A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Kitchen

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GUEST OBSERVATION 
Shrinking kitchens, shared car ownership, moveable walls, demountable pools and socialising spaces for apartment dwellers – the future of Australian home design is a dynamic space.
Adam Haddow, Director of Sydney architecture and urban design studio, SJB says Australians are increasingly trading the environmental, time and financial costs of space for the social, monetary and ethical gains of compact living.
Affordability concerns following steep home price rises of 75% and 59% respectively in Sydney and Melbourne have prompted an overhaul of planning laws to allow terrace-style housing on smaller blocks and zero-car apartment buildings to increase supply of affordable homes.
Today’s housing design buzzword is diversity, says Haddow, a Churchill Fellowship recipient and thought leader on urban design and the modern evolution of city living environments in Australia.
“In the past, we had this fixed idea of what you got in a house – three bedrooms, backyard, maybe a pool,” Haddow says.
“That hasn’t gone away but many people are realising they don’t need lawns to mow and four bedrooms.
“You used to need a desk and possibly an office; now you need a kitchen bench the right height for your laptop, or a sunny courtyard with connectivity.
“These changes are dialling down in home design because we don’t need to create a space (for study/work); it is more about creating spaces where people want to live.”
REPURPOSED LIVING
When Australia embraced open plan living at the start of the 21st century, there were inevitable casualties. Goodbye formal dining and lounge rooms. Also over is home designers’ short lived dalliance with the media room.
Formal lounge and dining rooms will survive in top end dwelling floor plans, as will integrated study zones or home offices, with at least 3.5 million Australians now doing at least some work at home and nearly one million of us running home-based businesses.
Reflecting the shrinking size of Australian households, with couple- only households due to outnumber couples with children by 2030, dwellings will become more flexible with moveable walls allowing room conversions and adaptable furniture serving as room dividers.
SMALLER KITCHENS
The popularity of home delivered meals and our rising café and restaurant culture, particularly in our big cities, have changed how Australians think about kitchens in the new millennium.
Food and drink delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Menulog and Uber Eats have exploded, with Australians spending $2.6 billion annually.
We’re also eating out more. With 85,000 cafés, restaurants and takeaway food outlets, the average domestic household is spending $94 per week eating out two to three times per week.
These trends are impacting how much of the modern home floor plan is dedicated to food preparation.
Kitchens are still the heart of our homes but have evolved from utility rooms to social and entertaining spaces, Haddow says.
Prepping kitchens and butlers’ pantries are on-trend in new family home design. These small private spaces enable home chefs to get messy, away from guests’ eyes and without detracting from their home’s minimalist designer kitchens.
SHARED SPACES
Modern developments are increasingly incorporating shared rooms such as common kitchens, laundries, yoga studios and luxurious relaxation areas to suit the changing lifestyles of their residents and add value and function to available space.
Shared rooms arguably provide better value to young buyers who would rather pay less for a smaller crash pad that comes with a selection of outdoor areas where they can relax and entertain friends.
Rooftops are becoming glamorous entertaining spaces with landscaped gardens, state-of-the-art barbecue facilities, café-style dining areas and chill-out zones.
The Commons in Brunswick, Melbourne has a communal rooftop laundry amongst its gardens, vegetable plots and timber decks. Breathe Architecture says the laundry was one of a series of construction savings that made the apartments cheaper to buy and run, earning them scores of sustainability awards, while also encouraging social interaction between the residents.
The body corporates of older buildings are also investing in the redesign of their common areas.
In 2013, the residents at Paloma in Surry Hills, Sydney hired revered design house, BKH to create a spectacular rooftop terrace where residents could sit with friends in elegant timber cabanas for a front row view of beautiful sunsets over Prince Alfred Park.
Shared kitchens are a fairly new idea, with SP Setia amongst the first developers in Australia to embrace the concept in recognition of more young people eating out or ordering in.
In 2016, the developer launched its Parque luxury apartment project in Melbourne, which included a glamorous shared kitchen designed by celebrity chef, Shannon Bennett. Apartment residents have exclusive access to Miele appliances, a temperature-controlled wine cellar and a dining table for 16 guests.
GARAGING PARKING
Our car-loving culture is rapidly changing, with 3.1 million active Uber users and 100,000 GoGet members nationally. These share services, along with expanding public transport, environmental awareness and dedicated bicycle lanes are reducing the need for parking on title.
Haddow says more small home designs will forego car parks.
“What we are seeing is movement from majority to minority car ownership in the not too distant future. People are totally okay with using the one shared car on the street.”
In Victoria, local governments can waive their planning schemes’ on site parking rules, as happened with The Commons. Located next to a train station and major bike path, Moreland City Council allowed the block to have a permanent GoGet rental car on site instead of parking.
In New South Wales, planning laws were changed in 2015 to allow new apartment buildings to have smaller floor plans and less parking as long as public transport options were easily accessible.
City of Sydney figures show a 500% increase in the usage of its Kent Street Cycleway since 20088. Apartments are increasingly supporting two-wheeling residents with shared bike rooms or racks.
