

<p>The rooftop will include a heated infinity pool and spa, residents' lounge with private kitchen and bar, gymnasium, yoga and Pilates studio, outdoor entertaining areas and barbecue facilities overlooking the Surfers Paradise skyline.</p>

<p><img alt="Lyon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d3e29af-8793-486e-a684-52cef862241f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-15%20at%204.32.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ayG2zpLf3SS6Zy8XmKDcQods4kVWb0gm" /></p>

<p>Homecorp Founder and CEO Ron Bakir said Budds Beach provided the ideal location for the company's latest luxury apartment project.</p>

<p>"Budds Beach represents one of the most unique and sought-after pockets of the Gold Coast, and Lýon Residences has been designed to reflect that sense of rarity and refinement," Bakir said.</p>

<p>The project arrives as wellness continues to become a defining feature of new residential developments both in Australia and internationally.</p>

<p>The latest Global Wellness Institute figures show wellness real estate remains the fastest-growing segment of the global wellness economy and is forecast to exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030. Australia continues to rank among the world's 15 largest wellness real estate markets, with developers increasingly integrating health, recreation and community facilities into apartment projects.</p>

<p>Queensland is also experiencing strong population growth, with the Gold Coast continuing to outperform many other Australian cities as demand for new housing remains elevated ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.</p>

<p>Bakir said the project had been designed to respond to that shift in buyer expectations.</p>

<p>"Strong population growth and sustained demand across the Gold Coast continue to highlight the need for well-designed new housing supply. Lýon Residences responds directly to this demand while setting a new benchmark for residential living," he said.</p>

<p>Each apartment has been designed to maximise views across the coastline, the Nerang River and the Gold Coast hinterland.</p>

<p>Located just minutes from Surfers Paradise beach and the Broadwater, the development also offers easy access to the light rail network, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.</p>

<p>Early site works are underway, with construction expected to commence later this year.</p>


Homecorp approved for Budds Beach apartment tower, Lýon Residences

<p>New apartment developments with uninterrupted, north-facing views over Perth's Swan River are exceptionally rare.</p>

<p>Recognising just how limited those opportunities are, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/edge-visionary-living">Edge Visionary Living</a>, one of Perth's most respected builder-developers, targeted <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/applecross-wa-6153">Applecross</a>, assembling an unrepeatable 6,342 sqm riverfront site on the corner of Moreau Mews and Canning Beach Road to create one of Perth's only new north-facing apartment developments directly overlooking the Swan River.</p>

<p>Today, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/riviere-residences-applecross-59-canning-beach-road-applecross-wa-6153">Rivière Residences</a> offers buyers a unique opportunity to choose between completed residences ready to move into now and off-the-plan homes in the final stage, Rivière West.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3823]</p>

<p>Across the completed East and Central buildings, residents are already enjoying the development's luxury amenity, while two of the precinct's hospitality venues are now open.</p>

<p>The completed component of the development gives buyers the advantage of experiencing the finished product firsthand, including its uninterrupted river views, while still having the opportunity to secure a residence in the final stage.</p>

<p>"People are wowed by the view and the quality of the apartments,"&nbsp;Edge Visionary Living Sales Executive, Holly McSweeney, says.</p>

<p>"They're looking for the convenience of lock-and-leave living, but they're not looking to downsize on quality."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3826]</p>

<p>The rarity of the development hasn't been lost on prospective buyers, McSweeney says.</p>

<p>For McSweeney, it all comes back to a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate.</p>

<p>"Location, location, location," she says. "We are nestled right on the front of the Swan River. You can never get built out, so wherever you are in Rivière Residences, you've got views of the river forever."</p>

<p>The unique waterfront position has resonated particularly strongly with local downsizers. McSweeney says many buyers are long-time Applecross residents looking to transition from large family homes into a luxury apartment without sacrificing space, quality or the lifestyle they've enjoyed for decades.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_FowNW0wu8?si=vb25XFq1wZ-iufAW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>A major focus for Edge in recent years has been resident amenity. Across its apartment portfolio, from beachfront developments in Scarborough to luxury towers in South Perth, the developer has increasingly invested in the spaces beyond the apartment itself.</p>

