BKK Architects the latest to enter Doncaster Hill
Doncaster Hill is set to receive another substantial apartment development. 600 Doncaster Road is currently holding at Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit with a full planning permit essentially a formality.
Located on a prominent site bound by Elgar Road, Elgar Court and Doncaster Road, the twelve level project sits on the crest of Doncaster Hill and will maintain unfettered views toward Melbourne's CBD.
Created by BKK Architects, the project has spent the best part of two years in planning, but is now on the verge of adding to the architecturally diverse Doncaster Hill activity area.
600 Doncaster Road, Doncaster summary
- Development site area: 3,231sqm
- Current use: single storey office buildings
- Proposed: 12 level apartment building at 38.9 metres to parapet
- Built form to cover 61% of site area
- 174 apartments: 84 x 1BR, 83 x 2BR, 7 x 3BR
- 701sqm commercial office space
- Three basement levels: 236 vehicle bays, 53 bicycle bays, 177 storage cages
- Ground floor 174sqm residential lounge
- Estimated development cost: $45 million
A green touch
After a process in which the design was amended while at planning, the resultant form employs a highly angular built form with a design highlight provided by a green 'vein' that runs the height of the building.
A key feature of the overall design response is a feature orchard landscape treatment across the western side of the site. The orchard feature is proposed at both ground level and extends up through the centre of the western facade resulting in a “Vertical Garden” anchored by canopy trees.
The vertical space is to be a common area accessed by all future residents from Levels 1-10, inclusive. A third landscape area is provided along the eastern side of the building adjacent to the office floorspace and the residential club lounge.
Council report regarding 600 Doncaster Road
A heavy tree planting schedule is also proposed at ground level, elevating the project above all other recent apartment project completions in the area which provide little by the way of greenery or a softened interface to the pedestrian realm.
Diversity on the Hill
It's a veritable who's who of architecture firms on Doncaster Hill. Eight projects currently under construction have been designed by eight separate architecture entities: CHT Architects, Artisan Architects, ML Design, Peddle Thorp, Ascui & Co, JAM Architects, Woods Bagot and Sgourakis Architects.
The Buchan Group created the recently completed Imperial Doncaster while the paint is still drying on Pearl which is the work of RotheLowman. Architecture firms with projects approved or at sales include Hayball, ClarkeHopkinsClarke, K2LD, De Nova Group and of course BKK with 600 Doncaster Road.
Based on the above, architectural design diversity is not an issue at Doncaster Hill.
