Density done well
Density done well means working closely with the local community. This is the lesson to learn from Blackburne Aria Swanbourne, WA’s RLB Development of the Year.
Building owner and developer Blackburne took home the Property Council’s prestigious award recently for a 156-apartment complex that balances luxury and affordability.
According to the Property Council’s executive director Lino Iacomella, the project “demonstrates how density, when well delivered, can add value to a local community”.
“The judges were impressed with the standard of design and amenity, and with the developer’s commitment to engage with the community and local residents during the construction period,” Iacomella adds.
“As a result of this approach, local residents became advocates for the development, and prospective purchasers and local councils alike are now asking whether new apartments will be like Aria.”
Blackburne Aria Swanbourne features 156 luxury one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses.
At the time of its opening in June 2016, the company’s managing director, Paul Blackburne, said Aria delivered quality that never-before seen in apartment development in Perth.
“Our vision was to create luxurious apartments, but even more than that, to provide common facilities for buyers focused on physical health and social wellbeing, and create a connected community,” Blackburne said.
“With that in mind, we designed Aria around a central hub of world-class resort-style facilities.”
Completed by Hillam Architects and Probuild, Aria Swanbourne features five-star common facilities, including a private dining room, full commercial kitchen, expansive residents’ lounge, a lobby lounge and BBQ area.
Wellness facilities include a sauna and steam rooms, heated infinity swimming pool and spa, state-of-the-art gymnasium, yoga studio and massage rooms.
A cool room is available for storing online grocery orders while a communal temperature-controlled wine cellar provides a private lock box for each apartment.
Iacomella says the common facilities are “arguably the best ever seen in a Perth apartment project and reflect the $2 million budget Blackburne set for these facilities alone”.
“After $70 million in off-the-plan sales within three months, the apartments were snapped up quickly once the development was completed, which is a real testament to the team’s commitment to quality,” Iacomella adds.
The WA Development of the Year award is part of the national 2018 Property Council of Australia / Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards program.