SUN SEEKERS - Allen Jack+Cottier Architects

MAY 22-23, 2015
DOWNLOAD SYDNEY’S
BEST PROPERTY APP
FRESH NEW LOOK! News and previews of the must-see properties this weekend
SUN
SEEKERS
Why getting light into
homes has never been more
important – or difficult Page 8
DOWNLOAD SYDNEY’S
BEST PROPERTY APP
ON SUNDAY
6
WHICH FORMER
PREMIER HAS SOLD?
TITLE DEEDS
LUCY MACKEN
MANOR REBORN
HOUSE OF THE WEEK
A YEN FOR
DON’T MISS YOUR
CONCRETE
NEW DOMAIN
LIFTOUT IN THE
AMAZING DESIGN
KATE FARRELLY
JENNY BROWN
12 THE WOOLLAHRA 20
OPEN
HEART
MAY 24, 2015
FRESH NEW LIFTOUT!
How to mend a dim,
dark terrace and
create an easy enterta
iner
Pages 6 and 7
SUN–HERALD
1HERSA1 J001
8 x
●
MAY 22-23, 2015
Cover story
SUE WILLIAMS
Inventiveness key
to finding the light
Good design is becoming more important as the density of our cities increases and
sunlight is becomes more scarce.
A
‘Sometimes it results in a
vision so good it makes you
dizzy.’
Peter Ireland
‘‘They need to address the street level and have
impressive entrances,’’ he says. ‘‘They also need
amenities, whether communal open spaces, gardens,
gyms or pools, and have plenty of character.
‘‘I think a bit more inventiveness is needed with
designing apartment buildings in Sydney. There’s
more in Melbourne, so we need to pick up a little bit.
But there have been a number of excellent projects
that meet the challenge of density (see box).’’
One of those is the Casba development in Danks
Street, Waterloo. The density of the area, says
Michael Grant, chief executive of developer
Cornerstone Property Group, was offset by careful
planning and design.
‘‘We’ll always be the high street of South Sydney,’’
he says. ‘‘But there’s a beautiful sense of privacy and
simplicity with deep balconies, a number of open
courtyards, private boutique spaces and features like
a reflection pool throughout the complex.
‘‘The retail mix was also carefully integrated into
the residential element to add to the Morocco-meetssouthern-Spain feel.’’
The 28-storey Ovo tower to be built in Green
Square, has also been singled out for praise. Paolo
Razza, development director of developer Mirvac,
says because high density often occurs in areas close
to public transport, retailers and service providers
this gives residents great facilities close at hand.
‘‘And we wanted to create a marker for the area with
Ovo the tallest tower there, with its curves defining
the entrance to the town centre and being instantly
recognisable from the distance. It’s challenging
building in high density areas but we believe we’re
been able to optimise the sunlight and outdoor space
while minimising wind and noise,’’ Razza says.
SIX OF THE BEST HIGH-DENSITY DEVELOPMENTS
Chris Johnson and Peter Ireland’s picks of the best high-density apartments:
Harbour Mill, Pyrmont – by Ceerose and architects Grimshaw Partners, its
136 modern apartments woven around the facade of the 1896 Edwin Davey
Flour Mill are now close to completion. ‘‘Blending the old with the new gives
us an architectural point of difference over most other residential
developments,’’ says Ceerose’s Edward Doueihi.
Casba, Waterloo – completed in 2014 with 66 apartments. ‘‘We have a
through-site link and [there are] two or three surprises provided by the pond
and courtyard,’’ says Cornerstone’s Michael Grant.
Moore Park Gardens, East Redfern – completed in 2000 by Brookfield
Multiplex with 560 apartments. ‘‘This was a real benchmark for urban design
and residential architecture in Sydney,’’ says Ireland.
Crown Green Square, Green Square – to be launched for sale August/
September. Designed by Koichi Takada Architects, the 20-storey,
401-apartment development has a hollow centre and cut-outs in the facade,
which allow natural light to penetrate a central landscaped plaza.
Alpha Apartments, Lewisham – completed in April, by Mars Projects with
architect Tony Owen, its pod-like facade creates an environmental screen
which controls light and frames views for its 70 apartments.
Ovo, Green Square – by FJMT architects. 221 of its 224 apartments sold out
in the first off-the-plan sales weekend last month. ‘‘We’re thrilled by how
popular it was,’’ says developer Mirvac’s Paolo Razza.
Introducing Mojo’s ‘He-wins, She-wins’ Collection
VERVE NUEVO
NEW RUMBA BRAVA
At Homeworld
Kellyville
At Homeworld
Gledswood Hills
Let’s live together
DISPLAY HOMES NOW OPEN
1HERSA1 J008
HOMEWORLD KELLYVILLE
HOMEWORLD GLEDSWOOD HILLS
Landscaping not supplied by Mojo Homes. MOH0118_C
s Sydney embraces medium and high-density
living, there is greater pressure for homes to
be better and more smartly designed in order
to stay sunny and bright, and avoid being
overshadowed by ever-higher neighbours.
It can be a tough call with developers and architects
both often having to grapple with smaller sites or
reconfiguring land once used by old commercial or
industrial buildings while trying to create innovative
buildings that can avoid the threat of over-density.
