Factory inspires chic design
But subtlety and sympathy with the area's existing streetscapes is precisely what renowned architect Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis has sought to achieve with Jaques Richmond.
The development sits on a one-hectare "island" site bounded by Highett, Griffiths, Palmer and Coppin streets, just a stone's throw north of the bustle of Bridge Road.
It was long home to the Jaques Factory, which manufactured rock-crushing equipment, a property well known to locals as much for the distinctive red-brick walls encircling it as the heavy machinery still located on-site from when the plant closed 16 years ago.
But when Fender was brought in to design Jaques Richmond on behalf of the Riverside Group and Macquarie Real Estate Equity Funds, it would be those ageing walls that provided inspiration for the $290 million development that would follow.
"We don't have a lot of history here so it's worth retaining what we can," Fender says. "It would be very easy to construct something that might look like a spaceship landed here, but that would fight the character of the streets."
Despite the lack of heritage protection - the original wall is from 1885 - the developer agreed to not only preserve what was left, but to rebuild much of the missing half.
"You don't keep walls cheaply, so it was a big decision. It was retained as a monument to what stood on the site for many, many years," he says.
Avoiding the "spaceship" aesthetic also involved setting back the residential buildings that held many of the 430 apartments, giving the building a "pedestrian scale" from the street in front.
"The wall is the base that scales the development. If you walk along the red wall you have no idea what is above the parapet," Fender says.
The architect used glass, copper, timber and coloured concrete to continue that sympathetic design to the two modern buildings and courtyard above.
The design has proven popular with buyers, particularly owner-occupiers who have taken up about 70 per cent of the stock sold to date. The 109 apartments in stage one, due to finish construction in August, are sold out. The second stage of 229 apartments attracted more than $30 million worth of sales since being put to market at the start of June.
The site's history as an industrial relic will also be reflected in the decorations of the common area, which will feature some of the former heavy machinery used to crush rock.
cvedelago@theage.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Jaques Richmond is a $290 million residential development of 430 apartments on a one‑hectare 'island' site in Richmond, just north of Bridge Road. The site is bounded by Highett, Griffiths, Palmer and Coppin streets.
The project was designed by architect Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis. He drew inspiration from the old Jaques Factory’s distinctive red‑brick walls and industrial history, aiming for a sympathetic, pedestrian‑scale design rather than a dramatic 'spaceship' aesthetic.
Although the wall had no formal heritage protection, the developer agreed to preserve what remained and rebuild much of the missing half. The original wall dates from 1885 and was retained as a monument to the site's history.
Fender was brought in to design Jaques Richmond on behalf of the Riverside Group and Macquarie Real Estate Equity Funds, who are the driving developers behind the project.
Sales have been strong: around 70% of the stock sold to date has been taken by owner‑occupiers. Stage one’s 109 apartments (due to finish construction in August) are sold out, and the 229 apartments in stage two attracted more than $30 million of sales since being launched to market at the start of June.
The design sets back the residential buildings behind the retained red brick wall so the development reads at a pedestrian scale from the street. Materials such as glass, copper, timber and coloured concrete continue the sympathetic approach above the wall and into the courtyard areas.
Yes. The common areas will feature some of the former heavy machinery that was used on the Jaques Factory site to crush rock, keeping a visible link to the location’s industrial past.
Buyers have responded positively to the sympathetic design that retains and reconstructs the historic red‑brick wall, the pedestrian‑scaled streetscape, and the blend of high‑quality finishes and materials. That appeal has translated into a high proportion of owner‑occupier sales so far.
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