The Quays

The Quays

Concept

‘The Quays’ is a mixed-use and apartment development by MAB Corporation in the NewQuay precinct of Melbourne’s Docklands. Its sinuous form offers a sensual counterpoint to the series of sentinel towers that currently line the waters’ edge. Located on a prominent intersection, ‘The Quays’ provides a major new frontage and potentially new perception of the Docklands. In addition to punctuating this significant corner with a new local landmark, the towers provide a figurehead to the series of existing towers.

Architecturally, the form making is composed of the curvilinear forms of the podium that create, help define and give legibility to the adjacent urban spaces and variety of public spaces to its perimeter. At its Harbour Esplanade frontage, the towers extrude from this podium to differing heights. Overlaying this undulating geometry are smaller-scaled three dimensional ‘pixellated’ extractions either located at the lowest and highest levels of the towers and at the podium where the public can appreciate their more intricate detail. These rectilinear exceptions drive the direction of the permeable routes through the podium preventing a sense of a monolithic impediment to movement through the precinct.

Housing over 600 apartments with accompanying facilities such as a gym, a swimming pool, spa and residents lounge, the larger development includes serviced apartments, a recreation deck and multiple retail outlets to establish a mixed-use development that will contribute to closing the gap between the Docklands and the city.

Completed
November 2013
Location
New Quay Promenade Docklands
Awards

Dulux Colour Awards 2014

Winner – Grand Prix

Winner – Multi Residential Exterior

Winner – Multi Residential Interior

Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Chapter Awards 2014

Winner – Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

Winner – Marion Mahony Award for Interior Architecture

Melbourne Design Awards 2014

Winner – Residential

Winner – Interior Design – Residential

International Design Awards

2nd Place

Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2014

Shortlisted

Publications

The Age, 4 June 2014
Tract, 4 August 2014
Authentic Design Alliance (ADA)
Australian Design Review, 16 January 2015
Architecture and Design, 17 February 2014
Architizer

Sustainability

‘The Quays’ is designed to achieve 66 points, exceeding the 56 points specified in the ESD Docklands Guide required for an Award of Merit. Rainwater collected off the tower and podium roofs is filtered through planters, before being stored below the car park for use in the common area toilets and for plant irrigation. In addition, the ground floor tree plantings and garden beds provide retention pits that detain and filter storm water before it enters the storm water system. Every apartment is fitted with water efficient fixtures, low energy appliances and gas boosted solar hot water, achieving an average 6 star NatHERS rating. The paints used throughout the building are low emission and the air conditioning systems are CFC and HCFC free and plantation timbers are used throughout the building. The tenancies are kept shallow and to the edge of the building, giving good access to light, and the 7 storey atrium allows light deep into the plan. High performance tinted double glazed units with low-E coatings are used across the facade, addressing heat gain & loss, and dealing with the challenging acoustic issues of this corner site.

[taken from Melbournedesignawards.com.au, must be edited]