Karl Fender provides insight as Jaques Richmond reaches completion

Karl Fender provides insight as Jaques Richmond reaches completion
Mark BaljakMarch 9, 2017

The large-scale redevelopment of Richmond's former Jaques engineering complex has been marked by an number of onsite dedications.

Dating back to 1885 and with frontages to Palmer, Coppin, Dyer and Griffiths Streets, the 9,945sqm site's engineering heritage has been permanently embossed across the site. Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Riverlee Group's Clement Lee were recently onsite to unveil plaques dedicated to the Jaques family; these are in addition to the many original engineering sketches and blueprints dotted throughout the build.

The recent event signified completion of the $290 million redevelopment backed by Riverlee Group and Macquarie Real Estate Equity Funds, and which has been delivered in stages. Overall the Fender Katsalidis-designed complex includes 377 apartments and 17 townhouses, car parking provisions, two landscaped courtyards, a rooftop terrace and four retail tenancies.

2,530sqm or 30% of the site is provided for amenity, underpinned by Dyer Street, who's unveiling was marked by Yarra City Council's Lord Major Amanda Stone and Jack Dyer Jr.

Karl Fender provides insight as Jaques Richmond reaches completion
Commemorating Jaques' place in Richmond's history. Image: supplied

After picking up the Jaques site during 1997, Riverlee Group and Fender Katsalidis reworked initial plans for the site to provide a heightened design outcome.

Works began an Stage One during 2012, with this month's event heralding the completion of the entire project which includes three separate buildings. Following on from Stage One's Boiler Shop Building & Hammermill Apartments, and Stage Two's 5 Tonne Apartments & Iron Works Building, Palmer Street was completed earlier this year.

Palmer Street includes 22 one bedroom, 23 two bedroom and 10 three bedroom apartments in a highly articulated building designed to be the precinct's most luxurious offering.

Karl Fender provides insight as Jaques Richmond reaches completion
Differing aspects of the now completed Jaques development

Architect Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis was on hand to walk Urban.com.au through the completed project, paying much attention to the project's street-level interface along the way.

Upon taking on the project, Fender Katsalidis effectively scrapped the existing development scheme which Karl Fender described as being highly unsympathetic to the surrounding low-rise street character. Under the new design, Stage One saw the retention of the existing brick facade which was worked into the development, with higher levels set well back.

The scaled brick theme continues across Stage Two's lower levels, with Stage Three/Palmer Street a nod to modern design. Copper panels, white polished pre-cast framing, metal features and copper framing provide the building with a modern character.

Dyer Street is a cross-site link that includes the retail tenancies at ground level. Set on a skewed axis, it's expected that Dyer Street will link up with a new pedestrian link to be created on the opposite vacant site that will soon be home to the new Richmond High School and community-based Multi-Purpose Facility.

On the corner of Palmer and Dyer streets the original main visitors entry from the original industrial building has been retained, with viewable displays charting the site’s history and paying tribute to Richmond icon Jack Dyer.

Karl Fender provides insight as Jaques Richmond reaches completion
Jaques Stage 1. Image:supplied

Jaques Richmond was the initial project between architect and developer, and has since spawned further projects.

108 Flinders Street was completed during 2014 and features a Tract Landscape Architects-designed internal courtyard and 190 apartments. The Northbank Goods Shed is next on the duo's agenda, with Fender Katsalidis preparing plans for a mixed-use tower containing apartments and hotel suites.

Mark Baljak

Mark Baljak was a co-founder of Urban.com.au. He passed away on Thursday 8th of November 2018 after a battle with cancer. He was 37. Mark was a keen traveller, having visited all six permanently-inhabited continents and had a love of craft beer. One of his biggest passions was observing the change that has occurred in Melbourne over the past two decades. In that time he built an enormous library of photos, all taken by him, which tracked the progress of construction on building sites from across metropolitan Melbourne.

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