Como Terraces, the landmark South Yarra residential development by Sterling Global and Cbus Property, has been recognised for its design excellence at the 2025 UDIA Victoria Awards for Excellence, taking out the Design category and earning a commendation in the Medium Density category.
Set along the Yarra River escarpment at Alexandra Avenue, the project presents a sophisticated design response to one of Melbourne’s most challenging sites — a steep, 7,900-square-metre hillside with significant environmental and topographic constraints.
Designed by Carr in collaboration with TCL (Taylor Cullity Lethlean), the development seamlessly integrates eight low-rise buildings across the terraced landscape, balancing architectural ambition with ecological sensitivity.
The result is a composition of sculptural forms that maximise light, privacy, and panoramic views toward the Yarra and Melbourne’s skyline, while retaining more than half the site as open space.
According to the project team, over 50 per cent of the steeply contoured land has been dedicated to gardens, pathways, and natural vegetation, reinforcing its sense of connection to the broader Yarra environment.
A carefully layered material palette—stone, concrete, steel, and timber—complements the escarpment’s geology and surrounding greenery.
Sustainability played a central role in the design approach, with features including passive design principles, a 90kW rooftop solar array supported by SolShare energy distribution technology, and water-sensitive landscaping systems.
These initiatives contribute to the project’s goal of reducing embodied carbon and long-term operational costs, aligning with broader policy aims to promote sustainable infill development in Melbourne’s established suburbs.
Sterling Global Development Director Brandon Yeoh said the recognition underscores the importance of thoughtful, high-quality medium-density housing in established urban areas.
“Como Terraces was guided by a commitment to long-term value, a project that would honour the landscape, contribute to the fabric of South Yarra, and ofer homes that feel grounded, calm and enduring,” said Yeoh.
“UDIA Victoria’s acknowledgement reinforces the collective effort required to deliver a precinct of this calibre.”
He emphasised the project’s collaborative nature, which brought together architects, engineers, and landscape designers from early in the process to navigate the site’s complexity.
“From planning and engineering to architecture and landscape, every decision focused on working with the escarpment rather than against it,” said Yeoh.
“The result is a place that feels connected, generous and sensitively delivered, a benchmark for design-led residential development.”
The $150 million development applied an early contractor involvement (ECI) model to ensure the design intent was maintained from concept through to construction, despite the site’s 26-metre fall and strict view corridor controls.
Builder Hacer Group collaborated closely with the design team to manage complex earthworks, tiered retaining structures, and premium façade detailing.
The latest accolades from UDIA Victoria add to a string of 2025 recognitions for Como Terraces, including Winner of the IDEA Award for Multi-Residential, Winner of the Low-Rise Apartment Buildings category at the Master Builders Victoria Awards, Winner of Best Luxury Apartment Development (Victoria) at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, and Winner of the Luxury Category at the Australian Apartment Advocacy’s Apartment Awards for Excellence.
The project has also been shortlisted for several national awards, including the AIA Victorian Architecture Awards (Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing) and the Australian Interior Design Awards (Residential Design).
