Hvar (OTW Stage 2)

The design concept for Hvar is for an understated street-defining courtyard building that presents as a continuous street wall and backdrop to the park. This project is one of nine buildings as part of a concept masterplan, located on a large quadrant site at the southern gateway to the Wentworth Point peninsular. Originally, an industrial precinct developed in the 1930s, the surrounding context has been transformed into a new residential neighbourhood which comprises new streets and public open spaces which constitute 37.5% of the total site area. A portion of one such street, Amalfi Drive, is located within the site, as is a large area of new public open space - Bay Park. 

The building ranges in height from 6 to 8 storeys with the long frontage addressing Bay Park. There is a natural one-storey fall from the courtyard to Amalfi Drive. The lower five storeys of the built form are emphasised by a change of material and frame to create a pedestrian low-rise scale. The large, deciduous street trees along Amalfi Drive complement the built form and are an environmental screen allowing the sun to penetrate balconies and living areas in the cooler months and providing shade in warmer months. The upper three storeys are clearly differentiated from the lower building with a series of bays that together with a recess in the parapet, break down the bulk and mass of the building. All units have good views, taking advantage of vistas to the park, generous courtyards or wider precinct views. Multiple cores have been utilised to allow a majority of units to have a view to the park.

The development is designed to embrace ESD principles, especially passive solar design. The use of appropriate built form with multiple cores with through-apartments and corner-apartments generates natural cross ventilation. The massing and orientation provides good natural day lighting and solar access into the primary living spaces and external living areas.

The building materials and colours comprise concrete planter walls to Amalfi Drive, glazed white face bricks at ground level to Amalfi Drive, Blue/black face bricks enclose courts and white composite panels and concrete of the ‘hovering’ building blocks at mid-levels up to 5 storeys. The long, generous, horizontal ribbons that are approximately 750mm deep, shelter the living rooms and private open spaces to the north east and visually extend these spaces to embrace the park.

The upper three storeys of the building have been differentiated from the lower levels with a series of bays. The parapet has been broken to relieve the street wall and break down the bulk and mass of the building form. The lower levels are defined by a thick frame and metal pickets that provide fine grain pedestrian detail. Deciduous street trees allow light to penetrate living rooms and private open spaces in the cooler months and provide environmental screening in the warmer months.