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Architects: Plazibat Architects
- Area: 16000 m²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Christopher Frederick Jones
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Manufacturers: GRAPHISOFT, Bradnams, Duce, Eco Outdoor, Hunter Douglas, Marble Plus, Urbanline, Versatile Structures
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Consultants: MRP Hydraulic, Cardno, Omnii_Fire, TTM_Traffic, TPA_Town Planning, MRP, Omnii, BCC, TTM, WSP
Text description provided by the architects. Lucent is a contemporary sub-tropical multi-residential apartment building. An island of ground-level retail forms the base, with the tower comprising 190 apartments. An urban oasis rooftop crowns the building. Lucent has now developed into a lifestyle project; where people live, work, and focus on their health and wellness. The design challenge was to create a landmark building that responded to its inner-city urban context and setting. The brief was for a 15 storey building with 3 basement levels of cars, 190 apartments, 1100 sqm of ground-level retail, a mezzanine floor, and a rooftop recreation area with a 55m long pool.
The design creates an iconic building within the area via the architectural expression of the building along with the use of landscape elements at the retail level, podium, vertical facade of the building, and rooftop. Giving over space at the street level for public amenity is a positive outcome for the city. The apartments are generous in the area and well planned affording wonderful access to natural daylight and breezes. The rooftop pool and amenities are the world's best. An awning structure that hangs from a high-level podium ring beam is a unique design feature. The off-form concrete awning appears to float above the footpath. The top of the awning contains planting which has now grown and cascades over the edges. Each apartment floor has a central circulation corridor that contains pivoting louvres at the ends which allow for access to natural daylight and cross ventilation breezes. When the residents exit the lift, this allows for the engagement and awareness of the climate that is occurring each day within the city.
The rooftop level contains a 55m long pool which is the longest in the southern hemisphere. Numerous facilities for residents have been provided which include a separate private gym, sauna, private dining room, outdoor cinema, virtual golf driving range, BBQ, and teppanyaki grille. The rooftop amenity has been created by placing all of the building plant and equipment in a dedicated services level between the top floor apartment level and the pool level. Numerous key design elements have been incorporated which relate to sustainability.
Building orientation is north. Typical corridors on the tower are open-ended to afford residents' natural light and ventilation. Sliding sunshade screens protect the glazing. Generous balconies allow for indoor/outdoor living. Large continuous ground level concrete awnings with landscape gardens shade the retail level and provide for a colonnade. An urban oasis is created at the rooftop with lush green gardens and shaded spaces. Layered facades protect from excessive heat. Vertical living greenery to the building façade and extensive ground plane gardens have all been incorporated.