<p>The strategy has largely been shaped by downsizer demand. Many buyers are moving from large family homes with swimming pools and established gardens. While they're looking to leave the maintenance behind, they don't want to compromise on lifestyle.</p>

<p>At Rivière, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hillam-architects">Hillam Architects</a> designed the resident facilities as an extension of each apartment. A 25-metre heated swimming pool takes advantage of the north-facing river outlook, complemented by a large gym, sauna and steam rooms, private dining spaces, residents' lounges, a cinema, games room, and dedicated wine and whisky rooms.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=372542]</p>

<p>The waterfront location has also proved to be a major drawcard. Residents are within walking distance of the Raffles Hotel, South of Perth Yacht Club, the Heathcote Cultural Precinct and the cafés, restaurants and boutiques along Ardross Street.</p>

<p>Beyond the location and amenity, McSweeney says many buyers take confidence from Edge's fully integrated development model.</p>

<p>Having delivered apartments across Perth for decades, Edge now designs, develops and constructs its projects in-house, giving the company greater control over quality, delivery and the finished product.</p>

<p>"What I love is when people walk through their apartment for the first time and say, 'This is better than what we imagined,'" McSweeney says. "We hear that all the time."</p>

<p>Completed apartments in the East and Central buildings are now available to inspect by appointment, while Rivière West, the final stage of the precinct, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=28384]</p>


North-facing Swan River views drive demand at Rivière Residences in Applecross

<p>Nearly 60 per cent of apartments at McNab Group's $220 million The Tannery development in Brisbane's West End have sold ahead of the project's public launch, including a suburb-record $2.57 million sale for a two-bedroom apartment.</p>

<p>The early sales campaign has secured buyers for 50 of the project's 87 apartments, highlighting continued demand for larger owner-occupier apartments that combine generous floorplans with premium lifestyle amenities in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374768]</p>

<p>McNab Group Executive Chairman Michael McNab said selling more than half the project before launch reflected changing buyer expectations.</p>

<p>"Selling more than half the project before public sales open tells us buyers are actively seeking apartments that offer something genuinely different," McNab said.</p>

<p>"Today's buyers are looking beyond four walls. They want homes that genuinely enhance the way they live, with spaces that support health, connection and everyday wellbeing."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374767]</p>

<p>A key point of difference for the project is the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed Dixon's Tannery building, which will become The Retreat, a residents-only wellness precinct rather than being redeveloped into additional apartments.</p>

<p>The Retreat will feature a sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a commercial-grade gym, Pilates studio, cinema, library, co-working spaces and private dining room. Rooftop amenities will include a swimming pool, landscaped gardens, outdoor entertaining areas and dog-friendly spaces.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374760]</p>

<p>Designed by Cottee Parker Architects with interiors by Tom Mark Henry and landscape architecture by Aspect Studios, The Tannery comprises 87 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 11 levels overlooking the Brisbane River.</p>

<p>Cottee Parker principal Dee Passenger said preserving the original tannery building had been central to the project's design.</p>

<p>"The easy option would have been to maximise the site's development potential with additional apartments. Instead, McNab has chosen to preserve the original tannery as a shared wellness retreat, ensuring this important piece of Brisbane's history remains at the heart of the community."</p>

<p>Passenger said sustainability also played a key role in the design, with materials from the original industrial site salvaged and repurposed throughout the development.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374761]</p>

<p>Motiv CEO Carly Cottam said buyers had responded strongly to the combination of larger apartments, wellness facilities and the West End lifestyle.</p>

<p>"We are seeing more buyers looking for homes in the sky that provide the space and functionality of a traditional home, while benefiting from the convenience and lifestyle that apartment living brings," Cottam said.</p>

<p>She said purchasers included both owner occupiers and investors, with demand coming from local buyers as well as interstate purchasers.</p>

<p>Coinciding with the public launch, McNab also announced a partnership with Queensland Ballet, whose neighbouring Thomas Dixon Centre shares historical ties with the original Dixon family.</p>

<p>Located on a 4,465 sqm site at 439 Montague Road, The Tannery overlooks the Brisbane River and is around 10 minutes from the CBD.</p>

