PROJECT
TALLOWOOD APARTMENTS
CLIENT
JSN HANNA
LOCATION
POTTS HILL/NSW
COMPLETION
2016

Named after the majestic tree that forms its centrepiece, the Tallowood multi-residential apartments borders Canal Park and the picturesque heritage-protected Sydney Water bushland, located in the northeast corner of the UrbanGrowth renewal of the Potts Hill Sydney Water site. Having previously prepared the feasibility study for UrbanGrowth, integratedDESIGNgroup were engaged in developing the scheme to Development Application by JSN HANNA.

The master planning of the 126 units across 5 buildings was arranged to maximise the retention of some long established trees, with a particular focus on the large Tallowood tree at the heart of the site. It was also essential to ensure connection of existing parkland view corridors and maximise both environmental and visual amenity for the individual apartments. Elevationally, the buildings were developed with a vertical displacement reflective of the variation and colour of the wonderful row of established native trees retained along the site frontage. The development provides private open space on balconies or direct access to semi-private open space at ground level. Each building flows directly into a shared open space within the site.

The buildings in their form and expression become more subtle participants in the streetscape offering passive surveillance from the residential units above while defining the edge of the public space without becoming a ‘wall’. Facing the narrow edges of each block to the street reduces the visual impact of the development and avoids a ‘large wall’ apartment street address.

The development is built around the fundamentals of 4 different unit types (with a mixture of 1, 2 & 3 bedroom
units) to assist efficiency in construction and in costs. However, whilst a typical floor plate is applied to each building a series of variables ensure that the streetscape presentation of the building envelopes is not repetitive or static. The combination of factors such as changes in topography; varying building orientation; materiality differences and changes to `plug-on’ elements (balconies, screens and frames) create a dynamic streetscape.

The outcome is a ‘new community’ of affordable apartment living in a wonderful parkland setting in the North East corner of the UrbanGrowth redevelopment of Sydney Water’s Potts Hill site.