First look: Contreras Earl pen new Taringa apartment project, La Flor
Contreras Earl Architecture is continuing to bring its architectural smarts to Brisbane on behalf of developer Vista Projects.
Having submitted plans for Vista in St Lucia late last year for five striking apartments, the Gold Coast-based architecture firm has put together a design for their next project in the neighbouring Taringa.
The project, dubbed La Flor at 128-130 Swann Road, will replace two single-level houses on 1,042 sqm.
"The elevated site presents an opportunity to create a building of significance on a street of iconic character in the established inner-west suburb, a leafy locality with panoramic views towards the city," the Architecture Statement submitted to the Brisbane City Council by Contreras Earl Architecture noted.
La Flor draws inspiration from nature, with its design metaphorically likened to the unfolding petals of a flower and translates into an architectural interplay between openness and enclosure.
The material palette, including coloured concrete, translucent glass, stone, and aluminium, further reinforces the concept of the building's petal form.
"Creating a space of sanctuary in the suburban setting “La Flor” emanates sculptural presence, while also providing spaces of privacy and shadowy refuge from nature’s elements as well as from the street.
"This interplay of openness and enclosure amplifies the buildings’ honest character and feel creating a harmonious addition to the streetscape of Swann Road."
The six-level building will have eight three-bedroom apartments and a four-bedroom penthouse with its own private rooftop. The rest of the rooftop is reserved for resident amenity, comprising a resort-style pool, a sauna, extensive seating, barbecue spaces and sun lounges.
The design also takes the opportunity to use the undercroft area below the building with a unique wellness zone nestled amongst the gentle slope that includes an outdoor gym, outdoor yoga and entertainment areas distributed across different terraces immersed by lush landscape and vegetation.
The architecture also incorporates cascading vegetation that complements the building's organic lines, strategically placed to enhance privacy internally and externally while fostering a stronger connection with the surrounding vegetation.
Contreras Earl has a long history on the Gold Coast. Led by Rafael Contreras and Monica Earl, the company has designed several buildings by Sunland including the luxury 272 Hedges Avenue in Mermaid Beach and 180 Marine Parade in Labrador.