AJC Architects has unveiled their design vision for a new residential development in a prominent location in Macquarie Park, Sydney. Developed through a joint venture between Billbergia and Legacy Property, 88 Waterloo Road is a thoughtfully designed project that harmonises urban living with natural landscapes, sustainability, and aesthetic excellence, setting a new benchmark for high-quality residential developments in Macquarie Park.
Spread across two towers soaring above a versatile mixed-use podium, the 88 Waterloo development will offer a total of 255 residential units, comprising 60 one-bedroom, 98 two-bedroom, and 85 three-bedroom apartments, and 12 three-bedroom penthouses.
Ground floor maisonette style apartments offer opportunities for live-work use or intergenerational families with individual entry off Cottonwood Crescent and a self-contained ensuite room on entry level with direct access to the basement parking. Apartments with private, oversized master bedrooms are designed to provide opportunities for semi-independent living for parents or older children.
A three-storey podium fronting Waterloo Road, houses a blend of retail, commercial, and residential spaces. The podium has been integrated into the design to break down the scale of the towers. Residential lobbies, retail spaces and maisonette style apartments can be accessed directly from the street, activating the public domain.
Creating a green heart for the precinct drove AJC’s site planning approach. The central communal space opens out to an adjacent park, blending and visually extending the dimensions of the spaces. Retained groups of significant trees around the site preserve the leafy character of the area and ensure that the new buildings will feel settled and established into the environment.
Providing views of the local parks from as many apartments as possible inspired AJC's building design. Open corridors and walkways connecting the buildings provide views of greenery from every level. This bioclimatic design approach maximises visual connections to the landscape, daylight access, and natural ventilation, ensuring a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing living environment.
“The 88 Waterloo development redefines urban living in Macquarie Park by blending high-quality residences with natural beauty. Our design integrates bioclimatic principles and eco-friendly features to create a sustainable and comfortable living environment,” AJC studio director Jim Koopman says.
On the north (warm) side, horizontal balconies are designed to optimise natural light and ventilation, creating comfortable outdoor spaces even in warmer weather. On the south (cool) side, the building features enclosed balconies that provide protection and warmth during the colder months. This thoughtful integration of bioclimatic design ensures that the building responds effectively to seasonal changes, promoting sustainability and comfort throughout the year.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of AJC Architects' design philosophy and a fundamental tenet of Caring for Country. The development incorporates several Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) initiatives, including extensive use of on-site solar PV, energy-efficient lighting, heat pump hot water systems, and all-electric cooking and heating to eliminate gas usage; improved indoor air quality; water-saving measures; thoughtful landscaping to enhance the site's ecological value; efficient waste management; and significant tree retention.
The development application for 88 Waterloo has been submitted for approval.
