Central Element Lodges $150m Chatswood Luxury Tower Plans

Plans for a $150-million luxury apartment tower at Chatswood have been lodged with Willoughby City Council after its first design excellence competition for the development.

The plans are for a 16-storey tower comprising 55 luxury apartments, retail, a wellness hub podium and sustainable sky gardens on the site at 15 Ellis Street.

Central Element, with joint-venture partner MaxCap Group, have engaged SJB as the lead architects on the Chatswood project following their submission to the design excellence competition.

Central Element managing director Nathan Chivas said the design competition had “raised expectations and established a new benchmark in built form for future developments in the area”, in line with the Chatswood CBD Planning and Urban Design Strategy 2036.

“The Design Excellence competition [ensures] the best outcome for all stakeholders, but in particular for the future residents and the public, for whom this building will become part of their daily interaction.

“Design Excellence provides architectural practices invaluable time, often not available during the regular development process, to truly test and determine the best arrangement for the site, and to maximise all opportunities to create a beautiful quality building.”

SJB director Adam Haddow said the scheme for the development created a sculptural facade and helped to provide a transition from the high-density Chatswood town centre to the low-density residential area to the south.

“We wanted to make a building that resists the glass curtain wall typology, instead aiming to deliver a building where the very nature of its form and construction is the building,” Haddow said.

“Our proposal creates a sculptural element that marks the entry to Chatswood Town Centre and is set back, enhancing the public domain with landscaping and civic openings on the ground plane to enhance the urban context.”

Chivas said the luxury apartments would offer uninterrupted views of Sydney and the Blue Mountains with about 1200 sq m of retail and commercial space.

“SJB impressed us with their articulated stepped form, that not only provided generous living spaces attuned to contemporary urban life but a holistic approach that seamlessly inter-weaved biophilic design and new forms of social activation,” Chivas said.

“It was a detailed approach that provided solutions to challenges whilst making best use of the key features such as the expansive views.”

It follows Central Element's recent announcement of plans for a revamp of the Minerva Theatre and addition of hotel rooms at the Potts Point site.

Construction was due to commence early next year subject to approval, with completion expected in early 2024.