Welcome to bedrock
Grammar zoning and proximity to the city are drawcards for this new development writes Sandra Goodwin The rest of the facade is a playful randomised group of openings, just to confirm this is a 21st century building.
The design of a modern new Epsom apartment development, which will be double Grammar- zoned, will include homage to the volcanic nature of the area and nearby One Tree Hill. Director of Herriot Melhuish O’Neill’s Auckland office, architect Matt Pearson, designed the Manukau Rd complex, which will offer six levels above ground in two blocks a couple of doors down from Farro Fresh on the corner of Greenlane West.
A circulation opening between the two buildings will allow natural light into both sides of the five penthouses and 32 apartments on the top five levels. These will sit above ground- floor retail with parking and residents’ basement parking below.
The east- facing tower, further back from Manukau Rd, will have views over One Tree Hill. This local geology has influenced some of Matt’s colour and material choice.
He says: “The main entrance is emphasised by a traditional five- storey symmetrical band clad in copper to reflect the natural hues of the volcanic soil.”
The exterior of the ground floor retail, which is envisaged will be a cafe, will display similarly earthy tones in a concrete chip base and tiles also to feature in apartment common areas.
Matt says though he conceived the concrete apartments keeping in mind that the neighbourhood includes many historical local buildings, there was never any intention to create anything “faux”.
“The rest of the facade is a playful randomised group of openings, just to confirm this is a 21st century building not some sort of copy of something from 70 years ago.”
He’s referring to the way the apartments’ recessed balconies, which are accented by cedar soffits and walls and have adjustable front screens, intentionally do not line up from one level to the next. A few apartments have courtyards rather than balconies.
Matt says: “The top floor is recessed to help reduce the impact of its height and is topped with a custom copper gutter with a cedar soffit, which crowns the building.”
The entry lobby will be in the Manukau Rd- facing building which will rise where a Thai restaurant and liquor store were previously and will look west across city suburbs. The lobby will run through the front building to a lift well and glass- sided walkway providing access to apartments.
“We were asked to design larger apartments with lots of natural light and the 8m by 20m circulation opening between the east and west blocks helps achieve this.” Apartments will incorporate smart technology that can disarm the security system, play music and control the air- conditioned temperature with one touch.
Interior design is by the Auckland studio of Fusion ID, which also has offices in Beijing and Shanghai. It includes kitchens with engineered stone or stainless bench tops, engineered wood flooring through the kitchen, living and dining, storage systems in the wardrobes of carpeted bedrooms, and European kitchen and laundry appliances.
Project Manager for Epsom Central, Brent Drummond, says this is the first development by New Zealand company Sky Stone Investment Group, who own property investments. He says the location’s double Grammar zoning has been a strong driver for some of the 17 buyers who have already purchased apartments off the plans.
Epsom Central will be within five minutes’ walk of One Tree Hill, Epsom restaurants and Alexandra Park’s upcoming entertainment- retail development and within 10 minutes’ drive of Queen St and Mt Eden Village.
The previous buildings on site have already been demolished and excavation for the basement car parking will be one of the next steps.
The development is scheduled for completion late 2018 to early 2019. EPSOM CENTRAL, 468 MANUKAU RD, EPSOM Architecturally designed apartments in two blocks with a central circulation opening between, some with views over One Tree Hill, being sold off the plans. With smart technology systems and either cedar- sarked covered balconies or ground level courtyards. OPTIONS: A) 1- bed plus study, 2- bath apartments, 66sq m ( plus 11- 12sq m balcony) from $ 943,000. b) 2- bed plus study, 2- bath apartments, 82sq m- 86sq m ( plus 13sq m- 34sq m balcony or courtyard) from $ 1.16 million. c) 2- bed plus study plus multi- purpose area, 2- bth apartments, 90sq m ( plus 27sq m balcony or courtyard) from $ 1.729 million. d) 2- bed, 2- bath penthouses, 80sq m- 83sq m ( plus 10sq m- 33sq m balcony) from $ 1.748 million. e) 2- bed, 2- bath plus multi- purpose area penthouses, 81sq m- 120sq m ( plus 46sq m- 52sq m balcony) from $ 2.47 million. PARKING: BODY CORP: From $ 2065 a year. INSPECT: SCHOOLS: CONTACT: ON THE WEB: