Boutique Melbourne developer Carpe Group has announced its fourth partnership with Icon Developments for a $100-million apartment project in Hawthorn’s prestigious Scotch Hill precinct. The collaboration would deliver 32 two and three-bedroom apartments on a 3680sq m site at 23-27 Robinson Road, marking Carpe’s first development in the Hawthorn area. The Robinson Road site is 7km east of Melbourne’s CBD, on a quiet, leafy street within walking distance of Riversdale Road. The project represents the latest in a series of joint ventures between the two companies, following successful developments including Grandview at Brighton and Ocean House at Hampton. Carpe co-director Stuart Kacir said the group was “very fortunate to have secured this parcel of land in such a beautiful location” which “provides the perfect canvas for what we believe would be a standout development in Hawthorn”. “We’ve always seen Hawthorn as a location we wanted to develop in, and following our success in Eaglemont and Kew, it felt like a natural progression,” Kacir told The Urban Developer . “Every site we pursue has something special about it—and from the moment this one was presented to us, we were immediately drawn to it.” The development would feature nine two-bedroom apartments and 23 three-bedroom units, including penthouses, designed by architecture firm Powell & Glenn. Kacir said the team had invested considerable time in refining the design and product mix to exceed expectations of future residents, and highlighted how recent updates to the Victorian planning scheme enabled more innovative design approaches. “Rather than producing another ‘wedding cake’ form, we’ve been able to explore a bolder and more structured architectural expression,” he said. “We believe the market would respond strongly to what’s being created here.” The low-density development would cater predominantly to owner-occupiers, consistent with Carpe’s primary target market strategy. “Our business is really just purely selling to downsizers,” Kacir recently told The Urban Developer . “Most of them are selling $3-million to $4-million homes typically, but they’re not getting a lot of change from that. They’re almost doing a complete swap for their current home.” Carpe’s typical approach to detail would apply to the Hawthorn project. Powell & Glenn would manage architectural design and interior fitout, while landscape architect Myles Baldwin would design the surrounding gardens. Kacir said the design approach would emphasise site-responsive development, with a “conscious effort to retain significant trees and design the building around them”. “These trees are not only important to the character of the local area—they also provide a sense of maturity and amenity for future residents. Preserving them reflects our broader commitment to thoughtful, site-responsive design.” Delete “We spend a lot of time on floor plans—with probably 15 to 16 iterations before signing off,” Kacir said. Icon Developments, owned by major Japanese builder Kajima Corporation, is one of Australia’s top 10 builders , and brings more than 25 years of operating as a developer and financier to the partnership. “Our partnership with Icon Developments has grown significantly since Grandview Brighton,” Kacir said. “Over the years, we’ve built a strong relationship and a shared understanding of what defines project success. This has enabled us to collaborate more effectively and has allowed us to confidently move into larger projects and new markets across Melbourne.” Planning approval for the Robinson Road project is expected in late 2025, with a project sales launch scheduled for early 2026. Construction completion is targeted for mid-2028. The partnership continues Carpe’s expansion strategy across Melbourne’s affluent suburbs. The developer has projects under way including Studley Park Residences at Kew and The Coterie at Sandringham, alongside the recently completed Grandview Brighton development. Carpe Group also has a project under way at Collingwood , comprising 28 apartments with ground-level retail, which is expected to secure approval this year.