<p>Construction is underway, with completion expected in the second half of 2027.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143337]</p>


More than half of residences sold before public sales as McNab announces significant partnership with Queensland Ballet

McNab's The Tannery nears 60 per cent sold before public release, sets two-bedroom West End record

<p>Iwan Sunito's vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Sydney's Inner West has taken a major step forward, with approval granted for the $1.9 billion Five Dock development first unveiled earlier this year.</p>

<p>The approved scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/one-global-capital">One Global Capital</a> will deliver an 80,500 sqm mixed-use precinct comprising 840 apartments, integrated hotel accommodation, commercial and retail space, alongside publicly accessible open space designed to create a new destination for the growing suburb.</p>

<p>"This is a significant milestone for One Global Capital and for the future of housing delivery in Sydney," Sunito said.</p>

<p>"The Housing Delivery Authority was established to identify major housing projects capable of delivering meaningful supply more efficiently, and we are delighted that Spencer Street has been recognised as one of those projects.”</p>

<p>He said the declaration reflected the rapid progress achieved since acquiring control of the site.</p>

<p>"In less than seven months we have progressed from taking control of the site to securing entry into one of the NSW Government's most important planning pathways. It reflects the experience of our team, the strength of our consultant group led by Urbis, and our long-term commitment to delivering transformational projects that contribute to Sydney's future."</p>

<p>When the project was revealed earlier this year, Sunito described the opportunity as one of the strongest development sites he had worked on.</p>

<p>"I probably hadn't appreciated the uniqueness of the site until more recently when putting together the concept plans," Sunito said.</p>

<p>"The proximity to the water, and the golf course opposite, is unlike any other part of Parramatta Road. We have a unique position and view corridors over the water that makes this one of the best sites I've worked on."</p>

<p>The development has evolved since its initial announcement, with the approved plans increasing the residential component from the originally proposed 750 apartments to 840 homes while retaining the project's focus on creating an integrated neighbourhood rather than a standalone residential development.</p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/a-city-within-a-city-iwan-sunito-flags-1-5-billion-mixed-use-precinct-in-five-dock">"A city within a city": Iwan Sunito flags $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct in Five Dock</a></em></p>

<p>The precinct will combine apartments with hotel accommodation, commercial workplaces, retail offerings and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment intended to serve both residents and the broader Five Dock community. The proposal also continues the collaboration between One Global Capital and internationally recognised architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada</a>, whose previous work with Sunito includes Infinity, Arc and Skye North Sydney.</p>

<p>Takada previously said the design was driven by a philosophy of integrating nature into the built environment.</p>

<p>"The concept for this development is born from our design approach to naturalising architecture," Takada said.</p>

<p>"The public realm benefits from biophilic design that integrates generous landscaping, and the development is optimised for natural daylight, airflow and water views to foster wellbeing, sustainability and spaces that foster community interaction."</p>

<p>Sunito has consistently described the project as a "city within a city", with a strong emphasis on creating a destination that extends beyond housing.</p>

<p>"We want to create a development that's not only to be seen, but to be experienced by the whole local community," he said.</p>

<p>The approval comes as Five Dock continues its transformation ahead of the opening of the Sydney Metro West line, with the new Five Dock station set to significantly improve connections between the Inner West, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The precinct will also benefit from its proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor, nearby waterfront parklands and established retail and dining offerings that have made Five Dock one of Sydney's most tightly held Inner West suburbs.</p>


