Olivine Apartments
Olivine Apartments is a multi-residential project in Batemans Bay, NSW, consisting of 17 one-, two- and four-bedroom family dwellings built on four levels over an undercroft parking zone, and situated within a generous landscape setting.
The development is built across two residential blocks. The existing blocks contain two single dwelling cottages. These dwellings no longer meet the sustainability and amenity standard expected of dwellings today. Olivine offers residents the opportunity to move out of older housing stock into new, more accessible homes without needing to leave the area. All dwellings are oversized. They include large family style kitchens, generous storage and flexible floor plans to facilitate downsizers and family groups. Nearly 50% of dwellings meet the Livable Housing Guidelines.
The apartments are arranged across the site in two ‘wings’. Each wing flanks a common passageway and residents lounge at each level. The common passageway has glazed louvred ends providing views to the street, and visual permeability through the site. All dwellings face either north, east or west and there are no sole south facing dwellings. As a result, every resident gets either morning, afternoon or mid-day sun. Additionally, all dwellings achieve cross ventilation. Landscape spaces include common vegetable gardens, picnic areas, garden beds and lawn spaces. These spaces serve as active usable spaces, maximising outdoor amenity for residents and visitors. Additionally, Level 1, which is the podium level above the undercroft structure, consists of large common gardens and courtyard spaces, extending the landscape plane vertically through the building.
Building form, materials, colours and texture respond to the phenomenological character of the local area. The design is targeted towards developing a form and experience, whilst although unique and contemporary, feels appropriate to its context and the experience this context yields.
Typology:
Multiple Housing.
Service:
Design and Documentation.
Stage:
Design.