Melview Developments
It had a busy week launching stage three of its $100 million Beaumont Quarter residential project in Auckland and a new hotel in Wellington.
The Auckland development will go on the market tomorrow and Melview director Nigel McKenna and stage three architect Ian Moore are confident the last phase of the upmarket development will follow the sales success of the previous stages, especially stage one which sold out in three weeks.
So far, 50 of the 71 stage three units had been sold, Mr McKenna said.
Mr Moore, a Sydney-based expatriate, said buyers were attracted by the development’s simple design and its sense of community. New Zealanders were embracing “urban renewal” – an increase in inner city living, Mr Moore said.
“From an outsider’s point of view its great to see people coming back into the city. When I left [in 1979] Auckland was just starting to creep out into the suburbs.”
Far from having rows of Coronation Street or terraced houses, Mr Moore said he aimed to create individualism in his design for stage three with every home having its own identifiable front door, not a lobby, which meant residents entered their houses from different areas.
Stage three included 71 houses ranging in size from 96-162sqm, and an apartment block at the west end of the Beaumont Street site.
Where most houses have a set layout – the front door leads into a hall which leads into a living room – Mr Moore said the three Beaumont Quarter architects aimed to meet practical needs.
“The living rooms all face the sun. The front doors ended up where they worked best in the layout,” Mr Moore said.
Beaumont Quarter’s first stage
It was designed by Wellington based Nick Barratt-Boyes from Studio Pacific Architecture while stage two was designed by Dominic Papa of S333 in Amsterdam.
Stage three was built on top of two levels of carparking which ensured a view to the city and the sea, Mr Moore said.
Construction of stage three is scheduled to begin early next year.
Mr Moore’s architecture firm recently won the World Architecture magazine award for the best multiple housing scheme for 2002 with his Altair Apartment project in Sydney.
Source: Melview kicks off third stage Beaumont Quarter, The National Business Review – 18 Oct 2002
