Box St Apartments

2018 has seen new and exciting opportunities for our practice Bleuscape Design. We are in the process of realizing our first multi-res apartment building located in Buderim on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. This DA approved 17-townhouse development consists of two to four bedroom units all with views of the ocean. It’s a magical site!

The design intent expands on a concept that has fascinated us for some time, that is, how self-imposed limitations can refine design. As a practice, we are always in search of simplicity, regarding construction but also within the visual. 

Grid patternation that informs layout within building elements is nothing new, Mies did it, Kahn and Corb. It is a way of organizing space while at the same time remaining faithful to the overall proportion of structure and aesthetics. 

With this in mind, it has been the Japanese architect Tadao Ando that has provided us with the purest example of this approach. Ando, a master of pure materiality, in his award-winning Awaji Yumebutai Conference center/hotel, and memorial in, Hyogo, also applied structural repetitiveness to his unique form of minimalism. The result is stunning. 

Like Ando’s example, we are attempting to create an abstracted artificial landscape that cascades down the hillside. In a way, it is an extension of the landscape that allows for pockets of habitation within. 

Our design utilizes the grid via exposed concrete bond beams that are consistent in their set out. Additionally, this also informs the use in plan, i.e., quadrants for public, private and outdoor space. 

Not only is the grid expresses through plan but also in section. As a consequence, the natural space allocation for outdoor living, due to the roof becoming the balcony of the unit above, is generous. This plays directly into the hands of sub-tropical living; a valued quality of good design here in Queensland.

From a material perspective, we are using stone where the building intersects the ground, bagged core filled block above painted with Dulux: Antique White USA and Colorbond’s Monument to create contrast. Every so often we apply a bit of stained hardwood to create warmth. However, the hero, like in so many of our projects, is an emphasis on landscaping, the building acting as a backdrop to the natural components. 

Status: Full DA Approval