New Zealand Commercial Design Trends Series NZ Commercial Design Trends Vol. 34/03C | Page 33

Below:Eyes front! All units in
Overton Apartments in Cottesloe,
WA, capture the seaside feel
while the penthouses enjoy
panoramic views to the horizon.
‘Not in our backyard’ runs the cry when the
word development is mentioned in the context of a
traditional single house suburb. And all the more so
when the area in question is a pretty, sought-after
beachfront district in Cottesloe – the site of this
respectful 11-apartment complex. Luckily, Overton
Apartments by Banham Architects are a master
class in creating a development that adds to, rather
than detracts from, the quality of the neighbourhood.
There were many things to consider when Rod
Hamersley of Australian Development Capital was
presented with the opportunity to create luxury
apartments in the premier seaside suburb.
“We were lucky to acquire three adjacent sites at
once in this popular seaside area – then came the
tricky part of achieving local council consent.
“From their perspective, several issues had to
be addressed to protect the interests of potentially
aggrieved locals and the look of the suburb itself.”
The list was long, every element another factor
to be addressed in plan by architect Steeg Banham
of Banham Architects. The units had to appear as
separate homes from the street – each with their
own entrance, not reach above 7m from the ground
at any point on the sloping section, and car parking
was to be kept out of the public eye – all factors
adding up to a residential feel. Lastly, the units had
to present a low, dignified profile to the heritage
Cottesloe Civic Centre and gardens sited above.
“For my part, the apartments had to offer the
best of everything – from outlooks to materials to
smart connectivity. Plus they had to all be some-
what different from each other, as a degree of
variety makes them easier to market and sell.”
Banham worked with all these constraints, turn-
ing them into positives for the refined apartments.
“In response to the brief, we created three town-
houses with their own internal courtyards, together
with eight overlapping terraced, single-level apartments
and penthouses folding into the hill behind them.”
search | save | share at