Located in the centre of Brighton Le Sands in Sydney, the Longbeach Apartments perfectly suits the busy cosmopolitan, beachside suburb, which affords it panoramic views of the beach.

Seeking to design a striking, unique building that delicately balances the requirements of a cosmopolitan style with a laid-back beach lifestyle, Tony Owen Partners begun with the alignment of the building. Whereas surrounding buildings were generally aligned to the street, the Longbeach Apartments have been turned 90 degrees to face the water.

This positioning not only opens up the façade, but also enables the building to break from the rigid pattern of the area. This allows all the units to maximise the solar aspect and views of the iconic beachside suburb.

The building’s curved form creates a striking sculptural statement and serves as a beautiful expression for the streetscape. Not merely and aesthetic decision, the form provides maximum view for occupants and maximises the number of corner units available.

A series of prominent laser cut, bronze-coloured metal screens are attached to the facades of the building, providing not only privacy for the units, but also solar shading to minimise the sun’s heat gain and requirement for air conditioning. This striking main element of the façade employs a flowing curved dot graphic pattern, which gives a bold but whimsical expression. This creates an operable façade.

The result is a building that is both strong, yet not without a sense of fun. The offset angle of the building adds to its striking design yet also serves as a functional choice to enable maximum please for the residents.

Tony Owen Partners
tonyowen.com.au