BLUE SKY THINKING
Textured housing exteriors made from recycled natural or industrial material like rammed earth, stone and bottle bricks are in vogue.
Architects are also departing from the traditional square shape, with curvy facades maximising the illusion of space and spherical structures emulating igloos offering bolstered thermal efficiency.
Fifth wall feature ceilings with stencil art and complex imagery have arty home makers talking. All the rage when Michelangelo was painting churches in the 16th century and Marie Antoinette was decorating ceilings with mirrors in the 18th century, housing costs eventually quashed the trend.
Today, some owners and designers are resurrecting it, realising that ceilings are a blank canvas for injecting personality and texture into a home, Haddow says.
Keep a (goggled) eye out for the new wave of above ground pools. Able to be disassembled, the waist deep water features promise flexible all-seasons living in tight inner city spaces.
GREEN HOMES
Sustainability is becoming a major influence on home design, with record levels of solar use9 and rising interest in battery power resulting in the equivalent of 8.28 million households using renewable energy in 2017.10
Savvy developers and home owners are fitting and retro-fitting properties to boost their appeal to an increasingly eco-conscious buyer pool. Low cost improvements include draught sealing, insulation, low flow showerheads and taps, window shading and low wattage lighting.
JOHN MCGRATH is the founder of McGrath Estate Agents. The latest McGrath Report is available <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/mcgrath-report" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Has Uber Eats shrunk the kitchen? John McGrath 

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Justin Hemmes now has so many hotel venues, he's gone out and spent $8.95 million on kitchen premises at Marrickville to supply them all.
His hotel acquisition trail has intensified over recent months and years.
Justin Hemmes, who has been Merivale CEO since 1997, has spent $175 in the past three years, his biggest outlay The Newport which cost $46 million.
The Merivale group owns a growing portfolio of more than 65 restaurants, bars, pubs and hotels across Sydney.
The proposed kitchen space is just around the corner from Vic on the Park in Marrickville, his most recent purchase which cost around $20 million.
In the immediate vicinity are the Merivale owned Tennyson Pub in Mascot, the Queens Hotel in Enmore and the nearby Vic on the Park.
LJ Hooker Commercial Sydney City Fringe agent Jim Marinos sold the kitchen space property that last had traded for $2.75 million in 2010.
He sold the building at public auction, but Hemmes wasn't in attendance.
His empire includes the Coogee Pavilion, The Newport Arms Hotel and The Beresford.
Hemmes trading in the commercial space has always taken priority over his residential holdings, but that's seen some acquisitions too.
All on or close to the water.
Last year he expanded his holdings in the small hamlet of Berrara, down near Jervis Bay.
He has spent over $11 million on property in the area, dating back to his first $665,000 purchase in 2006.
Hemmes also has a 60 hectare rural retreat further down the south coast, the $7.5 million Glasshouse Rocks estate retreat at Narooma.
His Pittwater waterfront acquisition came last year when he bought the waterfront of one of Australia’s most distinguished production designers, Laurence Eastwood.
His family home is the harbourside Vaucluse mansion, The Hermitage.
The Hermitage was built in the Victorian Rustic Gothic style and is one of the earliest mansions in Sydney's east.
Hemmes grew up in the home that belonged to his parents, mother Merivale, his late father late John Hemmes and his sister Bettina.
His most recent move was to submit plans for a sunroom pavilion.
Landscaper Michael Bates recently undertook a makeover for The Hermitage garden, which he dubs an entertainer’s garden. The garden comes complete with an outside bathtub, and the de rigour fire pit too.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Hotelier Justin Hemmes secures commercial kitchen to services his venues

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Before you knock down your kitchen walls to increase the value of your home with an open plan, have a think about this: the closed off kitchen could make a comeback in future years, according to Secret Agents’ latest bulletin report.
Trendsetting architects are returning to pre-war designs where kitchen and entertainment areas are separated. There is an emerging market for this kind of home.
Many parents who have raised their family in an open plan kitchen would understand that, whilst great for inclusion, there are certain drawbacks to a lack of four walls.
There is no escaping the noise from the television, no way of treating cooking as a peaceful experience, and no way to hide the mess that the kids leave on the dining table from plain sight. Further, when guests come over, it is often impossible to get them to move to the living room.
A closed off kitchen allows the user to relax in a calming environment and momentarily retreat from the chaos of raising a family. It is also great for those who don’t want to be on show the entire time when guests come over.
Layout aside, the future kitchen from a technological standpoint is looking bright. We might even begin to see chef-less kitchens. In fact, that future is not too far away.
Moley, the world’s first robotic kitchen, is currently being crowdfunded for a launch in 2018. The company hopes to sell Moley for a price comparable to the average cost of kitchen refurbishment, around $46,000AUD.
“In more realistic terms however, Secret Agent believes that the evolution of the near-future kitchen will be less of a romantic tech fantasy,” the report stated.