Iwan Sunito secures approval for $1.9 billion Five Dock mixed-use precinct

Dwelling Construction

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<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>The multi-unit apartment and townhouse construction industry has reached record highs over the past five years. However, volatile conditions have led to mixed results for many construction firms.</p>
<p>Construction features prominently in IBISWorld’s Top 500 Private Companies list for 2016.</p>
<p>The list features 57 construction companies, including three companies in the top 20: BGC, Meriton Apartments and Hutchinson Builders.</p>
<p>Year-on-year revenue growth for the 57 listed construction companies varied widely, from growth of 327.5 percent to a decline of 49.1 percent, reflecting a tumultuous year in construction.</p>
<p>The top five private construction companies for growth in this year’s list include Central Equity, Lipman, Mainbrace Constructions, Pellicano Builders and Burbank Australia, which have displayed revenue growth of between 327.5 percent and 51.8 percent over the past year. </p>
<p>While construction companies generally performed well in this year’s Top 500 Private Companies list, four appeared in the top 10 private companies with the biggest revenue declines, including Murphy Pipe and Civil Group, S J Higgins Group, Vaughan Constructions and Grocon Group.</p>
<p><strong>Multi-unit residential construction</strong></p>
<p>The multi-unit apartment and townhouse construction industry has grown strongly over the past five years, boosted by foreign investment and Australians becoming increasingly comfortable with inner-city living.</p>
<p>Underlying demand for new housing is underpinned by Australia’s migrant intake, population growth, foreign investment in the property market, historically low mortgage interest rates, and an increasing desire to live in inner-city multi-unit apartments and townhouses.</p>
<p>IBISWorld expects the multi-unit apartment and townhouse construction industry to post annualised growth of 3.8 percent over the five years through 2016-17, to reach $17.4 billion. Revenue is projected to strengthen further over the five years through 2021-22, increasing at an annualised 5.0 percent to reach $22.1 billion.</p>
<p><strong>Sharp correction</strong></p>
<p>Despite the industry’s bright outlook, revenue is expected to slump by 17.3 percent over the current year as investors hold off on new developments to allow recently added stock to be absorbed.</p>
<p>Recent additions of new apartment stock have exceeded immediate housing requirements, and vacancy rates have climbed in several major markets, particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane. The decline in activity also reflects the anticipated completion of several major projects during 2016-17.</p>
<p>Industry revenue is expected to decline sharply over the current year, before stabilising in 2018-19. Industry revenue is forecast to recover strongly following these corrections, reaching new record highs over the next five years as demand for new housing and rental accommodation underpins a return to accelerated growth.</p>
<p><strong>Around the nation</strong></p>
<p>Apartments have captured an increasing share of total residential building commencements over the past five years, particularly for inner-city multistorey apartment complexes. These projects are expected to make up 39.7 percent, or $6.9 billion, of the industry’s total revenue of $17.4 billion in 2016-17.</p>
<p>Over the past five years, much of the industry’s focus has been on well-publicised multistorey apartment towers in capital cities.</p>
<p>South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have experienced declines in the value of multi-unit and townhouse residential property construction activity over the past five years. Other states, particularly New South Wales and Queensland, have seen strong growth from the same market.</p>
<p><strong>Foreign investment</strong></p>
<p>Multi-unit residential commencements are forecast to surge from 2019-20 onwards as more projects are brought to the start-up phase. Foreign investment in apartment developments, particularly from investors in China, Singapore and Hong Kong, is likely to support this growth. </p>
<p>The Australian market is expected to remain attractive for foreign investors, especially as the value of the Australian dollar is anticipated to remain low.</p>
<p><em>Anthony Kelly is senior industry analyst, IBISWorld and can be contacted <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Surging apartment construction driving growth across multiple states: Anthony Kelly

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<p>The new RBA Governor Dr Philip Lowe says Australia is not likely to cut interest rates to zero.</p>
<p>And it won't have to use the quantitative easing used by other countries, he told his first House of Representatives economic committee hearing.</p>
<p>Dr Lowe says the RBA is very unlikely to "run out of monetary room."</p>
<p>He said there was no need for "incredibly unusual things."</p>
<p>Dr Lowe says some argue he should be cutting rates further to get inflation back up inside the two to three percent target range.</p>
<p>But he says that might blow up an asset price bubble which would be "irresponsible".</p>
<p>On housing Dr Lowe says the surge in construction is adding to supply in housing, "which partly explains the slow growth in rents."</p>
<p>He said price gains for existing homes have "moderated" though there are pockets where prices are "increasingly briskly."</p>
<p>"Credit growth and turnover in the housing market are also lower than they were a year ago. </p>
<p>"Under APRA's guidance, lending standards have also been tightened. </p>
<p>"Overall, then, the situation is somewhat more comfortable than it was a year ago, although we continue to watch things carefully."</p>
</body></html>

