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To the south of Melbourne's central business district in the City of Port Phillip, Singaporean developer Lian Beng Group is planning a new residential project featuring a leafy design by Bates Smart. According to Urban Melbourne, the site at 596 St. Kilda Road was purchased by the developer for $25 million AUD in 2015, and will host a 19-storey building if planning approvals are obtained.
The existing apartment complex on the property, currently cramped by towers on the north and south sides, would be completely demolished. A tower composed of a series of shifted balconies serving as outdoor unit extensions would take its place. These vertical gardens — reflecting the mature trees and landscaping of St. Kilda Road — would also provide a platform for 1,150 square metres of greenery.
The submitted development application outlines the proposed scheme in detail, calling for a 60-metre tower and 162 parking stalls housed within four underground levels. Of the 170 dwelling units, 95 would be one-bedroom suites, while the remaining would offer two bedrooms. The ground plane and public realm would be enhanced by a commissioned art piece, a cafe, and a supplementary dosage of green space. The first floor would also host the amenity spaces, which are set to include a sauna, pool, and gymnasium.
Lian Beng Group isn't the first Singaporean developer with big plans for Melbourne. The city's vertical push is being aided by World Class Land who are working on bringing a supertall to the second largest Australian metropolis, along with major highrise projects in Brisbane. The country's real estate market has proven to be a safe investment in recent years, even as new height and density restrictions threaten to curtail development.
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