Technology will not cook for us, but it will do what it does best for humanity: automate the mundane and menial, while enhancing the core experience. There is still joy to be had in cooking for yourself.
“Expect in-built Apple or Google devices in your kitchen hardware and smarter appliances. Maybe a countertop touchscreen (not voice activated, because let’s face it - we wouldn’t want Siri’s attitude in the kitchen) that retrieves your favourite recipe at your command, prompting instructions according to the preparation time. No more scrolling through recipes on your phone or tablet with your grubby, greasy hands mid-way through preparing food. No more overcooked roast chicken,” the report suggested.
Imagine a more seamless workflow, with taps switching on automatically and fridge doors that open as you approach.
Range-hoods that adjust their setting according to the intensity of your cooking. The less you need to touch, the less there is to clean.
There will be more time for enjoying the food you’ve made and the company around you, and less time required to do the actual cooking.
Many of these technologies already exist. Yet until smart home technology becomes ubiquitous and accessible to every household, it remains a future for most of us.
Humans have been cooking since the beginning of time, and it’s not about to change just because we can make robots cook like a chef.
Perhaps the best version of a kitchen we can look forward to is one that cleans itself. Now, that’s something worth developing.
Kitchen layouts can generally be divided into 4 shapes: I, L, II and U, according to Secret Agent’s latest bulletin report.
“Secret Agent thought it would be interesting to take a sample of properties in a niche market of Melbourne and find out which kitchen layouts were most popular. Since we deal with a lot of period homes within inner Melbourne, 507 Victorian and Edwardian terrace houses from this region were selected for the comparison. The houses were all sold in 2016. Regardless of the layout, on average, kitchens were found to be approximately 12sqm in size. The rest of our findings are shown on the right,” the report stated.
I (Single wall kitchen)
• By far this is the least common configuration amongst terrace houses, only present in about 6% of homes. However, Secret Agent notes that this is highly popular in new one and two bedroom apartments and studios with limited internal space.
• This layout is usually found in dwellings with limited floor space, as it usually shares its circulation path with other areas of the house.
• The work triangle doesn’t exist, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to cook! However, this kitchen type usually accommodates only one person cooking at a time.
<a href="/images/2016/11/08/Single%20wall%20kitchen.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/08/Single%20wall%20kitchen.jpg" alt="">
• Due to the lack of counter space, the dining table often doubles up as additional work room. Mobile kitchen islands are also a convenient alternative.
• The single wall layout may suit those who don’t cook often or spend much time in the kitchen, as it offers the bare minimum utility while occupying the least amount of space. You’ll also have your back to your guests when cooking, which isn’t a very sociable gesture.
• Some of these kitchens are also designed to be hidden behind sliding or pocket doors to minimise visual clutter.
II, or “Gallery” (Parallel benchtops)
• This kitchen layout accounts for just under a fifth of the homes studied. Taking its name from the galleys (kitchens) of ships and airplanes, this layout is common in commercial kitchens for its highly efficient nature.
• Essentially, this is a single wall kitchen with a benchtop island, or two parallel single wall kitchens. The former is a more social option due to the island, with the latter having limited face-to-face interaction with guests.
<a href="/images/2016/11/08/Parallel%20benchtops.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/08/Parallel%20benchtops.jpg" alt="">
• Depending on the size of the kitchen, this II-layout allows more than one person to work comfortably in the kitchen.
• Foot traffic in galley kitchens can be disruptive, depending on the distance between both counters. Ideally, it should be between 1.2m to 1.6m, with greater widths making it inconvenient to walk back and forth. Anything narrower than the minimum suggested would restrict movement with more than one person in the kitchen, particularly when opening drawers and ovens.
L-shaped
• Just under a fifth of the homes observed had this kitchen layout.
• The work triangle does not have any obstructions in the path, and can comfortably fit two persons cooking.
• Similar to the I-layout, the L also commonly shares its circulation space with the dining area or a corridor. It is a more flexible option that suits any room size, while offering an improved workflow from the simpler I-layout.
<a href="/images/2016/11/08/L%20kitchens.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/08/L%20kitchens.jpg" alt="">
• In open plan homes, it lacks the social connection with the living and dining areas, as you will still have your back to your guests.
• Instead of adding an island (turning this into a U-layout), some may prefer to have a regular dining table nearby. This way, it provides an all-round dining surface, as opposed to an island which only provides seating on one side.
U-shaped
• This is the most common kitchen type, making up two- thirds of all the terraces we looked at. We have also included what most would call the “G-shape” or “L-shape with island” as part of this group for simplicity, as it has the same wrap-around, three-sided layout.
• The U-shape offers the most flexibility and variation, on top of being a highly social configuration. It suits both smaller and larger homes, in both open plan and closed plan layouts.
• This kitchen type is divided into zones (casual dining, preparing, cooking, cleaning), as opposed to a proper work triangle, allowing multiple people to work in the kitchen at any one time.
<a href="/images/2016/11/08/U%20kitchens.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/08/U%20kitchens.jpg" alt="">
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