‘‘With the NSW regulations and many councils also
having strict controls in place on sunlight, crossventilation, overshadowing and amenity, as well as
having to preserve the character of an area, it’s going
to get harder and harder,’’ says principal of Allen Jack
+ Cottier Architects, Peter Ireland.
‘‘But as it gets harder, the challenges often produce
better solutions. Sometimes it can be so frustrating,
it’s like banging your head against a wall. But then
sometimes it results in a vision so good it makes you
dizzy.’’
Ireland had been wrestling with an exceedingly
tricky site, with potential for overshadowing, in the
middle of built-up North Sydney. The resulting design
for apartment building Polaris has won plaudits from
everyone involved in the planning process (see cover
property).
Chris Johnson, chief executive of the Urban
Taskforce and a former NSW government architect,
believes great buildings in high density areas need to
address all the challenges, as well as looking good and
feeling comfortable to live in.
MAY 22-23, 2015
DOWNLOAD SYDNEY’S
BEST PROPERTY APP
●
x 9
Or try these . . .
Polaris, 18 Berry Street,
North Sydney
$550,000-$2 million+
l When developer Fuji bought a site in
North Sydney for an apartment building,
there was already a development
application in place. It wasn’t, however,
overly popular. Many were worried the
apartments wouldn’t get enough light in
a neighbourhood that was already quite
densely developed, and there could be
overshadowing issues with
neighbouring buildings.
Award-winning architects Allen Jack +
Cottier were brought in to come up with
a solution. ‘‘So we ... created an
envelope on the site that would allow as
much sunlight as possible, and create
no overshadowing,’’ says principal Peter
Ireland. The building’s bulk and height
has been reduced and an innovative
trapezoid design has allowed 218 one,
two and three-bedroom apartments
over 24 storeys. Many have spectacular
views and all have access to a
landscaped communal ‘‘sky’’ garden on
the top of the building.
Polaris has studios (45-46 square
metres) from $550,000; one-beds (from
50-71 square metres) from $610,000;
two-beds (75-80 square metres with
wintergardens 10-90 square metres)
from $1.2 million; and threes (98-170
square metres with balconies 12-23
square metres) prices yet to be set.
Completion due 2018.
polarisnorthsydney.com.au. Phone
8268 2388.
Forethought: Chip
Kariyawasam has bought an
apartment in Green Square.
CASE STUDY: It’s a vision for the future
The prospect of living in what’s set to be the highest density precinct in
Australia didn’t deter software consultant Chip Kariyawasam when he
was looking for a place of his own to buy. He visited Green Square, to the
south of Sydney’s CBD – the area that’s set to have an average density of
around 20,000 residents to the square kilometre once completed – and
still liked the vision for its future.
‘‘I’ve been deliberating for the last six to eight months about what to
buy,’’ says Kariyawasam, 26. ‘‘But when I went to Green Square and
looked at the renderings for the apartment building Ovo there, I thought
it looked pretty good.
‘‘The density doesn’t really bother me. I look at investments over a five
to 10-year term and by then Green Square will have taken off. I think
Mirvac is a tried and tested developer and I felt it was a good idea to buy
in what’s going to be one of the biggest buildings in the development,
which is going to be a landmark, and that’s why I opted for a higher floor,
too.’’
Higher-density living ultimately means a lot more shops, cafes and
restaurants being attracted to the area, Kariyawasam feels. Being right
by the train station is another plus. He decided to take the plunge, and
bought a two-bedroom apartment on the 24th floor of Ovo for $950,000.
He’s not sure whether it’ll be his home when it’s built, or an investment.
200/12 Macleay Street, Potts Point
$1.05 million+
The Macleay Regis, built in 1939, is a great
example of a fine art deco building that has
withstood the test of time in offering plenty of
light and cross-flow ventilation in what, up
until now, has been Australia’s most densely
populated region. With two bedrooms, this
second-floor apartment is for auction on June
2 via Anthony Birdsall of Laing Real Estate.
Phone 0411 190 400.
294 Military Road, Dover Heights
About $4 million
Sitting on what looks from the outside like a
small block, this six-bedroom, four-bathroom,
three-level house is enormous, and has ocean
views. It was built by Proteus Architects’ Mark
Gerstl for his family in 2007, and designed to
maximise space and light. It includes a
separate self-contained living area. For sale
through Position Realty’s Matt Ratcliffe. Phone
0420 380 119.
216/18 Danks Street, Waterloo
$1.05 million+
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment,
with sliding doors to a large undercover
outdoor terrace, has just come up for sale in
the Casba. West-facing, it looks into the
treetops, with glimpses of the CBD. The area’s
soon to have a Fourth Village Providore and
Kepos Kitchen. For auction May 30, via
BresicWhitney’s Maclay Longhurst. Phone
0420 206 659.
YOUR ASCENT
TO LUXURY
• Unrivalled design, superb interiors and
quality European fixtures including DeLonghi
appliances and Villeroy and Boch toilet suites
DISPLAY SUITE OPEN
• 1, 2 & 3 bedroom luxury apartments
WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY
AND SUNDAY 10AM TO 1PM
• Spectacular panoramic views
• Oversize balconies
57 FITZSIMONS LANE GORDON
• Stunning rooftop entertaining area
PHONE (02) 8215 8894
DESIGNER APARTMENTS
FROM $545,000
WWW.VERTICEGORDON.COM.AU
1HERSA1 J009