<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/smith-by-valli-collingwood-224-228-smith-street-collingwood-vic-3066">Smith Collingwood</a> is a new boutique apartment development bringing a refined, design-led approach to one of Melbourne’s most established inner-city neighbourhoods.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pandolfini-architects">Pandolfini Architects</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/lisa-buxton-interiors">Lisa Buxton</a>, Smith by Valli sits on iconic Smith Street and comprises just 22 residences tailored toward owner-occupiers seeking a more considered style of apartment living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140747 project_image_fid=367540]

The design of Smith focuses on a north-facing orientation across all residences, a relatively uncommon feature in dense inner-Melbourne settings. Each apartment has been planned to maximise natural light and outlook, alongside a material palette defined by warm tones, custom joinery, and a full suite of Gaggenau appliances.

The development comprises a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with pricing currently ranging from just under $1 million to around $4.85 million for the premium penthouse-level residences, reflecting growing demand for luxury owner-occupier product in Melbourne’s inner urban market.

Residents will also have access to a private rooftop garden designed as an elevated retreat above the city, &nbsp;featuring curated landscaping, veggie boxes, intimate seating areas and spaces for relaxed gatherings. Sustainability has also been integrated into the project through a 7-star energy rating and two secure bicycle facilities for every residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140747 project_image_fid=367529]

Smith by Valli sits in the heart of one of Melbourne’s most established retail and hospitality strips, within walking distance of venues such as Falco Bakery, Carnation Canteen and Alimentari, alongside parks and everyday services. With a Walk Score of 99, the location reinforces the project’s positioning toward buyers prioritising walkability and access over car dependency.

With only a limited number of residences, Smith reflects growing demand for smaller, highly curated apartment developments that prioritise design quality, liveability, and connection to neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140747]

Joel Robinson

Smith by Valli delivers a refined collection of luxury residences to Melbourne’s inner north

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a>’s 640 Bourke Street stands as a testament to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Melbourne</a>’s ability to bridge its storied past with a bold vision for the future.&nbsp;

Rising above the heritage-listed Eliza Tinsley building, the development reflects a broader shift toward adaptive reuse in the city, where historical assets are retained and reinterpreted as part of new residential development.

Designed by <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a> incorporates the Eliza Tinsley building as its foundation, housing a grand gallery and lobby space that serve as both a functional and symbolic centrepiece. The heritage façade informs the tower’s design, creating a connection between Melbourne’s past and its contemporary skyline.

"It's a significant asset and wants to be celebrated and experienced by all residents every single time they go in and out of the building," Rothelowman Principal Stuart Marsland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365684]

Above this historic base, the 68-storey tower will deliver just over 600 residences, a notable reduction from earlier schemes, reflecting a deliberate move toward larger-format apartments and a stronger owner-occupier focus.

Unlike traditional CBD developments that prioritised investor stock, 640 Bourke Street has been repositioned to respond to changing buyer expectations.

"The discussion was all around making 640 Bourke Street the best residence to live in, to be much more focused on the people in the building rather than people looking at the building," Marsland explained.&nbsp;

This shift is evident in the development’s interiors, which emphasise practical luxury with spacious layouts, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing sweeping views of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay.&nbsp;

“What it's meant for 640 Bourke is we've actually reduced the number of apartments. We've increased the overall size of the apartments. We don't have any studios in here, and what that does for a project is it elevates it," Lauren Sheldon, Far East Consortium’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365687]

Rothelowman Associate Jun Chang added, "We were given the opportunity to be more generous. The apartments became bigger and squarer than any other apartments which had been designed in the CBD before that."&nbsp;

Amenities spanning more than 3,000 sqm across multiple levels further reinforce this focus on resident experience. These include a pool, gym, co-working areas, and a range of hospitality-inspired spaces such as a whisky lounge, library, and private dining rooms, many drawing reference from traditional bathhouses and Melbourne’s laneway culture.

"We wanted to make both the pool and the gym area to be absolutely destinational, and when you traverse across to these spaces, there is a gentle familiarity to the beautiful notions of the hammams and the Roman baths, a gentle nod to history," Chang noted.

