Building on the legacy of the prestigious 150 Clarendon Street luxury residential development in East Melbourne, developer Salta and architect Bates Smart have once again embarked on yet another exclusive apartment project, this time along the Yarra River in Abbotsford.
Thirteen years after their first collaboration, Salta and Bates Smart have reunited on the sequel of the 150 Clarendon project, which had set the tone within Melbourne’s array of exclusive multi-million-dollar apartment towers. The duo’s latest venture, Walmer is located in the bustling riverside precinct off Victoria Street, which is fast becoming one of Melbourne’s most sought after addresses for luxury apartment towers. In an area where buildings of a similar size generally have 200 apartments, Walmer boasts a more intimate offering of just 61 residences.
This limited number of apartments makes the building stand out, offering house-sized residences with balconies to rival the backyards of some terrace homes. Walmer’s promise of exclusivity has seen buyers respond enthusiastically with just two apartments remaining on the market.
“We bucked the trend in this area and designed apartments with home-like proportions and amenity you’d expect in a five-star resort, and the market responded,” Salta managing director Sam Tarascio said.
“With an average price point at $2.1 million and the penthouse fetching north of $6.8 million, Walmer has proven to be one of Melbourne’s most exclusive apartment buildings, attracting a very discerning purchaser base.”
Walmer offers a resident experience befitting of the price tag – designed intentionally for the owner-occupier market of Melbourne.
The homes are spacious, with double-wide doors, broad hallways and even in-built seating where you can admire the riverside view while you wait for one of the building’s three lifts.
Complementing the high-end finishes, each apartment is outfitted with the best brands on the market while a full-time concierge is on site to assist with residents’ needs, from laundry and deliveries to beauty treatments, among a host of hotel-like services.
A private porte cochere draws residents and guests off Victoria Street into the heart of the building. Visitors have 15 guest parking spaces to choose from, while residents enjoy private wine cellars, treatment rooms and a Technogym health facility, as well as a 25-metre lap pool, both set alongside the river.
Bates Smart studio director Mark Healey said the architectural approach was focused on celebrating the site’s relationship to the river and creating a sense of retreat from the busy Victoria Street.
“Walmer is a building of two halves, where we have created a threshold coming off a busy road that leads you into a peaceful heart where you turn your back on Victoria Street. You retreat to the riverside, viewing the trees and waterside escarpment through the pool deck, which is aligned to the flow of the river, facing north to enjoy incredible daylight through the gum trees,” Healey explained.
“The terraced design really celebrates this location and provides amazing balcony environments, some that wrap around the entire apartment and provide an additional living space,” he added.
Walmer is located at 649 Victoria Street in Abbotsford adjacent to the Walmer bridge, which Salta recently restored, providing a valuable connection across the river for Abbotsford, Richmond and Kew residents.
