Willoughby Grounds launches, merging architecture and history in Sydney's lower North Shore
The first stage of Willoughby Grounds, a community-style project with unique architecture reflecting the industrial history of Sydney’s lower North Shore, has hit the market.
Willoughby Grounds, which is being developed by First Quadrant Properties along with funding partner Qualitas, comprises five distinct buildings, each with their own architectural style and interior design.
Just 164 apartments will be spread across the five buildings designed by Mo Chehelnabi from Architecture Urbaneia, with only 30 to 35 units in each.
“When designing Willoughby Grounds we wanted to foster a sense of community by giving a nod to the past and you’ll see each of the residential buildings with its own unique design style,” says Adam Reeves, Director of Sales and Marketing at First Quadrant Properties.
"Whilst the project has 164 apartments in total the individual buildings each contains 30-35 units meaning good separation with most apartments having dual aspects to maximise natural light and ventilation," Reeves says.
“People want to know their neighbours these days and feel like they’re part of their own community."
Each building contains design features that recognise the unique industries that used to exist in the Willoughby area; tanneries, pottery, blacksmiths, logging and brickworks. The design brief was to allow the multi-layered architecture and flourishing natural landscape work in unison to create a sense of serenity and connection to place.
Face brickwork, metal cladding and concrete framing interacts with the surrounding greenery and inclusion of jacaranda trees - for which the lower North Shore is famous for.
DKO has handled the interiors of the apartments which feature European oak floors, stone and marble benchtops, Miele or Gaggenau appliances, Parisi tapware and integrated fridges.
“We wanted to build a residence that actually enhanced the neighbourhood around it,” Reeves added.
“It’s quite different to the singular, imposing structures that dominate much of the Sydney residential landscape at the moment.”
The first stage of the project features the release of apartments in the Fleming building which is designed to reflect the tanneries from the 1800s.
For nearly 90 years Willoughby was known for its tanneries with as many as 15 tanning pits operating at the one time.
The development is expected to appeal to a wide range of buyers due to its floorplans of up to 173 sqm. There are some large four bedroom apartments on offer, as well as three-bedroom apartments with three aspects. Some of the larger apartments have the unique feature of sharing no common walls.
Ray White's Director of Projects and Developments Tim Abbott says there's not often this type of product on the market.
“We don’t often see 4 bedroom units available on the lower North Shore and I think there will be strong interest from families and downsizers for these,” Abbott says.
“The kids playground in the common area will be a real attraction to families who will see the larger apartments as an alternative to buying a house in the area given the convenience of living so close to the CBD, without being in a high-rise development.
“With so many parks, gyms, cafes and other amenities in the immediate local areas of Willoughby, Northbridge & Crows Nest, the project has been designed to ensure the strata fees are low which will appeal to both owners occupiers and investors too."
First Quadrant has the iCIRT-rated builder DASCO currently constructing the project. The first apartments will be ready later this year, and the rest by mid-2025.
