2023 HIA Australian Apartment Complex

Coben Building were named the HIA Australian Apartment Complex winner, partnered by Daikin Australia during the 2023 HIA–CSR Australian Housing Awards presentation on 20 May on Hamilton Island.

The remarkable apartment complex diverges from its contemporaries by presenting as three distinct volumes, scaled to appear as a modest yet cohesive set of buildings in proportion with the established streetscape.

The project’s materials were selected for durability and echo its site along an escarpment, overlooking Melbourne parkland and the Yarra River. Textured, board formed concrete shapes the exterior in curves and arches, while delicate pleated copper screens break up any uniformity and ensure privacy and light filtration.

The eight apartments and single-level townhouse offer luxurious finishes, nuanced and detailed, for sophisticated living. Large, glazed window apertures, generous balconies and extensive multi-tiered landscaping allow occupants to connect with their surrounds, with the result being a development that both embraces and enhances its location.

The judges were impressed with the calibre of the construction and the expertise demonstrated by the building team to overcome the numerous challenges involved in bringing this imaginative project to life.

The HIA Australian Apartment Complex award recognises a residential apartment building which is two or more storeys and contains at least two self-contained dwellings, celebrating excellence in a number of areas including design features, integration of the buildings in context with common areas, external construction, and other features contributing to liveable communities.