At street level, the project contributes to the ongoing transformation of the western CBD, with upgrades to Langs Lane and the introduction of retail, hospitality, and gallery spaces designed to activate the precinct and strengthen its connection to the surrounding city fabric.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365689]

The location places residents within walking distance of Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff Gardens, Queen Victoria Market, and the Docklands waterfront, positioning the development within a rapidly evolving inner-city neighbourhood.

"We believe it's the best site left in the city of Melbourne," Craig Williams, Executive Director at Far East Consortium, said.&nbsp;

640 Bourke Street is Far East Consortium’s 14th building in Melbourne’s western CBD.

"A very elegant designed building. It's going to be a Melbourne statement for many, many years to come."

One-bedroom apartments are priced from around $640,000, with 640 Bourke Street targeting completion in 2029.

Renders shown are Artist's Impressions correct as of May 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

Heritage-led design anchors Far East Consortium’s 640 Bourke St, Melbourne

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD Group</a> has set a new residential price record in Queensland with the $30 million sale of the penthouse at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-burleigh-88-the-esplanade-burleigh-heads-qld-4220">ONE Burleigh</a> development in Burleigh Heads.

The sale equates to around $37,500 per sqm.

The two-level, 800 sqm penthouse, featuring five bedrooms, five bathrooms, five car spaces, and a private infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was acquired by a Gold Coast-based entrepreneur, highlighting continued demand for ultra-premium beachfront product.

Selling agent Freddie Tehle of PRD Burleigh Heads said the result reflects tightening supply of high-quality, large-format apartments in Burleigh.

“There’s very limited opportunity to secure this level of scale and absolute beachfront position in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/burleigh-heads-qld-4220">Burleigh Heads</a>,” Tehle said.

“Buyers are increasingly seeking apartments that genuinely replace a standalone home, and this penthouse delivers that with its size, privacy, and direct ocean frontage.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323057]

The sale comes as construction progresses on ONE Burleigh, a boutique development of 17 full-floor residences at 88 The Esplanade, scheduled for completion in early 2027.

Developed by MAYD Group and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mas-architecture-studio">MAS Architecture</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/sici-design">Sici Design</a>, the project has been positioned as a collection of house-sized beachfront apartments, each occupying an entire floor with around 381 sqm of internal and external living space.

When construction commenced, MAYD director Todd Mould pointed to the long-term resilience of premium coastal real estate as a key driver behind the project.

“Real estate, particularly at the premium end, remains one of the most resilient and proven long-term investment avenues,” Mould said.

“Our ambition is that anyone who buys a MAYD-built product can genuinely feel the care, craftsmanship and commitment we bring to every detail.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323055]

Each residence has been configured with four bedrooms, multiple living zones, a private office, and expansive ocean-facing terraces. Interiors draw on a restrained material palette, including travertine stone, timber joinery, and integrated premium appliances.

Interior designer Sici Design said the approach was to reflect the project’s coastal setting through both materiality and spatial planning.

“ONE Burleigh is our vision of luxury living, designed to bring the essence of Burleigh Heads' vibrant coastal beauty into an unparalleled residential experience.”

Residents will have access to a suite of wellness-focused amenities, including pools, sauna facilities, and dedicated relaxation spaces, reflecting a broader shift toward lifestyle-driven apartment design on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323052]

The project occupies a southern Esplanade site with uninterrupted beachfront frontage, an increasingly rare offering in Burleigh Heads, free from the Norfolk Pines that line much of the coastline and often limit direct ocean outlook.

Mould said the design intent was to balance that outlook with a sense of retreat.

“Living at ONE Burleigh is about how your day naturally unfolds, morning light across the ocean, coffee on the balcony, and being in Burleigh but elevated above the noise.”

The result further reinforces Burleigh Heads’ emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held and supply-constrained beachfront markets, where boutique, owner-occupier-focused developments are increasingly setting new price benchmarks.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146358]

MAYD Group sets Queensland record with $30 million penthouse sale at ONE Burleigh in Burleigh Heads

Apartment developers in the Gold Coast are finding new, creative ways to differentiate themselves from competing projects, as new supply starts to flow through up and down the Coast.

Developer BIG Projects brought in the renowned Sydney-based design studio YSG Studio to craft the interiors for The Frederick, BIG Projects' new Mermaid Beach project and YSG Studio's first move into the multi-residential development space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5346]

It was a strategic move for BIG Projects to bring in a Sydney eye to the development.

