Australia's changing skyline: Apartment towers surpassing records

Australia’s skyline is changing and it’s about to get a lot taller.

In six of eight capitals, apartment skyscrapers are planned or under construction that will tower over every other highrise in the city.

During the next five years, residential height records are expected to be broken in all cities, apart from Darwin and Hobart.

Adelaide

Kodo
Height: 103.2 metres (30 storeys)
Location: CBD
Developer: Flagship Property Holdings
Architect: Woods Bagot
Apartments: 208
Progress: Commences in first-half 2016, complete within two years

Approval has been granted for the $100 million Angas Street development. It promises a four-level podium with car parking and dedicated bicycle parks, and a communal sky garden on the top level. 

The development will have views towards the Adelaide Hills and the coastline, as well as ground-floor commercial and retail tenancies. 

It will take the title from the current tallest residential building, Adelaide Tower Apartments and, on completion ,will trump 85-metre-tall Vue on King William, which is under construction.

Melbourne

Australia 108 
Height: 317 metres
Location: Southbank
Developer: Aspial Corporation
Architect: Fender Katsalidis
Apartments: 1105
Prices: $642,000 upwards to the $25 million national price record for its penthouse
Progress: Under construction, completion planned for early 2019

This much-anticipated apartment tower will not only be striking in terms of its design, which includes a starburst-shaped feature, but it will also hold the record for being the highest building of any type in the southern hemisphere.

It will take the long-held title of tallest apartment building from Eureka Tower, also in Southbank.

Sydney

Greenland Centre
Location: CBD
Height: 235 metres (66 storeys)
Developer: Greenland Group
Architect: BVN Donovan Hill, Woods Bagot.
Apartments: 484
Prices: $595,000 to $4,375,000
Progress: Under construction, plans to open residences in 2017

The $660 million development has seen buyers spending big to secure a slice of Sydney’s tallest residential tower. 

Popular with local and foreign buyers, the building has floors up to level 82, though only 66 countable storeys, because of a cultural numbering decision. 

It will take the title of Sydney’s tallest out of the hands of Meriton’s World Tower, though may itself be challenged in coming years.

Canberra

Wayfarer
Location: Belconnen
Height: 88 metres (27 storeys)
Developer: Geocon
​Architect: Cox Architecture
Apartments: 235
Prices: From $303,900
Progress: Under construction, completion expected in late 2016

Currently in the final sales release, these apartments will have access to a rooftop pool and a communal “sky lounge” with views over Canberra. Launching to the market in 2014, Geocon initially planned for the development to be 112 metres tall but revised the plans down because of community and agency concern.

It will replace 62-metre-tall Sentinel Apartments as the new tallest residential building in the nation’s capital but will miss out on beating 93-metre-tall office building Lovett Tower.

Brisbane

Sky Tower
Location: CBD
Height: 274 metres (90 storeys)
Developer: Billbergia and AMP Capital
Architect: Noel Robinson Architects 
Apartments: 1119
Progress: Construction started in 2015, completion expected by 2017
Prices: Starting from $425,000

Sky Tower’s reign as the tallest building is expected to be matched by a 91-level skyscraper at 30 Albert Street, which a development application is currently in place for. Initially, there were plans to have Sky Tower reach 300 metres.

A gym, swimming pool and viewing decks will be among the features for residents. Interstate investors were strongly represented in the initial apartment releases.

Perth

KS6 (two apartment towers)
Location: CBD
Height: Up to 162 metres (42 and 48 storeys)
Apartments: 563 (over both towers)
Developer: Seven Group Holdings
Architect: Woods Bagot
Progress: Approval given in August by Planning Minister John Day

Including five restaurant, cafe and retail tenancies, the project will be in the Kings Square precinct development and is expected to include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as an affordable housing component.

A communal rooftop pool, garden terraces, lounge and kitchen areas have been indicated for the upper floors. The project is estimated to be worth $190 million and, in August, Seven Group Holdings indicated it was looking for a development partner.

It will be taller than the current tallest apartment project, the 103-metre Elevation Apartments.