First look exclusive: LAS Group propose Fender Katsilidis apartment tower in Southbank

Melbourne developer LAS Group has submitted plans for a new 25-level tower in the heart of Southbank.

Fender Katsilidis (FK) has put together plans for the 188-apartment tower at 38 Clarke Street, on the corner of City Road and Clarke Street just behind Crown Melbourne.

In contrast to the neighbouring buildings with predominantly glass facade buildings, 38 Clarke Street embraces the industrial heritage of the area, with the building's lower level finishes drawing on the 19th-century local vernacular found on City Road with rich red brick detailing and arched windows. 

FK associate principal Kianson Tay says the design of the tower needed to respect the context of the site and the surrounding area, while offering a fresh, timeless expression for residents to connect with, both within the development and beyond. 

“City Road has a heritage of 19th century masonry warehouse buildings which we believe offers opportunities for contemporary reinterpretation," Tay says.

"There is an architectural language here of tactile materiality and brickwork detailing which we are excited to interpret into 38 Clarke Street. The material palette of our scheme has a sense of solidity and tactility, with materials that will patina and age gracefully over time."

Comprising two interlocking tower forms, the solidity of the masonry base transitions to a lighter and more delicate tower materiality of expressed warm-coloured concrete blades with an oxide finish. 

The lower ground level at street level features resident amenities including a dedicated bike lobby and parking area, pool and gym. 

"To enhance the pedestrian experience and engagement along the street frontages, we have carefully considered the podium ground-level experience through human-scaled elements with a sense of craft and detailed design," Tay added.

"An off-form concrete canopy establishes a datum line at the base, with a composition of arched brick bay windows that evoke the industrial past of the neighbourhood. We were conscious that City Road can be a busy and hard-edged environment,  and so we wanted to introduce architectural detailing and fine-scaled elements to enrich the experience at street level."

The top of the podium features a densely planted native garden bed designed by renowned  Tract Landscape Architects. The garden bed provides residents and neighbouring towers with a visual connection to nature and strengthens the site's ecological value. 

Sustainability measures targeting a 5-star Green Star rating include a bike-friendly lobby with extensive bicycle parking accommodating more than 200 spaces, far beyond typical allowances,  to encourage the use of the city’s cycle lanes and reduce vehicle reliance. From an energy perspective, the all-electric building features distinctive angled fins that will passively reduce solar heat gain. 

LAS Group spokesperson Les Smith said one and two-bedroom apartments are highly sought after in Southbank, particularly at a mid-tier price point.

"We’re excited to partner with FK, experts in tall buildings, to actualise these designs that both respect the heritage of the  area and create a sense of place for people to call home in one of Melbourne’s most desirable locations, just 1km from the CBD.”