A topping out ceremony was held at the site on 2 October, with representatives from key project partners including client Lowe Living, architects Woods Bagot, development partner INT.RE, and landscape architects Acre present to mark the occasion.

Emerald Place is a premium residential development offering 38 house-sized apartments above a retail and commercial podium. With architecture and interior design by Woods Bagot, the design draws from the rich architectural history of its South Melbourne context.

“There was a unique opportunity at the intersection of York and Clarendon streets to celebrate the corner, much like the public houses did in the heyday of the 19th century,” says Woods Bagot Principal Ana Sá. “We’re doing that here, activating the corner site with an architectural beacon that engages with the street and draws people in.”

Benefitting from proximity to South Melbourne Market and the CBD, the site interfaces with a high volume of pedestrian activation within the historic commercial precinct. At street level, the project features a redbrick podium that conforms with the rhythm of the heritage mercantile strip, while above, 38 boutique residential addresses capitalise on views over the city or across the bay.

“We wanted to pay homage to the robust materials of the boom era here in South Melbourne,” adds Sá. “Using polychromatic brickwork and a strong vertical expression, the building embodies a contemporary interpretation of Victorian architectural motifs, incorporating familiarity in the material and formal language while boasting a unique identity.”

As the project tops out, it is beginning to assume a local texture, settling into its context of the South Melbourne streetscape. Once complete, the project will make a valuable addition to the southside suburb’s urban fabric, contributing to its local identity and vibrant commercial legacy.

Comprising a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments, penthouses and sub-penthouses, homes have been oriented to maximise aspect and natural light, while vertical landscaping by Acre creates an impression of privacy and tranquillity that belies its urban context.

“When architecture and interiors work holistically on a project, as they do on Emerald Place, it adds immense value to the outcome of a design,” adds Sá. “Interior detailing references the external architecture, creating highly resolved residences that have been considered in their entirety.”

Ground was broken on the project in August 2024, and practical completion of Emerald Place is slated for late 2026. 

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Isla Sutherland
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