“Our role is to give our design partners the space and freedom to explore,” says Matt Barrett, Director of BIG Projects.

“We wanted YSG Studio to capture the essence of Nobby’s, to design a building that embraces life, light and connection, while creating a genuine sense of place.”

There are only 39 apartments in The Frederick, including a striking beach house, just 100 metres from the booming Nobby Beach precinct.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5347]

Yasmine Ghoniem, Director of YSG Studio, says their vision&nbsp;for The Frederick "reinvents coastal living."

“Nobby’s has such an iconic energy, it’s one of those rare pockets of the Gold Coast where the community, the beach, and the streets all feel connected,” Ghoniem says.

"Responding to the neighbouring coastline, soothing curves add a relaxing regional overlay, while unique detailing really sets it apart. It’s a place that feels lived in from the moment you step inside.”

A standout feature of The Frederick is its rooftop terrace, an uncommon inclusion for a boutique, low-rise building, where amenity is typically concentrated at ground level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5360]

Positioned to capture panoramic views from the hinterland to the ocean, the rooftop has been designed as a series of intimate zones. It includes a pool, sauna, sun decks, workspaces and dedicated entertaining areas.

“The rooftop was conceived as a collection of spaces where residents can unwind and connect, an extension of the Nobby’s lifestyle,” Barrett says.

Architecture for the project was led by Plus Studio, with landscape design by LDG Landscape Architecture.

SRQ Projects Director Nick Clydsdale, who is handling sales at The Frederick, says the majority of enquiry is coming from South East QLD and Victorian buyers who have been actively searching between Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach for some time.

"They’ve reviewed a number of projects, however this one has stood out for its unique detailing and compelling design,"&nbsp;Clydsdale says.

Site demolition is slated for this month, with construction commencing soon after. BIG Projects is targeting a late 2027 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=110588]

Sydney’s YSG Studio makes Gold Coast multi-residential debut with BIG Projects at The Frederick

Melbourne-based property developer ALTA Property has this week achieved planning approval for the adaptive re-use of a former commercial tower into a $200 million, 169-apartment project at 10 Queens Road, one of the last developable sites along the Albert Park Lake-fronting boulevard.&nbsp;

Set within one of Melbourne’s most sought-after precincts and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser and Partners</a>, the illustrious building will offer unparalleled views across Albert Park Lake, Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;

The mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom residences will be complemented by a ground-floor amenity featuring private dining, a lounge bar, gym and wellness spaces, co-working, outdoor communal gardens, and retail.&nbsp;

The 17-storey building is a masterclass in adaptive re-use, with the existing commercial building’s façade, shell and internal structure to be retained, before high-end residences are built from the ground up in a newly built Albert Park facing addition to the building.&nbsp;

Sitting atop the building will be two 320+sqm penthouses with private rooftop terraces, which are expected to be priced between $9 - $11 million.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa11211b-5581-43f9-940c-fc84d30a0e61" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/C_04.png?VersionId=Yhf5p_1EgGDu_zOIMFgvA8Ug8j3sTFQs" />

Architecturally, the building will feature a curved, geometric façade that celebrates and elevates the existing structure, with warm, muted tones which were selected to extend the materiality of the existing building rather than contrast it.&nbsp;

Interiors will bring together three metre high ceilings with waffle concrete in some spaces, natural timber, granite and Australian materials, culminating in crafted, generous and considered spaces that are defined by authenticity.&nbsp;

The adaptive re-use means that the Queens Road project will be a sustainability led, high-quality finished product, with a 62% saving in carbon emissions by re-using the existing structure rather than knocking it down and rebuilding.&nbsp;

ALTA Property was launched by Nigel Givoni in 2023, bringing over 25 years of experience in multi level residential delivery.&nbsp;

Melbourne’s property market growth is currently led by apartments. According to RPM VIC Apartments &amp; Townhomes Market Report (April 2026), units are outpacing houses, especially in the middle ring suburbs where median prices hit $757,500 – a four-year high that represents 2.9 percent growth quarter-on-quarter.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="647e13d7-b4bc-433a-9bc9-fe3c3dd4f2ec" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/V_06.png?VersionId=ou4NUCWUgA3NAy.6CQJlEdKX50j3dOk6" />

For ALTA Property Founder Nigel Givoni, this performance speaks to the confidence he has in the Melbourne market.&nbsp;

“Queens Road represents a rare opportunity to continue to shape our presence in the Melbourne market.,"&nbsp;Givoni says.

