An inside exclusive: The Gold Coast's best off the plan penthouses
One of the biggest trends in 2021 was developers going above and beyond to make sure their development was crowned by a luxury penthouse, with the majority expecting to see a sale in the double digits.
Given the shift in demand from one-bedroom holiday makers to the three-bedroom plus owner-occupier market, developers are ensuring there's high end penthouses or sub-penthouses, even in high density projects.
We've had a look at some of the best penthouses on the market from the south of the Gold Coast in Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise and Chevron Island.
Sea, Burleigh Heads
Developer: Forme
Price: $16 million
Isabel by Mosaic
There's a $16 million price tag on the two-level penthouse crowning Forme's Koichi Takada-designed Sea, facing Burleigh Beach on The Esplanade.
The two-level space, with 825 sqm of space, one of the largest produced in Burleigh, has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a gym, office and library, multiple kitchens and entertainment areas and a theatre.
There's a staircase leading to the exclusive rooftop, kitted out with a swimming pool, sun deck and alfresco kitchen.
"It's our best penthouse ever produced", Forme managing director David Calvisi says.
Forme has had great success in the luxury apartment space, selling the penthouse in their nearby Norfolk, Goodwin Terrace development for $9 million, the most expensive apartment south of Mermaid Beach to settle. That's about half the size of the Sea penthouse on offer.
Koichi Takada also handled the design of Norfolk, which was a hit across the country. The curved facade even became one of the famous Bondi-based Aquabumps prints, going viral on Instagram and being featured by design blog Dezeen.
Project: Emerson Kirra
Developer: Hirsch & Faigen
Price: $8 million
Emerson at Kirra Beach, the second Gold Coast development by the Melbourne-based developer Hirsch & Faigen crowned by an impressive $8 million, full floor space.
Spanning 494 sqm including terracing on the 14th level, the penthouse will have four bedrooms, including a master suite with walk in wardrobe and an ensuite with double shower and double vanity.
It will feature over three metre ceilings and windowed walls offering unrivalled views across the ocean and distant Gold Coast skyline, as well as two living spaces.
Project: Glasshouse, Burleigh Heads
Developer: Spyre
The South East Queensland developer Spyre Group is set to create one of the Gold Coast's most expensive boutique apartment projects.
Glasshouse, a collection of just three house-sized apartments, will be crowned with a multi-level penthouse, featuring its own private rooftop with swimming pool.
The tiered rooftop, with spa and outdoor entertaining area, is one of the most impressive ever proposed.
"The three hyper-luxury apartments are designed to frame the panorama of rolling sands and the Coral Sea that stretches north from this place of unrivalled aspect and outlook," lead architect bureau^proberts noted.
Project: The AU, Surfers Paradise
Developer: ASF Group
ASF Group netted a near $9 million buyer for one of their tri-level penthouses. There are two penthouses in the boutique block of just 16 on The Esplanade, just across the road from the beach.
Offering nearly 480 sqm of space, ASF Group offer a number of customisation options for the penthouse. There's potential for the third level to become an ocean view master suite, although the plans are already for four bedrooms.
ASF Group Marketing Director Daniel Fang said there's options for a yoga or meditation room, with full-width views of the beach. That or a cinema room, or even a private gym, are other options.
The penthouse starts from level 17 and has a separate private lift within to access the higher levels. Offering 16m frontage directly facing the ocean, the penthouses feature four bedrooms with the second level having the option of including a lap pool.
Project: Chevron One
Developer: Bensons Property Group
Price: $15 million
Late last year the Melbourne-based Bensons Property Group released their higher levels to the market of their Chevron Island tower, Chevron One.
To be the only true high-rise tower on Chevron One having been approved before stricter height limits were set on the exclusive Gold Coast island, Chevron One will soar 41 levels in to the sky.
The special penthouse crowning the development isn't actually for sale. That two-level space, spanning levels 40 and 41 with nearly 2,000 sqm of living space, the Gold Coast's largest ever penthouse, will be retained by Bensons Property Group's Chairman Elias Jreissati.
But the subpenthouse, spanning nearly 1,000 sqm of space, is up for grabs. Priced at just shy of $15 million, the penthouse will have five bedrooms, five bathrooms and garaging for four cars.
Project: 123OBR
Developer: Bottega Group
The boutique 13-apartment Broadbeach development, 123OBR, is capped with a sprawling two-level penthouse, with 529 sqm of internal living space.
Bottega Group Director Nick Malloch says 123OBR’s penthouse is the ultimate experience of luxury beachside living on the Gold Coast.
“123OBR’s penthouse is a unique opportunity in that every element of the design has been carefully curated to speak to the opulence and intrinsic beauty of Gold Coast living at its very best,” says Malloch. Elegant gallery wall corridors, floor to ceiling glazing in the living and dining space, a feature fireplace and oversized master retreat complete the experience.
Project: Miles Residences, Kirra Beach
Developer: KTQ
Price: $16.75 million
Last year KTQ sold out Miles Residences, all 118 apartments in their first stage of the $350 million redevelopment of the Kirra Beach Hotel. But they saved something special for 2022.
They've just launched the two-level penthouse, with a price tag of $16.75 million.
The 760 sqm split-level penthouse will be made up of five ensuited bedrooms, a state-of-the-art gym, home office, three living areas, and a study.
The heart of the heart of the home if the open plan kitchen, living and dining area, which also homes a bar.
The penthouse also features a rooftop entertaining deck, accessed by private lift and featuring a private pool, as well as offering unobstructed views north across Kirra Beach to Surfers Paradise and south to Snapper Rocks.
Project: DE-LUXE, Burleigh Heads
Developer: Weiya Holdings
Price: $23 million
The priciest penthouse to hit the market last year was the sprawling apartment atop the 14-level DE-LUXE in Burleigh Heads.
They Sydney-based developer Weiya Holdings, who are transforming the Old Burleigh Theatre in to 28 apartments and two beach houses, slapped a $23 million price tag on the 1,200 sqm of space, which will have six bedrooms.
There will be a number of living areas, a walk-in wine cellar and whisky room, a luxury cinema, expansive library, a sauna and steam room, a private gym, and a sky garden feature.
One of the most striking features will be the glass pool next to the living space.
Patrick Pancur has been handling the sales at DE-LUXE, which is all but sold out.
