A 12-storey mixed-use building being developed by Above Zero at 697 and 699 Burke Road, Camberwell, has received approval from the City of Boroondara.
Designed by Cera Stribley, the proposed development will feature 36 apartments, 796sqm of retail space at ground level, and five floors of commercial office space. Upon completion, the building will be the second tallest in the City of Boroondara.
The approval process extended to more than a year, with the council raising concerns about visibility and vehicular serviceability of the commercial tenancies. Cera Stribley and Above Zero worked diligently to address these concerns, making several concessions including modifying the building’s form to preserve the neighbouring outlook, introducing landscaped buffer zones, abandoning a proposed 13th storey, and increasing the number of car parking spaces from 180 to 214.
“This project presents us with an extremely rare and unrepeatable opportunity to deliver a mixed-use development in the heart of Camberwell Junction, offering commercial and residential occupiers uninterrupted views of the CBD and the Dandenong Ranges,” says AJ Batra, managing director of Above Zero.
According to Dom Cerantonio, co-founder and managing principal of Cera Stribley, the building design honours its streetscape and the history of its locale while setting a new standard for future developments in the area.
“Throughout the design process, we were acutely conscious of respecting Camberwell Junction, the neighbouring Aerial building, and its residents. The design directly responds to its neighbour, drawing inspiration from its curvaceous form and generous proportions,” Cerantonio says.
Acknowledging the role of Cera Stribley in the approval process, Batra noted, “They have created an exemplary design that encompasses retail, premium-grade office space, sub-penthouse and penthouse apartments, and associated health and wellness spaces.”
