Award Winners 2015

EAST VILLAGE, VICTORIA PARK
Developer: PAYCE Consolidated Limited
Architect: Turner, Koichi Takada Architects

East Village is residential, retail and commercial precinct combining leading edge apartments and a unique and vibrant urban marketplace where people meet, mingle, shop, dine out and enjoy a range of leisure options.  The 6,500sqm Sky Park offers residents shade booths, BBQ areas and a communal fruit and vegetable garden. East Village is the social heart for the broader community and contributes significantly to the long-term economic viability and future growth of Victoria Park.  It enjoys easy access to an array of Sydney’s iconic destinations, many of which are within easy walking distance.  

From the very first moment you approach and walk through the doors at East Village, you experience the vibrant activity and atmosphere of a fully leased 32,540 square metre buzzing urban marketplace and commercial centre. East Village sets a new standard for urban mixed use development in Australia. 

VIKING BY CROWN
Developer: Crown Group
Architect: MHN Design Union

Inspired by kinetic artist Yaacov Agam, this dynamic building pushes the boundaries of traditional architecture.  Striking in both form and colour.  Containing 116 apartments plus retail and commercial spaces, the $50 million project occupies a unique triangular slice of land at the northern edge of Victoria Park, Waterloo.  Floor to ceiling glass across wide frontages of each facade provide spectacular views of the park and city from all living areas and bedrooms.  Acute angles, canti-levered windows and deeply recessed loggias create a unique sense of space while structural panels of stark yellow and brilliant red surprise and excite.  The exterior operable louvres become a striking element of the apartment interiors and allow the residents to control sunlight, privacy and outlook

Viking by Crown makes a dramatic statement as a building with an arrow like plan that explodes into a dramatic display of colour on its southern elevation. The design by MHN architects cleverly exploits what would seem to be a difficult triangular site to create a building with real energy.

SOLIS
Developer: Coronation Property
Architect: a+ design group

DA & Design Architects by A+ Design Group, CC Architect Zhinar and this project was in collaboration with Coronation Property. The vision for Solis was to provide the next generation in apartment design for Liverpool  This market often provides smaller apartments due to affordability, so we spent time internally planning, making sure our homes were efficient, allowing every unit the added flexibility of an extra study area.  GFA 15,670 sqm.  As a whole, this is a development which offers urban families a centrally located refuge, delivering a sense of respite and connection with the landscape.  Impressive by day and night, its views stretch across the surrounding parkland and waterways as far as the Sydney CBD.

These two apartment towers on the edge of Liverpool CBD demonstrate that quality development is occurring in Sydney’s South West. The strong use of colour adds interest to the towers which is offset by the pattern of of the balconies. A low rise podium links the two towers with a communal garden on its roof. The building is at a gateway site on the edge of Liverpool and the design evolved from a competition that gave bonus floor space for quality design.

LOCARNO AT HAROLD PARK
Developer: Mirvac
Architect: Mirvac Design

Harold Park is a major urban renewal project located in Forest Lodge, approximately 2.5 kilometres from Sydney’s CBD. Locarno, the first precinct at the landmark urban renewal project of Harold Park, comprises of four eight-level high residential buildings.  270 apartments and 28 terrace homes are arranged around a central private landscaped courtyard while the streetscapes are activated with the unique terrace typology.  Locarno was the first precinct to be delivered to Harold Park with construction commencing in November 2015 and being completed in August 2014. Architecturally, the exterior draws on the character of the surrounding neighbourhood, in particular the Victorian terrace home typology with natural materials and decorative details.  Building construction is predominantly render, painted concrete and blockwork with brick features and coloured lantern windows.

The overall project will provide 3.8 hectares of public park and a retail outlet in the former tram sheds along with restaurants, cafes, fitness facilities and a community centre. Locano exceeds the BASIX requirements by 25% with rainwater capture, energy efficient lighting and free Go-get membership for residents. The architects for the project are Mirvac Design.

DOMINION RESIDENCES
Developer: Cbus Property
Architect: GroupGSA

Dominion Residences is a thoughtfully articulated residential development located in Sydney’s Darlinghurst.  It features two heritage and three new buildings with a total of 109 one, two and three-bedroom apartments.  Its resounding expression is the integration of its heritage narrative into both the architectural and landscape fabrics.  Integrations such as salvaged timber, found architectural elements and a series of narrative works serve to connect the old and the new and give Dominion a strong sense of place, while ultimately respecting the history of the site. Preserving and integrating the heritage buildings, sandstone street walls and gardens was a key aspect of the brief and one that set parameters and challenges for the design. 

The apartments have sold well with an average price of $13,700 / square metre. The medium rise new apartment designed by GSA sit very comfortably in an important heritage precinct that includes the old sandstone goal on an adjoining site.  

EPPING PARK
Developer: Meriton Group
Architect: PTW Architect

Epping Park is Meriton’s Prized masterplanned community, an 800-strong apartment development with a range of varied sizes from four-bedroom townhouses to one-bedroom apartments. Valued at $500 million, its success has contributed to a 25 per cent rise in house values in the Epping neighbourhood. Offering swimming pools, tennis courts, gymnasiums, barbecue facilities and three hectares of public parklands, Epping Park is a one-of-a-kind development for Sydney.

Epping Park is an amazing transformation of a previous television network site. Meriton were early developers in this region and they developed a marketing strategy aimed at investors and owner occupiers. The 40% investors were offered generous vendor finance and guaranteed a tenant on settlement. After Epping Park commenced the government declared the broader precinct an Urban Activation Precinct acknowledging Meriton’s pioneering role.

