On site with Wulff Projects (Part 02) : 122 Roseneath Street, Clifton Hill
Following on from Part 01 of Urban.com.au's site tour with Adam Wulff of Wulff Projects, comes Part 02 - 122 Roseneath Street. Developed in partnership with Icon Development and Assemble Projects, the small footprint development is progressing on site at a rapid pace, and like Wulff's Newry Street project is targeting an early Q3 2018 completion date.
Roseneath Street follows a suite of other developments by Wulff Projects in Clifton Hill, successfully acquiring the site off-market in 2014. A town planning permit was obtained outside of VCAT in April 2016 for 49 apartments, 18 townhouses, and one retail tenancy.
Designed by Fieldwork, the design possesses a strong sustainability and community design focus, and comprises three main forms aligned north-south along the site, with two raised landscaped terraces which provide separation, access, and outlook.
These green spines or 'linear parks' are achieved by rising above the ground level car park beneath, removing the need for underground parking and costly basement excavation.
The linear parks are accessed via two cascading stairs from Roseneath Street which are accessible 24/7 - there are no gates, but the change in levels provides a threshold of sorts between the public and private domains.
To the street, the car park is concealed behind a retail tenancy and workshop space with 3-storey townhouses located either side, with a central 6-storey apartment building, that terraces down to Roseneath Street.
A portion of an existing Brutalist office building on the site has been retained, which provided inspiration and was a key driver in the choice of materiality for the project.
According to Wulff, its retention was not without its challenges, particularly in how the existing floor levels and structure were integrated into the rest of the development, but says it was ultimately worth it, providing the team with an opportunity to celebrate a key element of the site's existing fabric.
A redbrick wall along the western boundary has also been retained providing the development with another layer of existing grain and local context.
The building is a highly site-responsive design with strong sustainability, quality, and community focus with extensive Council, community and purchaser consultation which assisted the team in refining the design to sit comfortably within its context and provide a product that was appealing to the local market. .
The outcome is driven by fundamental principles including an emphasis on internal amenity, privacy, light and air access, equitable view lines, and communal facilities. The project is conceived as an exemplar of contextually sensitive, high-quality design and sustainable, small footprint living.
- Fieldwork
One of the more interesting aspects of the development and one which reinforces the project team's commitment and belief in the quality of the project is the fact that several members of the project team will call Roseneath home. In the realm of residential development, there's no stronger endorsement in a project than when its team commits to it.
This particularly was reassuring for prospective purchasers who were involved in the consultation process, providing them with the confidence that this wasn't your typical run of the mill apartment project.
While the extensive consultation process with the community and interested buyers might not always be required or practical on every project, it proved beneficial in shaping the final design and mix of dwellings for Roseneath, says Wulff.
Look out for Part 03 in the coming months which will focus on Wulff Projects' upcoming 210 Alexandra Parade development. In the meantime please enjoy the slideshow of construction photos below;