location Corner Musk & Blamey Streets , Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland contact Michael Kisluk Project: The Village Centre, Kelvin Grove Awards: Winner of the UDIA 2007 QLD President’s Award, Project Description: The Village Centre is at the heart of the Kelvin Grove Urban Village re-development and was a landmark project within the master plan. The residential component of The Village Centre comprises 213 apartments around a private common green with swimming pool, BBQ area, gym, common room and meditation court. The four apartment building blocks are positioned on each corner of the site. They are strategically separated to allow the inner private open space to specially connect with the street space and allow outlook and free movement of air throughout the development.The retail component of the Village Centre comprises a supermarket, fresh food marketplace, retail speciality shops and café precinct. Retail shop fronts address the street on three frontages. Entry to the marketplace was through a semi-covered internal ‘street’ overlooked by apartments and this connection was used to activate the relationship between these uses. Sustainable design principles formed the conceptual framework for the project. The units achieved a 4 star BERS rating. Efficient fittings and fixtures have been extensively utilised. Low VOC paints and laminates were selected to create healthier living environments. The free flow of air drove many design decisions. The innovative double-door entries to apartments that have only one external wall provide effective movement of air through the unit. These were so well received that owners of units with 2 external walls are retrofitting new entries to achieve even more air flow. Rainwater harvesting for re-use in the landscape and for toilets was adopted. Adjustable sun-shading to apartments was strategically located to improve thermal performance and add visual richness to the building fabric. This development showcased the practical application of sustainability principles and innovation within an effectively integrated residential/retail community. |
