New family apartments arriving in St Leonards
An influx of new developments has significantly changed the skyline of the North Shore suburbs, specifically St Leonards and Crows Nest.
For TWT Property Group director Gavin Zhang, this surge in apartments and mixed-use buildings highlights the area’s unique qualities.
“We’ve been working in this region for over 10 years; we truly love this area,” Zhang explains.
Furthermore, he appreciates how St Leonards and Crows Nest are conveniently located near essential infrastructure like hospitals and train stations.
Zhang notes that recent rezonings enabling higher density in the neighborhood indicate strong alignment between developers and government authorities.
“They share a similar perspective,” he explains. “Both believe this area is an emerging suburb that can support additional housing supply.”
In addition, the new metro station enhances connectivity, making the area even more appealing.
Not to mention, it’s just a short distance from the CBD, adding to its attractiveness for residents.
Just back from a site visit to TWT’s latest development, The Collective, Zhang expressed his excitement to Domain.
He shared that foundations are being poured on Atchison Street after a long wait to appoint Westbourne Constructions as the builder.
The project is anticipated to take two years to complete, delivering 93 apartments alongside a four-storey podium for retail and commercial space.
Focusing on owner-occupiers, Zhang emphasizes that The Collective apartments will be larger than average and designed for easy maintenance.
Moreover, they aim for long-term durability in their construction and design choices, ensuring quality for residents.
Team2 Architects were brought on to advance the concept design created by A+ Design Group through development and coordination stages.
“I’ve known Richard Webster, the director of Team2, for at least 10 years,” Zhang states. “I have collaborated with him on multiple projects.”
He adds that working together allows for valuable learning experiences, leading to improvements in each subsequent project.
Zhang appreciates Team2’s strengths, particularly Richard’s professional capacity and extensive industry experience.
Finally, he highlights their expertise in focusing on practical solutions that benefit the development process.
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Webster credits project architect Joanne Kieltyka for her years of dedicated work on The Collective.
He emphasizes that what makes this project unique in the St Leonard’s precinct is its status as an “island site.”
Unlike many developments, it does not abut buildings on either side.
“It’s very much a detached building,” Webster explains.
Consequently, it is surrounded on all four sides by either laneways or main streets.
Due to this layout, the building exhibits a more organic form.
In contrast, many other developments tend to be more rectilinear.
The design features two main elements.
First, there is a four-storey podium that harmonizes with the scale and urban form of the surrounding streetscape.
Secondly, an elegant residential tower rises gracefully above the podium.
Moreover, the strong architectural language of horizontal banding is consistently reflected throughout the design.
This design element, combined with curved corners, facilitates a seamless transition between all four elevations of the building.
“It’s a continuous ribbon wrapping around the building, reflecting the architectural language that we truly appreciate,” Webster states.
The banding elements incorporate either balconies or windows along with a series of movable sliding screens.
These screens allow balconies to be opened or closed, enhancing the articulation and movement of the building’s facades.
Furthermore, the setback of the ground floor creates ample space for pedestrian movement and landscaping by Ground Ink.
This design also serves to separate the building from the roadways.
“It gives the impression that it’s floating above the ground floor plane,” Webster observes.
Inside the building, DBI has drawn inspiration from the gentle curves of the façade in their joinery elements.
“All the joinery gestures feature very soft lines,” explains Anna Goh, DBI director and interior designer.
These lines reflect the craftsmanship of the architect, contributing to the building’s friendly and rounded shape.
“The soft lines are very sympathetic to the focus on a family context,” Goh explains.
She emphasizes that they expect most residents will be owner-occupiers.
The soft lines reflect a natural and biophilic approach, making the design very family-friendly.
Moreover, buyers can anticipate high-end appliances, such as Miele or Gaggenau, in their homes.
They will also find Parisi bathware and tapware, engineered timber floors, and ducted air-conditioning throughout the units.
Additionally, there is a choice between two distinct color palettes.
“We offer a more subtle, tonal palette versus a bolder, more adventurous one,” says Goh.
This flexibility allows purchasers to embark on a design journey.
They can ultimately arrive at a setting that feels most comfortable for them.
To interior designers, the family or resident is always the final actor in the settings we create.
Thus, they possess varied preferences for adventure, solitude, or serenity.
DBI and Team2 collaborated on a previous TWT development at the Grande Pyrmont Bay Estate.
Both parties clearly hold a mutual respect for one another’s work.
“That was a very successful collaboration,” Goh remarks.
She adds that it was similar to The Collective, which presented a complex puzzle requiring high attention to detail.
Moreover, Team2 is a very creative and collaborative architectural studio.
They understand that interiors fit into the architectural shell like a letter fits into an envelope.
Webster states that collaborating with a skilled interior designer like Goh enhances project efficiencies and ensures design excellence.
The development team worked together to create a balanced mix of various apartment plans, sizes, and aspects.
This includes options ranging from studios to four-bedroom dwellings.
“The apartment mix at The Collective is unique,” Webster explains.
It offers an unprecedented number of larger-sized apartments.
This variety reflects the growing demand for a lifestyle that accommodates both expanding families and the need to work from home.
Sustainability has been a key factor in the building’s design.
Over 80 percent of the apartments achieve two hours or more of direct sunlight.
Additionally, more than 70 percent of the apartments benefit from natural cross ventilation.
Some apartments will capture iconic city views, enhancing the living experience.
Moreover, all residents will have access to the precinct’s enviable amenities.
“The transport connections are fantastic,” Webster notes.
He adds that Crows Nest village is particularly appealing, featuring numerous bars, restaurants, and quality shops.
With all the ongoing development in the area, St Leonards is certainly experiencing significant uplift.
