First look: Bathla Group to build over 600 apartments in Box Hill precinct
A new 600-plus apartment development is heading for the heart of Sydney's Box Hill.
The prominent Western Sydney property developer, Bathla Group, is set to create 637 apartments across eight low to mid-rise buildings at 34 Terry Road, which have been designed by WMK Architecture to suit the needs of the future community and to cater for a wide cross section of buyers..
There will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as two, three and four-bedroom townhouses. There will also be a selection of four-bedroom sky terraces on offer.
Each apartment is inclusive of views and private open space, with the sky terraces featuring expansive roof terraces, privately accessed, giving views across the Hills Shire region.
WMK said in their design statement that the proposal will provide well-designed housing stock in an area where there is a strong demand for this type of development.
View of the proposed development’s central spine from Skarratt St. Image by WMK.
"It’s designed to encourage social interaction and engagement through the creation of large common courtyards at the ground level, as well as a community room."
The project is not only divided into a total of eight buildings, in a bid to reduce the overall massing, but it is further split into precincts with Block A and C dubbed the Green Precinct. They will feature facades along the northern edge defined by a gridded column and beam aesthetic, taking inspiration from the traditional veranda typology.
Blocks B and D will be known as the Heritage Precinct, with facades featuring a horizontal emphasis and a terracotta red, brown and grey palette in response to the existing buildings on the site and the heritage zone to the south. Blocks E and F are within the Urban Precinct, delivering a formal façade articulation with a more vertical expression, incorporating strong vertical dividing walls and shading elements throughout.
A pool has been proposed in the courtyard of Block C along with a community room on the ground floor of Block D, which will be accessible to all residents.
The Box Hill development lands in an area with a variety of mixed uses that is undergoing significant change, which when completed will include a new retail centre opposite Terry Road, recently completed apartment developments, and sites making their way through the planning process.
“The proposal together with the adjacent Town Centre contribute toward ensuring the future Box Hill area is fulfilling its economic, social and creative potential,” WMK added.
The use of simple but articulated detailing of corners, window reveals, vertical grids and feature boxes, with varying scales of detail, are employed to avoid large, flat planes and break the building mass and building height.
“The proposed design responds to the change from low-scale conservation area to high-density apartment developments and is to be read as a ‘family’ of buildings rather than a monolithic development”, said WMK.
Landscaping has been designed throughout the precinct by landscape architects, A Total Concept, creating a contemporary, functional and aesthetically pleasing landscape that seamlessly blends with the built form and surround area.
Bathla Group have previously developed in the area, with the Pinnacle Collection, which was released in three stages in the heart of Schofields. Just down the road from the future Box Hill development, Pinnacle delivers a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, conveniently located within walking distance to shops, eateries, schools and public transport.
The group currently have a number of other residential developments in the pipeline with a range of town houses and villas, apartments, and house and land projects currently under construction or in planning.