THE QUAY, HAYMARKET
Developer: Ausbao
Architect: WMK Architecture

The Quay, Haymarket comprises 286 apartments within 2 residential towers (16 and 17 storeys respectively and sit above 1400sqm retail precinct that is built on the site of Chinatown’s old poultry market. Parts of the old façade were preserved in the design and over $1m+ of integrated public improvements have been incorporated. The Quay, Haymarket provides an exemplar of a high-density, mixed- use development as a result of its design excellence, clever response to re-activating the surrounding public precinct, high-quality construction, and environmental initiatives.

The apartments sold very well influenced by the building’s location in China Town. The complex received a 4 star Green Star rating and a 6 star Nabers rating. The winning design by WMK rethought the stage one DA envelope to give a more interesting relationship to the heritage markets building.

100 SKYRING
Developer: Charter Hall
Architect: ML Design, Bates Smart

In an iconic location, 100 Skyring enhances its surrounds with a striking design and activation of the urban precinct for tenants and the local community alike. Combining large, flexible floor plates with inspiring 360 degree river and city views, the building both connects and engages with the precinct’s open green space and amenities, extending the workplace outdoors and delivery leading sustainability features.

100 Skyring is a 12 story A-Grade office building with around 24,000 sqm of office space with the Bank of Queensland as the anchor tenant. The large flexible 2,200 sqm floor plates provide for flexible layouts and have expansive views of the river and to the city. The design by ML Designs, with interiors by Bates Smart, gives a contemporary look to this state of the art building. The ground floor has a number of retail outlets that activate the precinct. 100 Skyring is part go the ‘Gasworks’ urban renewal precinct in Brisbane which is developing as a mixed use centre close to the river and near the CBD.

SHEPHERDS BAY
Developer: Holdmark Property Group
Architect: Robertson & Marks Pty Ltd, Turner

Shepherds Bay is an Urban Renewal project that revitalises the foreshore of the Parramatta River in Meadowbank/Ryde NSW. The $2bn urban renewal will reinvigorate the foreshore and waterfront access with public parks, bike links and communal spaces. Homes will be built over 10 stages and will be set amongst 5 star landscape designs and break-away spaces. The development benefits from state of the are ‘Local Green Infrastructure Centre’ delivering greater energy and water security, low carbon energy and locally generated recycled water using its one megalitre per day recycled on site water plant.

The first 5 stages have been released to the market with the first stage selling out within 2 weeks. The architectural design of the mainly mid-rise apartment buildings is by Robertson and Marks in association with Turner architects. Within the complex are significant communal facilities including a pleasant waterfront walkway.

WOLLONGONG CENTRAL EXPANSION
Developer: The GPT Group
Architect: Rice Daubney

The GPT Group’s $200 million expansion of Wollongong Central Shopping Centre commenced in January 2012 and was completed in October 2014. The project delivered 19,000 square metres of new retail space and 80 new retailers, featuring a mix of fashion, lifestyle, fresh food and casual dining options, as well as introducing Wollongong CBD’s first Coles supermarket and first Target store. The result is a refreshed and well-connected social hub for Wollongong, incorporating a range of easily accessible public spaces for the community and injecting more life into the CBD both during the day and into the night.

Over 46,000 customers visited the new building on its opening day. A dramatic central atrium with a glass roof fills the centre with natural light. Internally architects Rice Daubney have used timber to give a warm character while externally dramatic patterns made of steel from the local Blue Scope factory add visual interest.

SWANSTON SQUARE APARTMENTS
Developer: Grocon
Architect: ARM Architecture

This 31 storey high rise apartment building has attracted global media attention through its novel approach to the modelling of the balcony screens. The architects, ARM, have moulded each balcony edge to to form a 31 storey high image of indigenous elder William Barak when viewed from a distance. The tower contains 536 apartments which all sold before construction began and retail on the ground floor. The project also adapted the Malt Store on the site for commercial and retail uses. Residents all have access to a sky deck on the top floor of the tower and to a range of shared facilities. The external appearance of the building with the clearly visible face of William Barak has given this building a recognition factor that extends well beyond Melbourne.

Swanston Square is already reaping commercial success: 100 per cent of the tower apartments were sold prior to construction completion and the retail elements in both buildings were successfully divested at project completion. The Maltstore adapts a derelict building with enormous heritage importance for active, useful commercial and retails use.

PARK LANE & THE MARK, CENTRAL PARK
Developer: Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House
Architect: Johnson Pilton Walker

These two apartment developments are part of the successful Central Park precinct at the southern end of Sydney’s CBD. Park Lane comprises 393 apartments and terraces across two buildings of 8 storeys and 18 storeys. Designed holistically by acclaimed Sydney-Based architects, Johnson Pilton walker, Park Lane and The Mark, comprise the second residential stage within the landmark $2 billion mixed-use Central Park precinct in Sydney’s Chippendale. Park Lane and The Mark form a cluster of three residential buildings connected by a flagstone-paved, tree-lined pedestrian laneway, named for its proximity to Chippendale Green, Central Park’s expansive public park, comprises 393 apartments and terraces across two buildings. 1 3 5 Park Lane is a low-rise building at Central park at 27 storeys high and consists of 412 apartments. 

The Mark is a taller 27 storey building with 412 apartments.The Mark building has two lift cores which has helped provide a diverse price range for apartments. An interesting feature of the buildings is how the scale of the elevations has been moderated by a pattern of horizontal windows.

Chair- Mr Peter Poulet
NSW Government Architect,
Chair of the Judging Committee