Hue's Warm Design

The Age

Saturday April 26, 2008

Katherine Townsend

These sleek homes are turning heads, writes Katherine Townsend.

THE hard minimalist look that has dominated the design of Melbourne's apartment complexes is finally fading, replaced by a warmer look that retains sleek lines but adds a broader range of materials, textures and details.

A Richmond apartment and townhouse complex named Hue shows this new look to everyone who passes, thanks to a massive cedar-clad facade facing Lord Street. The richly coloured wall has portholes of various sizes, and this highlight is repeated in other areas.

Hue is a project of SC Land, a small development company owned by Harvard-trained architect Lance Chu and his wife Chenghan Tan. Award-winning architectural firm Jackson Clements Burrows designed the 28 townhouses and apartments and 10 remain for sale.

The townhouses and apartments are all two storeys but the townhouses have three bedrooms and are significantly larger at 250 square metres. The two-bedroom apartments (or penthouses, as the developer calls them) are 152 square metres, plus balconies.

A bamboo-lined walkway leads from the street along the southern side of the development and the front doors of the townhouses open directly from here, with one of the bedrooms staring at the landscaping.

The three-bedroom townhouses have one bedroom on the lower floor, with a hallway leading past a laundry and bathroom to the kitchen, living and dining areas facing north to the large, sunny courtyard planted with magnolias.

The townhouses' ground floor have several striking features, including a webbed metal staircase and a clever wooden wall that is created when doors to the bedroom, laundry and bathroom are all closed.

The two-bedroom apartments are similar in style but are towards the rear of the development and are accessed by lift and open from a long hallway. Like the townhouses, they are two storeys but with living areas on the upper floor. The apartments have black louvre windows on the living room's balcony, which are designed to create a "winter garden". The main bedroom also has a clever small enclosed louvred balcony.

Prices for the remaining townhouses are about $1.2 million and the apartments are $1.1 million to $1.25 million. Kay and Burton marketing agent Peter Kudelka says most buyers are drawn by the quality design and Hue's proximity to Bridge Road and the city.

Hue

Address: 8 Lord Street, Richmond

Price: $1.1 million-plus

Private sale

Agent: Kay and Burton, 9820 1111 and Marshall White, 9822 9999

Melway: 2H D7

Luxury by the Barwon

Ocean Grove Apartments

Address: 2-6 The Parade, Ocean Grove

Price: $1.5 million-$1.6 million

Private sale

Agent: Knight Frank, 9602 5722

Melway: 483 G11

Ocean Grove has always been a low-key family holiday spot drawing people to its swimming, fishing and golf.

Most of its holiday accommodation was similarly low-key but now a luxury development is under way, with five three-storey townhouses for sale on a sloping site near the Barwon River and metres from Ocean Grove golf course.

Knight Frank marketing agent Richard Luff says it's for Melbourne empty-nesters. Being walking distance to the club and shops adds appeal. Each townhouse will have balconies or terraces to capture views of the Barwon and each will have lift access, a shared pool and spa. The townhouses will have a different look using granite, limestone and Australian timbers.

Larger than many nearby holiday houses, they will range from 288.7 square metres to 357.4 square metres and will have three bedrooms and a huge retreat. Prices begin at $1.5 million and four remain for sale. Construction is expected to begin late this year, says Mr Luff.

-- KATHERINE TOWNSEND

© 2008 The Age

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