"With a considered project team and a premier site along one of the city’s most sought-after boulevards, we look forward to contributing to the fabric of this established address.

“Other Australian markets are getting a lot of attention, but I believe the depth of value in Melbourne is being overlooked. The fundamentals are strong, population growth is steady and, based on our preliminary conversations with a leading builder, construction costs are beginning to normalise, creating further opportunity."

Givoni says the project is a&nbsp;highly considered example of adaptive re-use, delivering quality, high-end residences, premium hotel-inspired amenities and an architecturally striking façade, all achieved without the need to remove the existing structure.

"We are really looking forward to the market’s response,” he said.&nbsp;

ALTA Property to deliver $200 million Queens Road apartment tower

Thredbo

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
With Australians now having to holiday domestically, perhaps a local ski resort chalet might be on the minds of property seekers.
<div class="sc-pZzYQ sc-oTcDH cVSFPU">
<img class="sc-qYHHM dyhwPj size-full wp-image-596037" src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/images/800x500-fit,progressive/2020/07/04174529/thredbo.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="500"><div class="sc-pTFCl bXqHjO">
This property in Thredbo is recently under offer. Picture: realestate.com.au
</div>
<hr class="sc-pYbQl koSjHi sc-qbCpE geCAmz">
</div>
Thredbo is currently the most popular ski resort for property seekers in Australia, closely followed by Falls Creek.
There are too few sales to see if COVID-19 has impacted pricing at these resorts but we can see that the most viewed property in Thredbo is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131373914" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">3/8 Cascades Close</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131373914"></a>.
It features iconic chalet wooden panelling appropriate for an Alpine getaway and is all yours for $790,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/7/5/REA%20ski%20resort.JPG" alt="">
NERIDA CONISBEE is the Chief Economist at the REA
</body></html>

nconisbee-4KnoX9XmtH

Thredbo the most popular ski resort for property seekers: REA's Nerida Conisbee

<html><body>
There's a Thredbo price record after its current holder, Tussock, has been snappily sold, having been listed with $4 million to $5 million price hopes.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%202.jpg" alt="">
Tussock, the alpine chalet located on one of the highest blocks in Thredbo, was designed to be a soft edge between the village and the national park.
It last traded for $3.5 million in 2005 when sold by Melbourne architect Andrew Norbury and his then wife Jane Parker, one of the founders of Country Road. It has been purchased by another Sydney family.
Norbury had designed the home on Crackenback Ridge, with its construction costs put as $1.2 million.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131259662" target="_blank">two-storey, five bedroom residence</a> features remote-controlled 15 zone underfloor heating, plus floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on snow gums and passing skiers.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%203.jpg" alt="">
Crackenback Ridge changed mountaintop living with its ski-in, ski-out location.
The ground floor of the home is essentially subterranean with only one of the four elevations revealing itself to the viewer.
Six hundred cubic metres of earth were carved out to slot the home into the hill.  
The upper level is a pavilion structure that sits in a field of Tussock's native grasses and flowers.
The pavilion structure is substantially glazed, creating living areas with a sense of lightness and allowing filtered views of the surrounding alpine environment.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%204.jpg" alt="">
The entry is lit via flashing at the upper level, producing a diffused light that filters through an open staircase and into the subterranean entry foyer. This creates an unexpectedly light and warm entry which then leads up into the pavilion spaces.
Reducing conventional height and visible bulk, the main sleeping quarters were buried into the site with a lightweight living pavilion stepped back into the slope above it.
A wide V-shaped wall of local granite forms the camouflaged outer edge to the subterranean portion. 
"The idea was the bulk of the bedrooms would be warm and cozy downstairs, in a space where you don't need much light, and the spaces above, which you inhabit by day, would be all glass," Norbury of METIER3 noted after its construction.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%205.jpg" alt="">
"The knock-on effect is that the living spaces have a great view out across the ski runs.
"This house is actually very inconspicuous given how big it is [450 square metres]."
By pushing one level underground, the architect halved the permitted site coverage, allowing more space between buildings.
The initiative also broke with the comparatively uniform typology of houses in the village, a conscious goal of the architect.
"You just see a single pavilion," said Norbury. 
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%206.jpg" alt="">
Before this design, Norbury had another residence on Crackenback Ridge a little further down the hill which won a commendation in the premier national architecture prize for housing, the Robin Boyd Award, in 1997. 
They sold the home when it became "built out" by other lodges.
Over recent years the most significant sale was De Dacha lodge, set in the village, which fetched $2.25 million.
Overlooking the duck ponds, the four-bedroom European alpine-style lodge ranks among the loveliest of the village’s private abodes.
Former society model Fiona Campbell sold the chalet, which has been an $8000-a-week peak season rental, to the ski-loving Punch family through local agent Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate.
Lendlease resort manager Albert Van der Lee had built it for a mere $28,000 and lived there from 1962 to 1984.
It traded in 1994 for a record $810,000 when Campbell and her then husband, publisher Matt Handbury, bought it from village developers Lendlease. 
Around $240,000 will get you a studio apartment in Central Thredbo. 
Being in Kosciuszco National Park, buyers secure a Torrens Title Leasehold, with leases running until 2057/58.
Owners buy the right to occupy a certain number of beds within a building.
Even out of season, Thredbo is buzzing with crowds clad in sports-luxe, trekking and pedalling up summits.
In summer "it's like having a farmhouse", Norbury said of Tussock. 
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Fresh Thredbo price record after sale of Tussock ski chalet on Crackenback

