About the Project
Client: Koundouris Projects
Size: 5,700m² (48 Apartment Units)
Cost: $20M
Date: 2004
The Aureus Apartments set a new standard for apartment living in the highly fashionable and popular Manuka shopping and restaurant precinct at the time. The development includes 48 apartments in what is a lineal 4 storey building broken into five distinct modules. Each of the modules has a lift servicing all apartments above from two basement levels. The design concept captures the traditional Canberra architectural themes of dominant roof forms, rendered walls, and natural materials in a contemporary and exciting way. A striking cantilevered roof soars over the simple but highly articulated building mass. The development includes a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments with generous balcony areas. All apartments benefit from excellent northern solar access and views. Landscaping is integral to the design concept and includes the augmentation of existing pencil pines with a row of new pine plantings, a series of sandstone retaining walls with attractive building signage, appropriate lighting and formal landscaping all of which in combination ensure an attractive address and indeed visual buffer from Canberra Ave to the ground floor apartments. To the rear, timber screens and extensive planter boxes provide a high level of privacy to adjoining neighbours. The development received the HIA Apartment Development of the Year in 2007 as testimony to its success.