RBA Governor says Australian cash rate won't fall to zero

<html><body>
<div>Housing activity falls in August were only partially offset by the growth in apartment building, commercial construction and engineering construction accrding to the Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The index noted housing activity fell 13.8 points to 41.1 in August with apartment building up 8.8 points to 56.8, commercial construction up 1.4 points to 53.2 and engineering construction up 6.9 points to 55.5.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2016/09/07/Screen%20Shot%202016-09-07%20at%2012.14.37%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2016/09/07/Screen%20Shot%202016-09-07%20at%2012.14.37%20PM.png" alt=""></div>
<div> <br>Peter Burn, Ai Group head of policy said very weak conditions in the house building sub-sector overshadowed the positive news for apartment building, commercial construction and engineering construction in August and pulled the broader construction industry down for the month.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"While mining-related work continues to wind down, in August this trend was offset by a lift in other engineering construction work – including in rail and road infrastructure. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>"A pull-back in employment in August after two months of expansion was the lowest reading for this sub-index in five months. Ominously for the near-term, alongside the fall in employment, both new orders and deliveries were negative for the sector as a whole."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Harley Dale, HIA chief economist said we are at the peak of the residential construction cycle, but the Australian PCI suggests there is not enough non-residential activity coming along behind.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>"New home construction has been the kingmaker of the Australian economy in recent years – it’s a shame policy makers have failed to respect its importance," he said.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"When new home construction inevitably peaks by 2016/17, people will look to a plan for further growth. Right now there seems to be nothing, because housing is the convenient bedrock and nobody has the vision to look beyond the short term."</div>
<div><strong> </strong></div>
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Construction turns down in August 

