CASE STUDY
Spotswood Yards
571-589 Melbourne Road,
Spotswood, VIC
Residential Development
Image: Courtesy LIFE Architecture and Urban Design
Affordable housing illuminating community and connection, while boosting local economy, wellbeing and lifestyle.
Previously the Spotswood Railway Workshops site, Spotswood Yards features 7 buildings with expansive and appealing residential amenities. The development features central gardens, co-working spaces, private offices, local shops, a gym, restaurants, electric vehicle charging areas, childcare facilities, a hotel – and even a dog wash for any resident pawed pals.
APPROACH & SOLUTION
Typically challenging with large-scale redevelopments, SDC ensured that ample daylight was available to each residence within this vast complex, while providing a high-performance outcome for the overall development credentials.
SDC undertook Daylight Modelling of different precinct buildings at multiple stages during the design process, starting from seeking approval at VCAT – to the final Town Planning endorsement stage.
Throughout involvement in this project, SDC has inspired the team to iterate and adapt residential layouts to maximise daylight by testing and evaluating the proposed designs as they were developed – driving the design towards one that accommodates high density living, while also providing quality daylight penetration.
Optimal daylight has been achieved with angular building placement, setbacks and by reversing many of the apartment design layouts which now place living zones at the edge of the building instead of typically positioned bedrooms.
BUILDING SUMMARY
Site Area of approximately 47,490 m2 consisting of:
- 1072 car spaces
- 1070 bicycle spaces
- 841 residences
- 200 hotel rooms
SUSTAINABILITY SNAPSHOT
205kW
Solar Capacity
434kL Rainwater
Storage Tanks
Daylight achieves Best
Practice to BESS Standard
205kW
Solar Capacity
434kL Rainwater
Storage Tanks
Daylight achieves Best
Practice to BESS Standard
PROJECT PARTNERS
Blue Earth Group Developers – Client
LIFE Architecture and Urban Design – Architect
Fusion Project Management – Project Manager