<html><body>
Winter has come and that means heightened interest in snow property on Mount Kosciusko.
The Thredbo price record is set to be broken with its current holder, Tussock, now listed for sale.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%202.jpg" alt="">
Tussock, the alpine chalet located on one of the highest blocks in Thredbo, was designed to be a soft edge between the village and the national park.
It last traded for $3.5 million in 2005 when sold by Melbourne architect Andrew Norbury and his then wife Jane Parker, one of the founders of Country Road.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%203.jpg" alt="">
Norbury had designed the home on Crackenback Ridge, with its construction costs put as $1.2 million.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-alpine-nsw-thredbo-131259662" target="_blank">two-storey, five bedroom residence</a> features remote-controlled 15 zone underfloor heating, plus floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on snow gums and passing skiers.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%204.jpg" alt="">
Crackenback Ridge changed mountaintop living with its ski-in, ski-out location, Tussock's listing agent, Michelle Stynes at Forbes Stynes Real Estate recalls.
The ground floor of the home is essentially subterranean with only one of the four elevations revealing itself to the viewer.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%205.jpg" alt="">
Six hundred cubic metres of earth were carved out to slot the home into the hill.  
The upper level is a pavilion structure that sits in a field of Tussock's native grasses and flowers.
The pavilion structure is substantially glazed, creating living areas with a sense of lightness and allowing filtered views of the surrounding alpine environment.
<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/2019/6/28/thredbo%206.jpg" alt="">
The entry is lit via flashing at the upper level, producing a diffused light that filters through an open staircase and into the subterranean entry foyer. This creates an unexpectedly light and warm entry which then leads up into the pavilion spaces.
Reducing conventional height and visible bulk, the main sleeping quarters were buried into the site with a lightweight living pavilion stepped back into the slope above it.
A wide V-shaped wall of local granite forms the camouflaged outer edge to the subterranean portion. 
"The idea was the bulk of the bedrooms would be warm and cozy downstairs, in a space where you don't need much light, and the spaces above, which you inhabit by day, would be all glass," Norbury of METIER3 noted after its construction.
"The knock-on effect is that the living spaces have a great view out across the ski runs.
"This house is actually very inconspicuous given how big it is [450 square metres]."
By pushing one level underground, the architect halved the permitted site coverage, allowing more space between buildings.
The initiative also broke with the comparatively uniform typology of houses in the village, a conscious goal of the architect.
"You just see a single pavilion," said Norbury. 
Before this design, Norbury had another residence on Crackenback Ridge a little further down the hill which won a commendation in the premier national architecture prize for housing, the Robin Boyd Award, in 1997. 
They sold the home when it became "built out" by other lodges.
Since established in the late 1950s, Thredbo has become Australia’s premier ski destination, and home to some special chalets.
It was 1958 when Garry Richardson, son of Merv who'd created the first Victa mower, asked friend and architect Peter Muller to design his ski lodge in Thredbo.
There's Seidler Lodge, with massive angled beams, designed by the Austrian expatriate Harry Seidler which won NSW's top housing prize, the Wilkinson award, in 1965.
Sastrugi Lodge, designed by Otto Ernegg in 1958, was renovated with a Dawson Brown Architecture-redesign three decades later and won the RAIA Canberra Medallion in 2000.
Over recent years the most significant sale was De Dacha lodge, set in the village, which fetched $2.25 million.
Overlooking the duck ponds, the four-bedroom European alpine-style lodge ranks among the loveliest of the village’s private abodes.
Former society model Fiona Campbell sold the chalet, which has been an $8000-a-week peak season rental, to the ski-loving Punch family through local agent Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate.
Lendlease resort manager Albert Van der Lee had built it for a mere $28,000 and lived there from 1962 to 1984.
It traded in 1994 for a record $810,000 when Campbell and her then husband, publisher Matt Handbury, bought it from village developers Lendlease. 
Around $240,000 will get you a studio apartment in Central Thredbo. 
Being in Kosciuszco National Park, buyers secure a Torrens Title Leasehold, with leases running until 2057/58.
Owners buy the right to occupy a certain number of beds within a building.
Even out of season, Thredbo is buzzing with crowds clad in sports-luxe, trekking and pedalling up summits.
In summer "it's like having a farmhouse", Norbury said of Tussock. 
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
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Thredbo price record set to fall with listing of ski chalet Tussock