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<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/63125/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>We often take for granted our access to vast quantities of inexpensive goods manufactured overseas.</p>
<p>And we often overlook the unassuming innovation that has made this global industrial revolution possible: the shipping container.</p>
<p>While the shipping container was conceived in the 1950s by American businessman Malcom McLean, it was only widely adopted after the US military used containers to supply its war effort in Vietnam in the 1960s.</p>
<p>After the Vietnam war, container ports were built in Japan and then the rest of the world. Old ports, such as in New York, were devastated, while ports such as Oakland, in California, became the new centres of globalised shipping. </p>
<p>With containerisation went the old wharf-side communities of dockers and labourers, previously employed to hoist cargo with ropes and pulleys. This fundamentally changed not only the urban fabric of port cities but the very dynamics of globalisation.</p>
<p>With more than 18 million in the global fleet, shipping containers have become an ubiquitous icon of globalisation.</p>
<p>At the same time, shipping containers have become a surprising part of modern urbanisation, infrastructure and the built environment. Here, their boxy and bland uniformity has become a tableau for creativity, innovation and experimentation.</p>
<p>Plug-in cities</p>
<p>Container architecture has roots in both mid-20th-century modernism and an entirely different approach to architecture and urbanism that emerged in the new millennium.</p>
<p>Antecedents to today’s container architecture can be seen in Yona Friedman’s La Ville Spatiale, the work of Japanese Metabolists, such as Arata Isozaki, and the Plug-in City of Peter Cook and the Archigram Group.</p>
<p>These architects imagined vast mega-structures to support countless mobile, transportable and containerised units.</p>
<p>In the early 2000s an entirely different approach to architecture and urbanism was emerging. This DIY and experimental approach had more in common with Christopher Alexander – architect and father of the Pattern Language movement in design and construction – than high modernism.</p>
<p>It is also extremely diverse, including parklets, tactical urbanism and the pop-up retail phenomenon.</p>
<p>The shipping container slotted into this movement nicely. Whether it’s a container bar, a pop-up retail shop or beer garden, a garden shed, a prepper’s bunker or entire university dorms, the shipping container has become a common feature of the modern built environment. </p>
<p>Plug-and-play infrastructure</p>
<p>Much has been made of the use of containers in architecture, even though their suitability for long-term living is widely debated. Less explored is the way containers and containerisation have been transforming infrastructure.</p>
<p>There is great need for easy access to infrastructure, from medical facilities to water treatment around the world. The shipping container is an appealing option, being rapidly deployable, scaleable, transportable, plug-and-play and a turn-key solution.</p>
<p>Again, the military has been at the forefront of many of these innovations, as have the oil, gas and mining industries, where containers are used for housing, sanitation, cooking and power generation.</p>
<p>But innovative approaches to containerised infrastructure are rapidly expanding outside the military and energy sectors.</p>
<p>Interest in containerised green energy is growing. In fact, fully containerised biogas plants using methane generated from landfill or agricultural waste are a mature industry.</p>
<p>Containerised solar and wind power generators are also generating a lot of interest. Green Tech Africa, for example, is aiming to provide solar power to sub-Saharan Africa through systems including containerised solar power and storage systems.</p>
<p>At least two companies – Uprise Energy and Natural Power Concepts – are developing portable wind turbines that deploy from containers. This, in turn, has attracted interest from Oshkosh Defense and the military.</p>
<p>All in a box</p>
<p>Innovative approaches to containerised infrastructure have expanded outside the energy sectors.</p>
<p>Clinic In A Can builds fully equipped, customisable, solar-powered containerised clinics. These clinics have been deployed in the developing world, remote areas and in disaster relief missions.</p>
<p>At least one hospital in the US purchased Clinic In A Can’s isolation unit to cope with potential patients infected with Ebola or another highly infectious disease.</p>
<p>A more surprising use of containers is food production. Motivated by the farm-to-table ethos, the owners of The Farmery, a food truck in North Carolina, partnered with Williamson Greenhouses to develop the Crop Box.</p>
<p>This is a complete hydroponic growing system using super-efficient LEDs. It can produce the equivalent of one acre of lettuce inside a single container. Students at Stony Brook University are using a similar system, built by Freight Farms, to grow over a thousand heads of lettuce a week for the campus.</p>
<p>Farm From a Box offers a different business model and vision. They have packaged the core components and tools needed to set up the equivalent of a two-acre farm in a single turnkey farm kit in a shipping container.</p>
<p>Farm From a Box</p>
<p>Water purification and sewage treatment are another two infrastructure services that have been containerised, with systems on offer from many companies.</p>
<p>Residential-scale treatment facilities such as one offered by Biokubeseem like they might offer an attractive solution to cities such as Rio de Janeiro with well-publicised sewage treatment problems.</p>
<p>Containers are also providing scaleable solutions for digital infrastructure as well, from solar-powered internet cafes in refugee camps and developing cities to the rapidly growing market for data centres in the developed world.</p>
<p>These are just some of the innovative and emerging infrastructure services that are being containerised and deployed, not only in the developing world, but in our own backyards.</p>
<p>This isn’t the containerised vision imagined by Archigram or the Metabolists, but it certainly is reminiscent of it, in a Through the Looking Glass way. Not a plug-in city built around a centralised infrastructure, but plug and play infrastructure providing real solutions for a rapidly urbanising planet.</p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Morgan Saletta is from the h</span>istory and philosophy of Science and Department of Management and Marketing, University of Melbourne and an author for The conversation. he can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/morgan-saletta-138289" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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How shipping containers are changing infrastructure: the plug and the play city

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<p><span style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;">2016 will be a record year for new dwelling building, however may turn for the worse in 2017 according to a new report from the Housing Industry Association.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;"><span style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;">The HIA's New Home Sales Report found over July 2016 detached house sales fell in all five mainland states, after rising everywhere in June. Sales dropped by 12.6 percent in South Australia,  8.7 percent in Queensland, 8.2 percent in Western Australia, 6.2 percent in NSW, and 6.0 percent in Victoria. </span></span></p>
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<p><span>Harley Dale, chief economist, HIA, said </span>The short term outlook for healthy levels of new home construction remains intact – calendar year 2016 will be a record year for new dwelling commencements, but the situation could look very different from next year.</p>
<p><span>“The monthly HIA survey of Australia’s largest volume builders </span><span>reveals that total seasonally adjusted new home sales fell by 9.7 percent in July 2016 following an increase of 8.2 percent in June," he said.</span></p>
<p><span>"The overall trend decline in new home sales is accelerating, signalling a relatively sharp drop (from a record </span><span>high) in new dwelling commencements from 2017.</span></p>
<p><span>“New home construction has been the kingmaker of the Australia ec</span><span>onomy, but the cycle has peaked.</span></p>
<p><span>“</span><span>In all likelihood we will experience sharper falls in new home construction in both 2017 and 2018. The magnitude of decline in new home construction in coming years will of course be exaggerated by where we are coming from </span><span>– </span><span>record levels of medium/high density construction and historically healthy levels of detached/semi-detached dwelling construction.</span><span><br></span></p>
<p><span>“There will no doubt be a tendency to sensationalise any negative results for new housing as the </span><span>trajectory of the down cycle unfolds. We would do well to remember that this down cycle is following a record high that is some 24 per cent higher than the previous (1994) peak and that there is an unprecedented degree of uncertainty this time around as to how the next few years of new home </span><span>building unfold."</span></p>
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New home sales trend in accelerating decline: HIA

