South Yarra apartment building to deliver new standard of quality for Claremont Street

A 20-level mixed-use structure has been approved for a prime riverside holding in South Yarra, one of the last sites in the Forrest Hill Precinct yet to be redeveloped.

The development, which spreads across an amalgamated site at 49-51 & 55 Claremont Street, is an entirely local endeavour, developed by Melbourne-born property development practice Wattletree, in partnership with the prominent Melbourne-based Dorman family via their investment office, Dorman Capital.

SJB Architecture and Hecker Guthrie Interiors have been at the forefront of the designs that resonated well with Stronnington Council members.

Home to 62 apartments, office space, and ground floor retail, as Wattletree Director, Nick Moylan says the building is a product of a changing world, and a return to first principles when it comes to the spaces we live and work from.

“The market for quality owner-occupier and down-sizer apartment product is growing, and from what we’re seeing, still under-served. We’ve tailored product to suit that," Moylan notes.

“Buildings in the area are renowned for over-stacking, early on we made the deliberate decision to go the other way. We’re producing just 62 apartments, ranging from five residences per floor in the lower portion of the building, to full floor residences in the upper, meaning it’s not true high-density living in the typical sense.”

Spread across a wide river facing frontage, the building offers 270 degree uninterrupted views over the Central Business District, Yarra river, Royal Botanical Gardens and the historic grounds of Melbourne High.

A different offering for the neighbourhood, quietly tucked away at the river end, the building is set to take full advantage of its gateway position. The views, carefully framed by generous floorplans, high ceilings and large format windows, are unprecedented.

Another tick for buyers is the air rights on the east and west adjacent sites have been historically secured.

The building itself marks an exercise in restraint.

“Rather than forcing multiple design ideas and materials to compete, we prefer a more disciplined approach," Moylan adds.

"That’s our philosophy in everything we do, find one principle, and execute it perfectly.

No strangers to execution, Wattletree, the under the radar Melbourne-born property development practice from ex-Hacer co-founder Rob Pitts, and ex-engineer Nick Moylan, in partnership with the Dorman family, via their growing property vertical, collectively bring a proven ability to deliver.

“Quality is where it begins and ends for us. Simple, beautiful, well executed buildings that stand the test of time. In our field this shouldn’t set us apart, but we have all walked into buildings that are more form than function. Nobody needs a space that makes life more difficult. Our job is to make life better” says Moylan.

Drawing cues from the mix of heritage buildings, Victorian era and modernist architecture that South Yarra has long been characterised by, the building marks a commitment to do the area justice, now and for generations to come. A fixation with detail that as Moylan notes, “is an obsession. We consider each space like it’s our own, and
couldn’t be any other way even if we tried”," Moylan adds.

Securing unanimous approval for the 62-apartment structure, the building was supported by Stonnington Council’s urban designer, who believes the building sensitively manages its relationship to existing abutting residential properties in a manner that will not unreasonably compromise their amenity.

SJB referenced New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in their design response to the project.

"New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared that skyscraper made of glass and steel have no place in our city or our Earth anymore. We tend to agree," SJB noted.

"With South Yarra being rich of heritage buildings, Victorian era and modernist architecture - this proposal draws upon its context for cues and inspiration.

"We are looking at creating a sustainable, honest and robust building with great longevity."

The project is set to launch later in the year.