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The ski-loving Punch family have bought Thredbo's De Dacha lodge for $2.25 million.
It was sold by former society model Fiona Campbell, now known as Lady Dartmouth through Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate who had a guide of $2.5 million.
It last traded in 1994 when a record $810,000 was paid by Campbell and her then publisher husband, Matt Handbury.
Following their split in 2001, Fiona famously sold Altona in Point Piper but kept the ski lodge. 
It was followed by a marriage to the 10th Earl of Dartmouth William Legge, the grandson of the romance novelist Barbara Cartland, the son of Countess Raine Spencer, and stepbrother to Princess Diana.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Punch family buy Thredbo's De Dacha lodge 

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De Dacha, the cute ski chalet in the Thredbo village which came with a $2.5 million asking price, has been sold by the former society model, Fiona Campbell.
It last traded in 1994 when a record $810,000 was paid Campbell and her then publisher husband, Matt Handbury to the the village developers, Lend Lease.
Overlooking the duck ponds, the European alpine-style lodge ranks as the loveliest of the village's private abodes.
The red-shuttered Da Dacha is a stand alone chalet which offered four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a lounge room with wood burning fireplace and a dining area with an office nook.
It was a $8000 a week peak season rental.
The lodge was designed by Lend Lease resort manager Albert Van der Lee, who occupied the lodge from 1962 to 1984.
Its building cost was a mere $28,000.
Following her split with Matt in 2001, Fiona famously received Point Piper's Altona, one of Australia's great harbourfront trophy homes, and De Dacha in the matrimonial settlement.
She sold Altona in 2002 for a record-breaking $28 million to hotelier Deke Miskin and his wife Eve.
It was followed by a marriage to a titled Englishman, the 10th Earl of Dartmouth William Legge, the grandson of the romance novelist Barbara Cartland, the son of Countess Raine Spencer, and stepbrother to Princess Diana.
De Dacha was listed by local estate agent Doug Edwards at Mountain High Real Estate. No sale price has yet emerged on the Kosciusko Thredbo sale records.
It has been a busier than usual snow season for property sales with whispers the famous Bernti's premises have been sold.
It still retains the name of the former hosts, Bernd and Tricia Hecher, the always welcoming couple who built their mountain ski lodge in the late 1970s.
He was the stonemason, turned ski instructor and she was the clerk of works, who became the leader of opinions in the tiny village. 
Iconic Athol Lodge is in the process of duplex subdivision with one of the five bedroom apartments just listed at $2 million. Orthopedic surgeons outlaid $1.69 million for Jodee Rich's Athol Lodge back in 2004. 
Obergurgl, located on the corner of Buckwong Place and Brindle Bull, seems set for alterations with a two storey master suite being proposed by the Malouf family. They have consulted the original architect Peter Muller.
The Bellevarde is the newest approved development with construction starting early next year by the veteran snow developer John Fielding.  
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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