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<p>Specialised developers Halcyon has made almost $38 million in sales this year from its over 50s communities in Queensland's Sunshine Coast region.</p>
<p>Halcyon Lakeside at Bli Bli has sold 51 homes totalling $27 million while Halcyon Glades at Caboolture Nort has picked up 24 sales valued at $10.5 million.</p>
<p>Bevan Geissmann, Halcyon joint managing director said the Sunshine Coast is a natural market for Halcyon because it is favoured by retirees because of climate, affordability, range of amenities and easy access to Brisbane.</p>
<p>He said another key to Halcyon’s sales success was the diversity of its product in the Sunshine Coast region.</p>
<p>“We have entry-level homes at the sub $400,000 price point available at both communities but also premium residences at Halcyon Lakeside,” he said.</p>
<p>“It means we can appeal to a wider cross-section of the retirement market." </p>
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Halcyon tapping retirement hub with $38m in sales

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<p>The Australian Government has given The University of Sydney and Lendlease a $3 million grant to undertake a collaborative research project to develop multi-storey housing solutions.</p>
<p>The five year industry-led project received the funding to develop and build prototype housing solutions that use high-tech, renewable materials and advanced manufacturing process.</p>
<p>Lendlease Property CEO Kylie Rampa said the demand for affordable and diverse housing is calling for new housing solutions from industry.</p>
<p>“We aim to bring to market an innovative housing system that is design-led, which will help address affordability issues, while developing advanced manufacturing technologies and techniques for future housing construction."</p>
<p>“The products and industry processes stemming from the project aim to create new jobs, skills, technologies and potentially export opportunities for prefabricated housing to meet the sophisticated needs of homebuyers and builders,” said Kylie Rampa. </p>
<p>University of Sydney associate professor Mathew Aitchison said that the project presents an enormous opportunity to bring innovation to the residential construction market, which has remained largely unchanged in the last 100 years. </p>
<p>“Despite major advances in other manufacturing sectors, innovation in residential construction is lagging.</p>
<p>"This project seeks to drive efficiency and safety benefits and boost Australia’s competitiveness internationally, where we have seen a notable increase in advanced manufacturing in building over the past decade," he said.</p>
<p>“We will focus on developing multi-storey prototype houses that can be adapted for manufacture and customised project to project.</p>
<p>"At the same time, we are looking at ways to reduce risk and waste, while increasing the efficiency, safety, quality, sustainability and diversity of market-ready housing."</p>
<p>The project will develop a range of solutions for the multi-storey housing market that address increasing urban density and residential market demands.</p>
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Research grant awarded to manufacture multi-storey houses

