Italian Jaunt Inspires Gurner Collingwood Mansions

Multi-millionaire developer Tim Gurner has unveiled plans for six luxury residences in Melbourne’s inner north with eventual price-tags from $3 million to more than $10 million.

The mansion building at 2-12 Cambridge Street, Collingwood, will offer apartments in half or whole-floor configurations.

To be known as Cambridge Place, the building’s design is by long-standing Gurner collaborator Warren and Mahoney, and is largely inspired by a single luxury hotel in Italy’s Milan.

That’s led to a grand entrance, mosaic tiling, custom chandeliers and a sweeping curved staircase.

The upper floor will include a two-level penthouse with wellness room, outdoor dining, private lift, and a 248sq m terrace garden.

Gurner’s in-house design director, Simon Brugaletta, said inspiration for the project had come from buildings such as the five-star Palazzo Parigi Hotel and Spa in the centre of Milan.

“I lived and worked in Milan for almost a decade, so when Tim came to me and asked for a hotel recommendation for his trip, I knew that he would fall in love with the style and elegance of the Palazzo Parigi—which is one of my favourite places in the city,” Brugaletta said.

▲ Gurner’s design guy told Tim about a hotel in Milan. It became the inspiration.

Apparently, chief executive Tim Gurner was equally impressed.

“When I visited Milan, the Palazzo Parigi sparked incredible inspiration and I am really looking forward to bringing some of its grand features and old-world charm to Cambridge Street,” Gurner said.

“Our clients love the Collingwood lifestyle, they love the walkability to Melbourne’s best restaurants and gardens but want the opulence and grandeur of a grand eastern-suburbs home.

“We have crafted Cambridge Place to create the best of both worlds.”

The project is being released under the developer’s Gurner Boutique brand.

Tim Gurner began custom builds as a passion project and the latest arm of Gurner is aimed at delivering up to eight boutique projects a year.