Good design stands out, and blends in

Fitting in: Shine Apartments, at 502-518 Canterbury Road, Campsie have been designed to be a part of the community.

A good new apartment building has two aims: to stand out from the rest and also to blend in with the locale. But, in reality, isnt that an impossible, and quite contradictory, combination?

Not at all, protests architect Dugald Mackenzie. You really want something that reflects the locality, the economic situation and the demographic.But at the same time, you want something of real quality design. To achieve both of those is the very best outcome.

With every new build, architects push to manage the double, and end up with distinctly different results, according to the neighbourhood. While Mackenzie has designed a sleek, smart 87-apartment building in Campsie called Shine Apartments to match the aspirational demographic, others also creating buildings of the same height six levels have quite contrasting briefs.

Instant choice: Adam Lorimer bought his new apartment at Pine Tree Lane off the plans. Photo: Sahlan Hayes

In beachside Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast, for instance, EJE Architects and SJB have come up with a bright, colourful seaside look and feel for their laid-back 50-apartment Pine Tree Lane block. Meanwhile, in leafy Lane Cove on the North Shore, architects Nettleton Tribe Partnership have designed a smaller, sharper 48-unit building called Atrium, set in stunning landscaped gardens, since their buyers are likely to want to be surrounded by greenery.

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Its important to design something the fits in well to the area, says Mackenzie, the principal of Mackenzie Architects of his Shine. This building is linear, rhythmic and simple, and its for an aspirational demographic; Campsie is now much more inner west than middle west, and is becoming more and more like Marrickville and Dulwich Hill so you can afford to put more money into the construction and finishes.

Being developed by JIA Shun Development Group, one of the larger builder-developers in China, and to be built by Kang Group, its directly opposite Canterbury Hospital and within walking distance of the station and town centre.

Different approach: Pine Tree Lane, 6 Pinetree Lane, Terrigal will have commercial and retail space at the bottom.

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Good design stands out, and blends in