Leading Melbourne-based developer ID_Land has been honoured by the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA Vic), with its project, The Barkly, winning the Medium Density category at the 2016 UDIA Awards for Excellence.
Commencing construction in January 2015 and reaching completion earlier this year, The Barkly consists of 65 design-led townhomes that launched to the public in late 2013 and subsequently reached 100 per cent sold after just three months on market.
In collaboration with award-winning architects ROTHELOWMAN, the project incorporated a combination of intelligent planning, well-considered design and flexible floor plans that adapt to the purchasers’ ever-changing lifestyle needs.
Located in Brunswick, one of Melbourne’s most diverse and culturally rich suburbs, The Barkly is a stone’s throw away from Melbourne CBD and flanked by some of Melbourne’s best lifestyle essentials.
Boasting a luxury, inner-city lifestyle and a contemporary high-quality design, The Barkly is surrounded by the beautiful Princess Park, some of Melbourne’s best cafes and eateries, while also well-connected to a host of tram, rail, bus and cycle routes.
Sustainability, connected living and high quality architecture were of the utmost importance. Luxuriously appointed kitchens feature stainless steel, European appliances and stone bench tops.
Spacious rooftop terraces with sweeping city views provide an excellent space for entertaining while light-wells throughout the townhouses’ core deliver an abundance of natural light to every room.
Working closely with leading Disability Access experts, The Barkly incorporates eight townhomes that are accessible and adaptable for residents with disabilities.
The design set a new standard for residential developments on former industrial sites through the incorporation of a discreet vapour barrier system. This innovative inclusion is now common practice for the redevelopment of infill industrial sites.
Utilising the space to provide great opportunities for connection with the surrounding neighbourhood was important throughout the design process. The site benefits from a 71m frontage to Barkly Street and a 93m boundary onto Barkly Street Park, which has been left unfenced to allow residents easy access to the adjacent park.
ID_Land Director Matthew Belford said he was delighted to receive the award for what was the developer’s first townhouse project since the company was founded in 2008.
“It is an honour to accept this award for Medium Density Development at the UDIA Awards for Excellence,” said Belford.
“The Barkly development is a new urban typology; combining a high quality public realm, with exceptional internal amenity for townhouses.
“We wanted to set a new standard of high quality, contemporary design within Brunswick.
“Working with ROTHELOWMAN we were conscious not only to create homes that were functional, but aesthetically pleasing as well, making a positive contribution to the surrounding urban environment.
“The result is a project that delivered timeless medium density living that adds value to both the resident and the wider community, which was reinforced by the project’s swift sell out back in 2013,” Belford said.
