"A dynamic community immersed in nature" How Rothelowman designed MONNO's Stella Maris
When Rothelowman were tasked with designing Stella Maris, the luxury residential development just outside Geelong in Rippleside, their first thought was to incorporate the beauty of the landscape and the significance of the location.
Nick Williams, Senior Associate at Rothelowman, said the design brief from MONNO Projects was to create a dynamic community nestled within the embrace of nature's bounty.
"Our design brief for Stella Maris was to create a dynamic community immersed in nature, with a focus on natural green spaces and a lush garden setting," Williams said, noting the proximity to Corio Bay played a vital role in shaping their vision.
The historic St Helen's Mansion, the 1848 stately mansion which sits at the heart of the development, was also a major driver in the design of the surrounding buildings, as were the numerous mature trees which are scattered throughout the three-acre waterfront site.
"St Helen’s Mansion holds the distinction of being one of the oldest remaining homesteads pre-dating the Gold Rush, something Rothelowman took into careful consideration when realising the site vision," Williams said.
"That didn’t mean imitation, but careful consideration to the siting of the four new buildings around it and composing them in a manner that was calm and harmonious in terms of form and materiality."
The four new buildings, Nautica House, The Arbory, Park Row and The Acreage, incorporate 54 new apartments and three townhouses. They're built sensitively around St Helen's Mansion, a 3,000 sqm subdivided allotment which will be launching later in the year, with a full restoration and extension planned by Carr.
Williams said the Nautica House building, the closest to Corio Bay, was delivered by formulating a floor plan that granted nearly all apartment bedrooms and living areas a view of Corio Bay through repetitive angled walls.
"Directing the view out east allowed the design to mitigate over-looking St Helen’s Mansions grounds from the apartment bedrooms, creating a more comfortable space for residents."
The 'Garden' setting informed much of the Acreage building to the west, Williams added.
"Whilst it is, in reality, a long three-storey apartment building over a basement, it presents as a series of three-storey “walk-up” townhouses facing a heavily planted mews style road and pedestrian way. This meant the Park Row townhouses on Bay Street just sit humbly and comfortably alongside their apartment neighbours with similar materiality and detailing. A magnificent Morton Bay Fig tree separates these three townhouses from the Arbory apartment building providing pedestrian access and vehicular egress from the development."
At the heart of the development is significant resident amenity in the form of a wellness retreat, featuring a 20-metre lap pool and an edible garden, fostering a holistic approach to health and well-being. Adjoining the lap pool is a gym with dedicated yoga space and a steam room.
Read more: Stella Maris: A haven of amenity and wellness on Geelong's Corio Bay
There's also a string of sustainability features such as EV charging, high performance glazing, a communal vegetable gardens and fruit trees.
Williams said Stella Maris has a number of sustainable features that represent a greener approach to architecture.
"EV charging will be future proofed in the development to allow for the anticipated adoption of environmentally friendly vehicles. Solar power will be used in common areas of the buildings whilst all dwellings will be powered solely by electricity in lieu of gas."
Demolition is currently underway at 39 Bay Street, Rippleside, with the project 50 per cent sold. A builder is soon to be announced by developer MONNO Projects.
