Timber takes centre stage in Grocon’s bold new apartment building, Delta. Annie Reid reports.
March 2nd, 2011
Following the success of Pixel – Australia’s only carbon neutral office building – the developer announced plans this week for a second project, this time for residential apartments.
Located on the same site, the former Carlton United Brewery in Melbourne, Delta will comprise 50 apartments from 75sq m – 95sq m over 10 storeys – and made entirely of wood.
“This is about thinking differently, and we see it as the start of a roll out of a whole new technology for Australia,” says Grocon’s general manager Carlton Brewery, David Waldren.
With Studio 505 engaged as the project architect, Delta will draw on 2 standards already used in Europe for 20 years.
Its structural system uses Swiss technology in an Australian-first, where responsibly sourced and certified cross-laminated timber will be pre-fabricated in Europe and flat packed for construction in Melbourne.
It also embraces the ‘Passive House’ standard, which currently features in about 20,000 homes throughout Austria, Germany and Scandinavia.
The only other similar tall, timber structure in the world is the Stadthaus, in Hackney, East London.
But in true Grocon style – the developer of Melbourne’s Eureka Tower – Delta will be one storey taller.
For residents, the big drawcard is that the apartments will yield no or very minimal electricity and water bills.
It’s earmarked for completion by the end of 2014.
Grocon
grocon.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
A standout feature of the ANZ Centre in Melbourne’s Docklands is upholstery by Pelle Leathers.
Brickworks has unveiled its all-new Design Studio in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD – a harmonious mix of world-class building materials in a space that brings the brand to life.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
From a modular armchair and statement lighting, to a table crafted from coffee waste and reissued classics, these are the best new products to launch at this year’s Milan Design Week.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.