ILLUME

Illume sits on the crown of the hill between the Tasman Sea to the east and Botany Bay to the west. An assured and well-crafted residential apartment development that harnesses the natural attributes of the sensitive coastal site to deliver exceptional living quality. Although it was important for the design to respond to views, we sought to exceed standing amenity controls to improve occupant’s experience and reduce operational energy usage, setting a positive precedent for future stages of development on the site and improve the appeal and value of the dwellings. A thorough urban investigation resulted in an efficient arrangement of single loaded buildings which oriented a high number of dwellings directly north, fortified the future street pattern and created three distinctive entry courtyards. The courtyard form maximises the number of apartments that benefit from natural cross-ventilation and midwinter solar access, while at the same time creating protected and beautiful communal outdoor spaces that enhance the sense of place for residents. Working alongside the facade engineer and cladding contractor, the facades were selected and detailed to withstand the extreme coastal conditions and express a rugged coastal resilience. Wherever possible modular repetitive elements were incorporated to ensure a high degree of control of quality, procurement speed and cost during construction.