Responding to panoramic harbour views, Grafton is a sculpted building of exuberant elegance benefiting both its occupants and their neighbours. Comprising of a nineteen-storey mixed use building in Bondi Junction, it offers commercial tenancies on the lower levels, 63 large apartments, and an array of amenities including a gym and gardens. The building is modulated by gentle scalloping along the street frontages for the podium façade and tower above.
Expand ContentOn the southern side, Grafton is split into two slender parallel forms flanking a slot at the end of a central corridor. Allowing natural light and ventilation in, this arrangement additionally breaks down the tower mass facing the narrow lane frontage. Chosen for its durability to minimise long-term maintenance, olive toned precast concrete is the predominant external façade material.
Expressed both in the macro and micro scale, the scalloped form of the overall building informs the detailing of the precast spandrels. Within the resulting spaces, angled screens articulate the façade, direct residents’ outlook towards the view, and provide screening from neighbours and the summer sun. Vertical balusters at the perimeter of the balconies are integrated into the precast slab edges and spandrels.
At the podium levels, every second bay has a balcony. Convex sun awnings fit within the scalloped form of the northern podium to provide shading from the summer sun to the bedrooms along this façade.
A sustainable approach was adopted through passive design initiatives, advanced technologies and self-sufficiency. To wit, environmental design principles include high performance glazing, rooftop PV panels, rainwater harvesting, water efficient fittings and communal car share. Moreover, the form of the façade, in conjunction with the building’s orientation, invites the winter sun to penetrate while minimising summer sun and delivering cross ventilation and solar access to nearly all the apartments.
At the northern edge of Bondi’s CBD, the site affords captivating views of Sydney harbour, parklands and Woollahra. The building’s olive tones strengthen its connection to its verdant surroundings.
