[COM] The Rowlands Apartments | 55m | 16lvls | Residential

[Omicron]

Indeed. But I can't settle for cookie-cutter bland because some of our esteemed councillors etc have the design integrity of................................. [something that doesn't have much design integrity].

A trend-setter is needed. Something designed the way it is simply because it looks good, not necessarily because it's the cheapest, or most efficient, or makes best use of the site, or other such dull (and annoyingly economically relevant) considerations. If people are prepared to pay more for things that look good, we'll hopefully see more of them.

[Pants]

Is right.

We don’t seem to have much of a discerning market in Adelaide.

People will apparently buy any old crap, so of course developers will go for the more profitable (read: bland) option. If the consumer demands better building exteriors and is willing to vote with their wallets, good things happen.

That’ll most likely come from a developer throwing cash to the wind and testing the market with a first class design though. I can’t see consumers being the catalyst when there’s no better benchmark than the crap we get served.

[wilkiebarkid]

This is on public notification on the ACC website until November 18.

I'm quite impressed by the design.

it appears to be 15 levels now and has a height of 49M

This little one has already been built in Darwin

[SRW]

I'm as much a proponent for good design as the next guy, but I think we have to accept that if we want to see the city's population boom we're going to need a bunch more apartment towers and not all of them will be architectural superstars. So when a relatively inoffensive if not pleasing design like this comes along, I'm happy to embrace it. Onwards and upwards.

[Will]

I was having a closer look at the plans on the ACC website, and the height of this building is actually 51m (to top of lift overrun).

Furthermore, the documents reveal that the complex will feature 24 ''affordable'' units on levels 2-7. In what is a good sign, the documents reveal that the developers are in discussion with the state government so that these 'affordable' apartments can be sold via this website: http://www.homestart.com.au/property-lo ... ocator.asp

[Isiskii]

Three thumbs up from me.

[Benski81]

I'm as much a proponent for good design as the next guy, but I think we have to accept that if we want to see the city's population boom we're going to need a bunch more apartment towers and not all of them will be architectural superstars. So when a relatively inoffensive if not pleasing design like this comes along, I'm happy to embrace it. Onwards and upwards.

Agreed, nor would we want them all to be. I like this one, and I'd love to live that close to gouger st. Imagine all the peking duck I could eat....

[Will]

Although the final say rests with the state government DAC, as this development is worth $25 million, this project will come before the ACC DAP this coming Monday.

Bad news I'm afraid. The ACC DAP is expected to REJECT this proposal, primarily because at 51m, it is 11m too tall, but also due to the fact that some of the apartments (particualrly those designated ''affordable'') are smaller than the reccomended size specifications. It also has 50 less carparks than what the guidelines call for.

[Omicron]

If the DAP sends a rejection recommendation to the DAC based on that, I think the DAC will take one look and approve it in about three seconds. This sort of building is almost exactly the sort of non-complying development based on humorous, arbitrary technicalities that brought about the DAC in the first place.

[Waewick]

How big are the apartments in question?

personally I don't have an issue with a minimum size apartment, lets face it people need space to live, we have an opportunity to build the city lets do it properly

the other factors such as height and carparks are another issue

[Waewick]

yeah ok 35m2 of living space.

animals in a zoo get more than that

[Omicron]

yeah ok 35m2 of living space.

animals in a zoo get more than that

Haven't you seen those cute little displays at IKEA? 'I live in 24m2' is one, I think.

[Dylan_]

If people are willing to buy small apartments, why not let them? For a single guy, a 30m2 studio apartment is plenty of room. It's a good way of allowing young people to get their first home in the city, rather than way out in the suburbs.

[iTouch]

If people are willing to buy small apartments, why not let them? For a single guy, a 30m2 studio apartment is plenty of room. It's a good way of allowing young people to get their first home in the city, rather than way out in the suburbs.

unless you're an illegal mexican immigrant desperado or someone from a third world country, I doubt anybody would want to live in that

[Waewick]

If people are willing to buy small apartments, why not let them? For a single guy, a 30m2 studio apartment is plenty of room. It's a good way of allowing young people to get their first home in the city, rather than way out in the suburbs.

I take your point don't get me wrong.

my biggest issue is that eventually these places get filled by the disadvantaged and we end up with a single mum and 4 kids in the damn things