Renowned for its historic buildings, vibrant shopping strips and longstanding farmers market, South Melbourne is a lively inner-city suburb with leafy streets and Victorian charm.

As design-led developer Lowe Living’s second collaboration with Woods Bagot, Emerald Place is a boutique medium-density development with a strong emphasis on quality finishes and considered design.

The $160-million mixed-use development is located on the junction of York and Clarendon streets within the market precinct, delivering 1,500 square metres of ground-floor retail, along with 12 commercial tenancies over two levels, and six levels containing 36 apartments.

Designed by Woods Bagot with landscaping by Acre, the project draws from the rich architectural history of the area, including surrounding heritage pubs and turn-of-the-century buildings.

Ana Sá, Associate Principal at Woods Bagot, says Emerald Place represents a prominent corner statement and a contemporary interpretation of Victorian charm that sits sympathetically within its South Melbourne context.

“Drawing inspiration from the ubiquitous corner pubs in South Melbourne, the design principles of detailed brickwork and a strong vertical grid have informed the project’s narrative,” says Sá. “The polychromatic brickwork references the local 19th-century palette in a uniquely contemporary expression for a timeless architecture that is truly of its place.”

Conforming to the rhythm, scale and proportions of its local context, Emerald Place will boast a robust podium with finer details ascending the built form. Materials have been used to accentuate the main forms in the traditional two-tone brickwork that characterises the area, with darker brickwork at the podium and lighter materials deployed at the upper levels.

A mix of boutique retail, commercial and residential space, Emeral Place includes two- and three-bedroom apartments, and three- and four-bedroom “sky homes”. These luxury sub-penthouse and penthouse apartments on levels seven and eight feature bay or city views with triple-aspect lookouts, available to market soon.

Individual apartments will have access to private balconies and terrace planters, creating biophilic connections and an intimate sense of privacy at each level. Inside each residence, Woods Bagot has used materials that evoke nostalgia, refinement and comfort, such as soft rendered walls, natural stone slabs, bronze finishes and porcelain tiles.

Emerald Place is slated for completion in mid-2025. For more information or to register interest, visit the Lowe Living website.

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Isla Sutherland
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