Surfers Paradise, Australia.
Our client, a significant national development group, with a track record of successfully developing major apartment buildings in other places, is expanding beyond their traditional markets in developing this tower of holiday apartments on a prime site close to the beach in Surfers Paradise. Our concept here, to accommodate smaller 1, 2 and 3 bed holiday apartments for short term rental, varies from the usual Gold Coast typology where living areas are fronted by balconies and therefore detached from the view, with fragmented tower forms and largely finished in painted render and concrete. We have developed a concept for the tower from first principles and a deeper understanding of guests’ real needs and experience, as well as a more sophisticated understanding and approach of how a tower form might better be perceived as a genuine sub-tropical tower responsive to its beachside location.
Critical to the project’s success is also the need for a high level of cost efficiency and a building which would be low maintenance in the extreme salt environment. Our design envisages the tower as a low cost, multi coloured blue and green glass clad urban marker at this prominent site, with integrated vertical aluminium sunshades arranged in a disparate pattern. Rather than eroded corners given over to balconies, prime living areas occupy those spaces. These then offer a more dramatic and heightened appreciation of the spectacular views and reinforce the rectilinear exterior form. Small but very useable balconies are partly recessed for protection from the high wind conditions, and partly project beyond, acting as a counterpoint to the more disciplined expression of the taught glass and delicate, projecting sunshade skin.
The tower is 26 levels high, which includes a 4 level, 3 dimensional, green screened podium carpark and a further 2 basements of car-parking. A major pool and recreation area at podium level, heavily landscaped, enjoys a prospect over the ocean and beach with a northern aspect. The typical floors accommodate 8 apartments per floor arranged around a central core, planned with a concern for good access to natural light and views from all bedrooms and living areas. Compact kitchens and bathrooms ensure that maximum space is biased to the living areas with wide frontages to the views uninhibited being fronted by balconies. Nonetheless, there is direct balcony access to all living areas and master bedrooms. This is short term holiday accommodation for the modern traveller where the natural advantages of the site’s location can be enjoyed to the maximum in spacious luxury and comfort.
