˜HQ FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD
Leighton Properties and Leighton Contractors

The development has been awarded a 6 star Green Star Office Design v2 rating representing World leadership in environmental leadership and is registered for a Green Star Office as Built targeting a 6 star rating. The building was a joint venture between Leighton Contractors and Leighton Properties and was designed by BVN architects.

HQ was 86% pre leased prior to practical completion and 100% within 3 months of completion and gets a rental return on a par with CBD premium rentals. The south of the two towers was sold to AFIAA, an investment foundation of 18 Swiss pension funds. The project was built during the Global Financial Crisis and was delivered 3 months early.

HQ has a bike centre with 270 bikes racks which have a 80% daily occupancy. The large floor plates of up to 2,880sqm have been popular in the market place. Overall HQ is an impressive project with excellent commercial results, quality design and a demonstration of the value of commercial development in a city fringe location.

MTU DETROIT DIESEL FACILITY - Perth WA
Goodman

Goodman has developed a new industrial facility on remediated stockyards in Hazelmere in Perth. The project began with 18 months of remediation works to remove asbestos sheds and cattle effluent ponds. Goodman has a commitment to a business model that includes owning, developing and managing its properties and this has been applied to the Stockyards Industrial Estate.

The first development was the 10,846sqm facility for MTU Detroit Diesel who took a 15 year lease prior to construction starting. he sewer turned out to be 1.2 kilometres away and so an on-site Aerobic Treatment Unit was constructed. Treated sewerage is used to irrigate the estates landscaping. The project also collects all rain water which is stored in tanks and used for grey water and on-site irrigation. Other environmental features include solar collector panels for hot water, C-Bus lighting controls and TS21 glazing to improve thermal performance. MTU were originally in three separate buildings and the functions are now all integrated into a single building.

To give a quality workplace the building includes a gym, a library, sleeping and shower facilities and a customer lounge. There are breakout areas for informal exchange, a training room with its own gantry crane and a cafeteria. The external appearance is of a crisp modern building of which the tenant, MTU, are very proud.

MIDCITY CENTRE 420 GEORGE STREET SYDNEY
Fortius Funds Management and Lend Lease

CITY WEST APARTMENTS - GREEN SQUARE
City West Housing

The City West Housing Company provides affordable housing across a number of areas in Sydney. The Green Square project designed by Prescott Architects is another example of the company's commitment to design quality to ensure that affordable living fits seamlessly into the broader community. The 8 storey building in O'Dea Avenue has 58 rental apartments for low income families. The overall cost including land was $339,000 per unit.

All dwellings have dual aspect to ensure natural ventilation. The design of the building emphasises a strong base with a colonnade, a middle and a top with units incorporated into the metal clad roof form. The complex provides accommodation for a broad population including residents from very low to moderate income households, retired, disabled, singles and families. rainwater is collected and recycled to the landscaped areas. A common gas reticulated hot water system supplies all units.

To give the building character the use of colour has been utilised rather than the more costly use of expensive materials of complex building forms. The Commonwealth Government contributed Stimulus Package funds to the project. The Green Square affordable apartments carry on the excellent quality of design that the City West Housing Company and Prescott Architects have become recognised for.

CITY EXCHANGE - NEWCASTLE
McCloy Group
Suters Architects

The Newcastle CBD has been struggling for many years as activities move out to the suburbs or to the waterfront Honeysuckle development. This has left many empty and decaying buildings particularly at the western end of Hunter Street. Hunter Water was one of the businesses that moved out of its building into new accommodation in Honeysuckle. In a bold and imaginative move McCloys decided to develop the old site and to retrofit the existing buildings. With so many existing buildings often of heritage status in central Newcastle adaptive reuse is an ideal approach and the City Exchange is an excellent role model.

McCloy with architects Suters reworked the 5,300sqm site to restore the original 1916 building on Hunter Street with its dramatic atrium. It is now tenanted by a gymnasium. Some smaller buildings have been removed to allow a new walkway to connect Hunter Street and King Street. New hard and soft landscape now unifies the remaining four buildings on site.

The most remarkable change has been the to the 1960's drab four storey office building fronting King Street. This has been achieved by cantilevering a curved screen wall of vertical louvres from the original facade. This improves the relationship to the street and re-images the building. McCloy moved their head office into the top floor of the King Street building which set off a chain reaction of top tenants moving into the building.

ADVANTAGED CARE at BONDI WATERS
Kresner Group

The Kresner family began a search for quality aged care in the 1990's when Laurie Kresner needed care. After a thorough investigation of available aged care facilities the family decided to develop their own facility and bought a site in Bondi. The building is now complete and operating as part of the Bondi community. It is designed to feel part of Bondi and to provide an 'ageing in place' facility within the beachside suburb. The building caters for 56 residents in 55 rooms all with ensuites.

Residents can use a number of different dining areas, an enclosed roof top lounge area with views of the ocean and an in-house theatre. The building facade provides an active image to the street and fits neatly between two existing walk up flat buildings. The facility provides low care, high care, dementia and respite care. The low care residents are able to walk to local shops and restaurants and fell part of the local community.

While the building feels different to the surrounding texture brick walk up flats its form is similar and its use of a white facade with highlight colours gives the building a cheerful appearance appropriate to a seaside location. Advantages Care demonstrates the commitment of a family to develop a quality facility that is now an outstanding success.

PORTIA - SOUTHPORT QLD
Meriton

The Portia apartments in Southport are a well designed series of buildings that fit comfortably into the local context. The site is well located with superb views across the river and to the Gold Coast. The development contains 216 apartments composed of 61 one bed, 4 one bed plus study, 143 two bed and 5 three bed units. The complex has a resort feel about it with its common facilities including a swimming pool, a sauna, spa, gymnasium, table tennis room, bar-b-que area, yoga lawn and a bocce lawn. Apartments are for sale or are used as serviced apartments.

