Luxury apartments and high end residential

Strong growth in the market but what lies ahead?
How do architects and developers capitalise on the opportunities in this burgeoning market segment?

The property market is unpredictable if anything. Interest rates go through a rapid rate of increases with many in the property market expecting a slowdown, even a sudden jolt. But then the price of property starts to take off, both detached houses and, even more dramatically, the price of luxury apartments.
 
MHNDU is well known for designing top-end apartments, primarily in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. A new luxury development in Bondi’s Campbell Parade, overlooking Bondi Beach, will set a benchmark of cost $100,000 per square metre. In Melbourne, these eye-watering prices may not eventuate, but prices reached in the prestigious Domain precinct in South Yarra, on the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens, can be equally ‘heady’ – with prices heading at north of $10 million.
 
Many statistics highlight the sudden surge of buyer activity – including cashed up baby boomers keen to downsize from family homes. Others cite the return of expats to Australia wanting to raise children.
 
Join us for a CPD webinar that explores the market factors and buyer preferences that architects, and developers need to consider in designing and marketing high-end residences and apartments.
 
Understanding the direction of the market and the type of products that are gaining traction is valuable intel in terms of how designers/developers position and promote themselves and the mix of options they offer to their clients.
 
This webinar brings together some of the brightest and most experienced residential designers/developers in the industry.
 
Our expert panel comprises architect Brian Meyerson, principal of MHNDU: Damon Krongold, Director-Projects, Kay & Burton, Jeff Provan, Design Director of Neo metro Architects (Melbourne) and Scott Tanner, Managing Director, Greenback Capital. The session will be moderated by architecture and design writer, Stephen Crafti.

Each of these presenters come with years of experience in both designing, delivering, financing, and marketing up-market homes and apartments. They understand the history of the property market in a broader sense: where it was and, importantly, where it is headed in uncertain times. 

Some of the areas and questions that the panel will consider include:

• Will the trend to high-end apartments continue to gain momentum - what are the foreseen challenges?

• What are buyers looking for in their search for a new home? What price are they prepared to pay against what they get? What are the non-negotiables and what are they prepared to sacrifice?

• Will the sparsity of land mean even more dramatic price shifts in the future?

• What are the hurdles to be overcome?

• Is there a move to quality irrespective of the segment of the market?  

• How to deal with challenges relating to financing the increasing development costs in a post-pandemic world?

Our Expert Presenters/Panel

Brian Meyerson

MHNDU

Brian Meyerson founded BMA, now MHNDU, in 1997. Now a still-growing team of over fifty, the firm’s philosophy has its roots in Brian’s early architectural inclination towards the distillation and expression of simplicity. Each MHNDU project is pared back in order to discover its essence and meaningfully built to capture this central tenet. In 2020, MHNDU was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Best in Practice Prize.

Scott Tanner

Managing Director - Greenback Capital

Scott brings more than three decades of experience in corporate advisory and finance to his roles as the Managing Director of Greenback Capital, a leading high net worth and commercial loan brokerage firm catering to clients with sophisticated financial needs and substantial assets. Backed with an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and a Bachelor of Applied Science from RMIT, his expertise also includes digital transformations, company turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions and growth strategy. In addition to this, Scott is the Executive Chairman of luxury real estate agency Kay & Burton, Chairman of specialist property investment manager PropertyShares, Chairman of GrowthOps and NEEON, digital marketing companies, as well as the Chairman of the Committee for Melbourne, an organisation that drives initiatives to maintain Melbourne’s place as one of the best cities to live and work.

Jeff Provan

Neometro

Since he established Neometro in 1985, Jeff Provan has become an active and integral figure in Melbourne’s design community. As Design Director Jeff is involved in every project from conception to completion, working closely with the architects, designers, builders, and various consultants with whom we partner. Neometro’s array of architectural and design awards are a product of Jeff’s stewardship and are attributable to his own design DNA which is collaboratively integrated into the design capabilities of the relevant project architects. Outside of Neometro, Jeff has a passion for social outcomes within the built form and is a valued mentor and contributor to cultural and community-focused projects, alongside patronage for great architecture—such as Aires Mateus’ Mt Martha House

Damon Krongold

Kay & Burton - Director – Projects

Damon Krongold has decades of experience selling real estate in some of Melbourne’s most prestigious suburbs, including Toorak and South Yarra. He recalls one of Melbourne’s first luxury apartments at 99 Spring Street. Built in the early 1970s, it’s still a highly coveted address today. In the 1990s, Hudson Conway, engaging SJB Architects, transformed BP House, designed as offices in the 1960s, into luxury apartments. Other developments, such as Kingston located on St Kilda Road, also saw the return to inner-city apartment living. “This time, the baby boomers are looking for large house-sized apartments with similar floor plates they had in their family homes. But they now want a place to ‘lock-up and leave’ with little or no maintenance,” says Krongold, whose brief from those looking is for quality abodes with two bedrooms and a study. At the other end of the market Krongold sees a strong trend for apartments in the $2-3 million range, generally in excess of 110 square metres.

Stephen Crafti

Architecture and Design writer

Stephen Crafti has been writing on Architecture & Design for over 30 years and has produced over 45 books to date. He also writes for The Age and The SMH as well as for leading design magazines. For the last 15 years he has been working with cultural tour company Australians Studying Abroad (ASA) leading architecture and design tours both in Australia and overseas.

CPD - Participation in this webinar will deliver 2 formal CPD points.

Written CPD questions will be circulated with your purchase. Send your responses to CPD questions to mark@meccaevents.com.au for the issue of a certificate of completion. Keep your receipt, completed questions and certificate for your CPD records.

For more information, contact Mark Gledhill - mark@meccaevents.com.au