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<div>Total construction work done declined by a further 1.9 percent in the June 2016 quarter to $47.8 billion, to be 7.9 percent lower over the year. </div>
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<div>The result was driven by another 5.1 percent decline in engineering construction in the quarter - largely mining related - to leave this component down by 24.9 percent year-on-year.</div>
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<div>The building boom, on the other hand, continues apace. </div>
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<div>Although there has been a solid increase in alterations and additions (major renovations) lately, record building activity through this cycle has been overwhelmingly been driven by "other residential" building, specifically units, apartments, and townhouses.  </div>
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<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mining cliff now 4 years old</span></strong></div>
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<div>Next month it will be fully four years since the so-termed "mining cliff" began. </div>
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<div>Interestingly engineering construction work done increased in the June 2016 quarter in Queensland, where most of the retracement has already taken place, while activity has actually trended up strongly in New South Wales and Victoria over the past year. </div>
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<div>I've long been warning that Western Australia would have to take its medicine sooner or later, and the reality check kicked in this quarter, with engineering construction crashing down to be some 48 per cent lower than one year ago. </div>
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<div>These figures confirm what has no doubt been obvious on the ground for some time - that the local economy is doing it tough as it passes through this painful slowdown period.</div>
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<div>Engineering construction work done has also fallen substantially in the Northern Territory over the last six quarters, including by a further 28 per cent over the past year, with only the massive Ichthys LNG project is holding this result aloft.</div>
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<div class="separator">The good news is that the decline in engineering construction is now thought to be around 80 percent complete, meaning that sooner or later this will stop being such a drag on the economy. </div>
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<div class="separator">In fact, in New South Wales, Victoria, and now Queensland, it already has. </div>
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<div class="separator"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Record building boom continues</span></strong></div>
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<div class="separator">The building boom and its associated multiplier effect has largely benefited the largest capital cities.</div>
<p><a href="/images/2016/08/25/A4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
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<div>New house building, while still increasing steadily in Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia, appears to have peaked for this cycle nationally.</div>
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<div>On the other hand the value of construction work done on attached dwellings was still tracking at record levels in the June quarter. </div>
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<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The wrap</span></strong><br><br>Residential building activity was still running at full pelt through the second quarter of the year, pushing up building costs in cities such as Sydney.<br><br>The Housing Industry Association (HIA) announced today that it believes that new home building will now decline for the next three years, with annual commencements falling from a peak of over 232,500 dwellings to 166,500 in 2018/19, with some downside risks to the forecast.</div>
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<div>The good news is that engineering construction will have already stopped falling significantly over the next 18 months.<br><br>Ichthys aside, most of the project-driven declines have now washed through the figures outside Western Australia.<br><br>Analysts expect to see moderate GDP growth in the second quarter of calendar year 2016 with net exports not making much of a contribution this time around.<br><br>On balance, though, the planned hand-off has been pulled off very well, with Australia now getting close to the bottom of its mining cliff.<br><br>Although resources regions have felt the pain, the largest capital cities have by and large pulled through relatively unscathed. </div>
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<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
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Record building boom continues: Pete Wargent

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<p>House price growth is set to slow in Sydney and Melbourne while other capitals will make up lost ground, the Housing Industry Association has forecast. </p>
<p>It estimates since prices bottomed out during May 2012 that detached house prices have increased by 40 per cent across the eight capitals between May 2012 and July 2016.</p>
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<p>The largest house price rise occurred in Sydney over this period (+65.7 per cent), followed by Melbourne (+45.2 per cent) and Brisbane (+18.6 per cent).</p>
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<p>HIA senior economist Shane Garrett estimates that building materials demand for the construction of new detached houses peaked last year, and will see some easing back over the remaining years of the decade.</p>
<p>"The market has seen significant expansion since hitting a low point in 2012," he said.</p>
<p>"In the case of plasterboard, for example, demand bottomed out 56.55 million sqm in 2012 before growing to 70.98 million sqm in 2015 as a result of the upturn in activity.” </p>
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House prices have increased by 40 percent across the eight capitals since May 2012: HIA

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<p>The ANZ Australian Housing Update for August has noted a risk of apartment oversupply in Brisbane and Melbourne.</p>
<p>The report also said construction activity is also expected to moderate, adding building approvals remain below last year’s peak.</p>
<p>"This suggests that the rapid growth in starts and work done is unlikely to be sustained," the report said. </p>
<p>"However, a tremendous backlog of work will continue to support construction around record levels.</p>
<p>"In fact, the large backlog of construction work presents a risk of oversupply emerging in some markets.</p>
<p>"Significant additions to the supply of apartments are forthcoming in Brisbane and Melbourne, raising fears of settlement risk and eventual price declines."</p>
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