An inner-city ‘Eden’ has been created with the delivery of a $454 million landmark East Melbourne development, The Eastbourne.
Occupying both a historic and highly coveted East Melbourne address, the site of the former Dallas Brooks Hall, the development is located on the doorstep of the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne. The Eastbourne has gardens of intimate scale and ornamental planning that strongly connects with its surrounds.
Designed by Bates Smart in partnership with Mirvac, the luxury residential development comprises 245 one- to seven-bedroom luxury residences across 14 levels, including seven ground-level terrace apartments. It is crowned by an extraordinary 500-square-metre, light-filled penthouse, The Grand Pavilion, with a 300-square-metre-terrace, 20-metre lap pool and panoramic views of Melbourne’s CBD.
According to Mirvac Head of Residential, Stuart Penklis, it is a timeless residential icon and a significant addition to Melbourne’s rich architectural fabric.
“The Eastbourne was an expression of elegant restraint, adopting a refreshed approach to exemplary amenity akin to a six-star hotel, including a luxurious pool, spa and steam room orientated to embrace the natural light from the northern aspect,” Mr Penklis said.
The Masters Club, exclusive to Limited Edition and Prestige residences, offers an unrivalled private-lounge experience, complete with an inviting fireplace and temperature-controlled wine cellar; while the Conservatory is a residents’ lounge (available to all occupants) which provides an exceptional space for connecting with friends and neighbours, encompassing a courtyard terrace, a bookable entertainer’s kitchen and dining room. With a strong focus on wellbeing, The Eastbourne also includes a well-appointed gymnasium and a yoga/pilates room.
Sustainability was a major focus, with the design taking into consideration everything from the construction materials to the lighting efficiency and home automation. Stand-out sustainability features include a ‘green switch’ to reduce standby power consumption in every residence, a 22-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system to provide clean renewable energy to all common areas, two electric car charge stations and a ‘walk score’ of 92 per cent, meaning day-to-day life does not necessarily require a car.
Residents also have access to a car share service within the building and a 24/7 concierge.
“Mirvac and Bates Smart have a significant track record of transforming memorable addresses into places of living with a strong sense of community and ownership,” Bates Smart director, Kristen Whittle, detailed.
“The Eastbourne is an important landmark site. The Dallas Brooks Hall means something to this city, so we wanted to create a memory of the previous building, within East Melbourne which is consistently characterised by a high level of architecture and offers a green front door to Melbourne’s most prestigious inner-ring suburbs.”
Mr Whittle said the development instills a sense of generosity and grandeur to its residences and utilising high-calibre materials such as limestone and marble in pedestrian areas to encourage residents to linger.
“Being minimal has allowed us to push boundaries, truly embodying simplicity which is rare in residential architecture in Australia – it takes a lot of consideration to achieve elemental architecture.”
“The experience is similar to a luxuriant hotel, it’s well-lit and beautifully landscaped, you feel like the stress just disappears and you just want to be there, live there,” he commented.
The commencement of The Eastbourne’s construction in 2017 coincided with the 50th anniversary of the laying of the Dallas Brooks Hall foundation stone by Freemasons Victoria in 1967, marking a new beginning for the site’s rich arts history.