Hitting the heights on Chapel Street
Two new planning applications with Stonnington City Council are seeking to continue the trend of increasingly taller towers making their way into South Yarra's Forrest Hill Precinct. Lodged during late June, CBD-based entity Lantern River Pty Ltd is behind a proposal located at 671 Chapel Street which would see a 30 level residential tower replace a low-rise retail outlet, while Fridcorp have also sought approval for a mixed-use development at 627 Chapel Street.
Design firm Architecton has drawn inspiration form fine jewellery and faceted forms in order to conceive 671 Chapel Street with the predominantly black tower contrasted by bronze highlights. Abutting Melbourne High School and with a nominal value of $115 million, the proposal adds to the rapidly evolving streetscape within the Forrest Hill Precinct which has seen the northern stretch of Chapel Street subject to multiple tower proposals.
671 Chapel Street overview
The design seeks to deliver on one of the key objectives of the DDO control which is… 'to provide tall slender building forms rather than bulky, monolithic buildings in order to minimise visual bulk'.
The site context has been carefully analysed and considered, which has generated a sculptural building form that responds to key influences within its surrounding context.
The project leverages the incredible view amenity offered by the location of the site and its location within the Forest Hill North Precinct. The proposed development will create public interface that provides a vibrant, attractive and safe pedestrian connection through the Forrest Hill Precinct.
The proposal provides new residential apartments over 30 storeys and a 6 level basement carpark inclusive of residential amenity spaces such as shared lounges, rooftop bar, pool, library, gymnasium and yoga room. Activated public realm at Chapel Street with highly exposed retail and commercial spaces all integrated via a landscaped porte cochere.
The form and facades of the proposed tower have been influenced and moulded by the key heritage components of the immediate precinct, resulting in an architectural language which is responsive and deferential to the sites surrounding history, yet embracing the changing characteristics of Chapel Street, but also avoiding the unreasonable visual bulk of new development when viewed from surrounding areas by ensuring appropriate scales, form and articulation.
Architecton website
Fridcorp's proposal for 627 Chapel Street would see a tower with a nominal cost of $130 million delivered, consisting of retail, hospitality and residential uses. Both 627 Chapel Street and 671 Chapel Street are in and amongst a handful of current projects intent on redefining South Yarra's emerging skyline.
Next to 671 Chapel Street Malaysia's Gamuda Land has launched 661 Chapel Street within Malaysia, with a local sales campaign expected to begin during September. Valued at $146 million, Gamuda Land's first foray into the Melbourne residential sector will see 169 apartments delivered with one, two and three bedroom layouts available.
Adjoining 661 Chapel Street is Royal Como at 21 levels while 649 Chapel Street at 20 levels and with an estimated value of $50 million is still under planning assessment. Rounding out the spike in development along this pocket of Chapel Street is LK Property Group's Capitol Grand which recently gained planning approval, and at 50 levels will stand as the suburb's tallest building.
