A design team comprising Bates Smart and Turf Design Studio has been named the winner of an invited design competition for a mixed-use high-rise in Rhodes, Sydney.
The proposal from the winning team was selected over submissions from two other teams: Fitzpatrick and Partners and McGregor Coxall, and WMK Architecture with Arcadia.
The winning scheme - named Wallumatta - accommodates 348 residential apartments, 100 aged care living units, retail and hospitality spaces, a fire station, and green spaces at 15-29 Blaxland Road.
The proposed building massing comprises plinth, podium and two towers. According to the architects, the design is intended to stand in contrast to the glazed, vertical high-rises that feature prominently within the area. Instead the architects have selected brick for the facade, accented with horizontal masonry bands in reference to the area's industrial history.
"Wallumatta embraces a distinct identity among its glassy context, opting instead for a more horizontal and grounded expression," said Bates Smart in its design statement.
Under the plans, an existing fire station would be replaced with a new station. This new fire station would be located at the northern corner of the site, integrated within the masonry plinth level. Bates Smart managing director Philip Vivian said, "Architecturally, the fire station uses board marked concrete and steel to create a civic presence and sense of permanence. The fire station anchors the end of a stepped sequence of volumes along Concord Road."
Also contained within the masonry base are retail and hospitality offerings, and a garden arrival court which faces Blaxland Road and serves as an entrance to both towers.
The design competition was held by Ethos Urban for developer Ecove.
