Podia lodge plans for six-storey Neutral Bay apartment project
The national property developer, Podia, is expanding its apartment portfolio in Sydney's Lower North Shore area.
They've just lodged plans for their recently acquired block at 96 Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay, seeking to create a six-level, 23-apartment development. It will be the group's second in the area, having previously developed Premier Place nearby.
MHN Design Union have put together the plans which will see the two existing residential buildings revitalized with one modern, architecturally designed flat building, which MHNDUnion said in their architectural statement will complement its surrounding context and maximises amenity to all units.
The building is split between two massing blocks, reducing its perceived bulk and scale from the street. Targeting the owner-occupier, the project will have 19 three-bedroom apartments and just four four-bedroom apartments.
A render of the proposed development at 96 Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay. Image credit: MHN Design Union.
“The proposal has been designed with careful consideration to the local character of Neutral Bay through its interpretation of materiality and form. The proposal achieves harmony with its neighbouring context in response to the provisions outlined in the North Sydney DCP,” MHN Design Union noted in their submission.
At the ground floor and level one a highly articulated sandstone base provides sheltered alcoves for residents, serving as outdoor spaces with view aspect whilst maintaining visual privacy from Ben Boyd Road.
The upper level apartments are made up of rendered concrete and off-white brickwork with projecting eaves creating a horizontal language whilst scalloped vertical walls achieve visual privacy.
Entering at the Southern boundary along Ben Boyd Road, residents descend into a naturalistic “sandstone gully”, expressed as a raw escarpment with extensive planting.
The ground floor sits below the natural ground level, providing a sense of enclosure and privacy from the street, while the split building form allows indirect light to penetrate throughout the courtyard.
The main courtyard transitions into expansive private courtyards for each residence. Large blocks of raw stone and native plants are dispersed throughout the quarried courtyard, creating an intimate connection to nature and celebrating the site’s geological heritage.
Neutral Bay is a prime inner-city residential area located on the waterfront of the lower North Shore. The suburb has a rich history and has been home to several industrial transformations, as well as being recognised as a site of Indigenous significance.
A render of inside the proposed development at 96 Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay. Image credit: MHN Design Union.
Forsyth Park is situated immediately to the West of the Site, which is within close proximity to Neutral Bay shopping precinct, Neutral Bay Wharf and North Sydney Business District.
With a highpoint of 95-metres above sea level, many sites have views across Sydney Harbour, including landmarks such as the Harbour Bridge and the Royal Botanical Gardens. An offering of small shops, community and school facilities are nearby for residents, while sitting just six kilometres from the Sydney CBD.
Podia is also behind a 25-apartment project, coined Premier Place, which is nearing completion just around the corner at 14-20 Premier Street.
The group have a number of projects in the pipeline across the Sydney metro, as well as a 41-apartment project in Byron Bay, with Podia acquiring the hotspot early last year for $18.55 million.