The overall cost was $70 million with apartments costing from $320,000 to $540,000. Rentals range from $260 to $450 a week. Since its completion the project has achieved 100% occupancy. Environmental features include water saving devices, irrigation tanks for recycled water and energy efficient fittings. The design of the building is in a contemporary style appropriate for the area. The tall building with its curved facade has a nautical reference with the pattern of white balconies providing interesting highlights.

The lower four storey buildings are designed to relate to lower existing buildings in the area and give a more human scale at ground level. The Portia development is a well crafted solution developed during the Global Financial Crisis that has achieved 100% occupancy. It has been delivered by Meritons inhouse team including the architecture. The end result is a very successful resort like development where residents and tenants can enjoy luxury facilities.

THRIFT PARK SHOPPING CENTRE - THRIFT PARK MELBOURNE
Fabcot
Woolworths Ltd

The original shopping centre at Thrift Park was built in the 1930's and had become very rundown. It was anchored by an inefficient supermarket and 45 speciality shops. Annual sales were $16 million with a gross passing rental for the specialist shops of $190sqm. After the complete redevelopment of the site by Fabcot and Woolworths inhouse retail Property Development Group annual sales are now at $49 million and the passing rental of the specialist shops is at $670sqm. This tripling in performance is a direct result of the commitment of the developers to revitalising the centre with a modern appearance.

The developers and their architects discussed 'new urbanism' principles but decided that a more traditional convenience based shopping centre was best for this site. Access from car parking is very convenient and landscaping softens its appearance. Rainwater is collected from the site and utilised for grey water and landscape watering. The local council of Kingston fully supported the development and key members attended the grand opening in late 2010 along with many members of the local community.

A good example of problem solving at Thrift Park was the need to keep existing committed to the project. A number of these wanted to trade continuously and so the building was staged to allow tenants to move to final locations. The building is located on the Nepean Highway - the elevation to the highway developed a strong palette of reds and oranges that coloured elements that screened some of the roof top plant. The overall project is a good example of Melbournes approach to Activity Centres as the focus for local communities.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING - CHIPPENDALE
Ceerose
Tony Owen Architect


Boston University saw the need to have student accommodation nearby for their growing number of students. Ceerose Pty Ltd has developed a site in Regent Street Chippendale at a very efficient construction rate of $1,800sqm and is able to provide student level rentals. Since its completion the building has had full student occupancy. To contain costs the building uses a series of canyon-like slots into the facade which allow light and ventilation to penetrate deep into the building. Windows from student rooms are slanted into the canyon to preserve privacy and they pick up the air movement which then moves through the building. By slanting windows towards the street as well as privacy the rooms also get street views.

The building creates a north facing plaza with a cafe on the street making a previously unused space into a vibrant public space. The 8 level building is environmentally efficient and can accommodate 164 students. It also contains 3 lecture halls, a library, an internet lounge and a rooftop terrace with a timber deck. At night time the slots with their rhomboid shapes all painted white are illuminated giving an ever changing light show.

Student housing must be built to affordable costs to be able to match student budgets. The Boston University Student Housing is an excellent example of an innovative approach to develop a building for its market. despite its low cost the building is an elegant and interesting addition to the Chippendale precinct.

REDFERN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Housing NSW

The Redfern East social housing project is the beginning of a potential renewal of the large public housing estates at Redfern and Waterloo. The project replaces a number of rundown 2 and 4 storey blocks of flats with contemporary apartments and townhouses. The existing residents were given the opportunity to select lots to move into one of the new units. The tenants in the new apartments are very happy with their new accommodation.

The project was built by Richard Crookes Construction who employed 20 aboriginal workers from the area. The new development includes 106 homes including 40 townhouses and 66 seniors living apartments. A striking feature of the buildings appearance, designed by LFA Architects, is the use of brightly coloured glazed bricks which are offset by white balconies. The new development is an excellent step forward from the drab public housing that was on the site previously and augers well for a future renewal of the rest of the estate.

SAVANNAH, LINDFIELD
I.P.M Pty Ltd
Structured Finance Corp

The "Savannah" apartments are located close to the town centre of Lindfield and include 57 two, three and four bedroom apartments. These are spread across two separate pavilion style buildings which overlook a central courtyard. The project continues the character of the upper North Shore with the use of brick and rendered walls and pitched roofs. Many of the trees, and a Riparian area, were retained on the site to provide a leafy atmosphere.

The project had excellent presales with significant interest from local residents looking to be closer to the shops and public transport. Most of the units face north and have large terraces or private gardens. Good cross ventilation is provided. Savannah demonstrates a successful approach to providing choice for residents living in suburban areas by maintaining a domestic scale within a leafy environment and close to shops and transport.

KOTARA HOMEMAKER CENTRE - KOTARA, LOWER HUNTER VALLEY
BB Retail Capital

The Kotara Homemaker Centre is a bold development in the Lower Hunter Region. It includes 22 tenancies ranging from 100sqm to 3,000sqm. Overall the bulky goods centre has 22,000sqm of space with 600 on grade car-parking spaces. When added to the original Kotara Homemaker Centre this is now the largest bulky goods retail centre in NSW. The centre has an impressive "who's who" of national retailers who were previously unrepresented in the Lower Hunter.

The project was developed during the Global Financial Crisis and now has 100% occupancy. A new vehicular bridge was constructed to connect the site to the original centre. The bushland side of the buildings are all clad in "bushland" colourbond while the street access side has strong colourful signage. The Lower Hunter is now very well served for bulky goods.