PROJECT PROFILE
Louvre Systems
Operable Glass Louvres Lucient Apartments 430 St Kilda Road - Melbourne VIC Australia Architect - The Buchan Group
AGP Fineline-XTS Louvres AGP operable glass louvres were selected to enclose the apartment wintergardens and allow all year round use. The Fineline-XTS Series is a new louvre system that was developed specifically for this project and it features a special mechanism within the mullions that allows the top operable louvres to open upwards while the bottom operable louvre opens downwards to provide a greater clear opening space in the vision area.
Designed & Manufactured in Australia ARCHITECTURAL GLASS PROJECTS PTY LIMITED 9 Liberty Road Huntingwood NSW 2148 Australia Telephone (+61) 02 9671 0000 www.agpgroup.com.au
SKY SCULPTURE High-tech operable glass louvres provide comfortable indoor-outdoor living in the Lucient apartments winter gardens – these were supplied and installed by AGP
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These pages:Large operable clear glass louvres, supplied and installed by Architectural Glass Projects (AGP), enable Lucient residents to enjoy the winter gardens in all weathers. Interior photograph by Peter Nation.
With the winter gardens such an important part of Lucient’s exotic appeal, the operable glass louvres that make them possible play a vital role – both from within the individual apartments, and also from the bustling city streets below. Architectural Glass Projects (AGP) was responsible for the supply and installation of all the Fineline-XTS operable glass louvres on the St Kilda Road facade, as well as the louvres on the west elevation. AGP’s extensive skill base allowed it to undertake the entire curved facade treatment, as well as the main entry doors and associated fixed glazing on the lower levels. Ideally suited for the apartment winter gardens, the large, frameless glass operable louvres open in opposite directions to provide users with greater clear
viewing space. The horizontal and vertical louvre seals allow the balcony spaces to be used even in the most adverse weather conditions. In addition, opening the louvres allows residents to promote natural airflow and ventilation within their apartments. The Lucient Apartments continue a tradition of upmarket operable glass louvre projects for AGP in Melbourne, with other notable projects including the Urban Workshop at 50 Lonsdale Street, the Transport Bar at Federation Square, BHP Billiton headquarters at QV1 and the Melbourne GPO. For further details, contact Architectural Glass Projects, 9 Liberty Rd, Huntingwood, NSW 2148, phone (02) 9671 0000. Alternatively, visit the website: www.agpgroup.com.au.
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SKYLINE SCULPTURE The curving, strikingly contemporary Lucient residential tower offers expansive apartment living in the heart of Melbourne’s famous St Kilda Road precinct FIND THIS ARTICLE ONLINE AT TRENDSIDEAS.COM/G0/22182
Left:Lucient 430 St Kilda Road offers generous-sized, opulent apartment living at an iconic Melbourne address. The 20-storey tower has an average of only three apartments per floor. Lucient’s sail-like facade brings a sculptural addition to this central, inner-city location. Below:The lobby’s polished marble floors and timber walls inlaid with mother-of-pearl are an indication of the level of detail lavished on the apartments at Lucient.
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In a time where urban consolidation is de rigueur for developers and urban planners, modest-sized units often hold sway. However, a visionary project, by a forward-looking developer and architect can combine utility of inner-city space with a high-end lifestyle. The sight of a gracious sweep of glass rising like a sculpture in the heart of St Kilda signals a spearhead for inner-city, refined apartment living. Internationally renowned developers Lustig & Moar, in partnership with Macquarie Real Estate Equity Funds (MREEF), have created a dynamic residential building that offers an opulent, contemporary lifestyle. Lucient’s arching front facade reaches 20 levels
into the sky, yet with only three or four apartments on a typical floor, owners feel as if they are in their own private world. Such is the attention to detail on Lucient, it is as if the tower had been built by hand. Besides all the features and generous individual apartment sizes, Lucient offers spectacular views of downtown Melbourne, says group manager Carolyn Febey. “The grandeur of the light-filled lobby sets the scene for the visionary concept of architects the Buchan Group and interior designers Heitz-Parsons-Sadek,” says Febey. “Graceful pillars of mother-of-pearl and expanses of polished stone floor in the foyer are an indication of the quality and style that lie ahead.”
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Left:Lucient’s reception desk brings a touch of Art Deco glamour to the apartment tower. Below:The lobby area combines a use of natural materials with ornate design. Warm wood tones complement the intricate use of mother-of-pearl inlays and soft, strategic lighting.
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The address alone gives Lucient a head start in offering a lifestyle less ordinary. The building stands on the iconic, tree-lined St Kilda Road and is positioned within a garden setting. This is in close proximity to Albert Park Lake, with St Kilda beach, the fashion houses of Chapel Street and South Yarra, and the buzz of the CBD only 15 minutes away by tram. Views from Lucient apartments are across Albert Park Lake to Port Phillip Bay in one direction, and towards the city and the Dandenong Ranges beyond in the other. In addition, it is five minutes’ walking distance to the shops, bars and cafés of Domain Road and the Royal Botanic Gardens, as well as the open parklands of Faulkner Park, and renowned public golf course, Albert Park Golf. Lucient also offers easy access to the CBD and the southeastern suburbs, as St Kilda Road is a major artery for public transport and road traffic. The apartment tower itself has a 24-hour concierge and Smartcard parking, and a Health Club with 25m lap pool, a fully equipped gymnasium, together with a sauna and steam room.
Lucient has a 5-star energy efficiency rating, offers a minimum of two carparks plus a storeroom for each apartment, and boasts a state-of-the-art security system. In addition, ground-floor offices bring integrated working and living options for owners and increase the pedestrian flow at street level. Mirrors and timber panelling are used to create an elegant entry to each of the 54 apartments and penthouses. C-Bus systems bring fingertip control over all electrical appliances, while washed lighting highlights the natural granite benchtops and stone floors. All bathrooms are fitted in Italian marble, and double spas feature in all master suites. One standout amenity is the full-height, fully operable glass winter garden found in each apartment facing St Kilda Rd. This offers a year-round indoor-tooutdoor living experience, allowing residents to make the most of Melbourne’s changing seasons. For details, contact the Lucient Sales Office, Suite G04, Ground Floor, 434 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Vic 3000, phone: 03 9866 6388. Or visit the website: www.lucient.com.au.
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Lucient 430 St Kilda Road presents a dramatic sculptural addition to the Melbourne skyline. What is more, aesthetic splendour on the outside goes hand in hand with expansive, sumptously appointed living spaces on the inside. The Buchan Group is the architectural firm that designed Lucient, in collaboration with US interior design firm, Heitz Parsons Sadek, and landscape designer Tract. Project director and designer David Cole says he sought to create an individualistic building by taking inspiration from the natural forces that govern design aesthetics.
“Our vision has been to create a development that explored natural sculptural forms, yet still recognised on-site virtues,” says Cole. “It was imperative to achieve maximum site presence, while also adhering to the consistency of scale along St Kilda Road.” Lucient’s translucent, sail-like facade has a shimmering mosaic finish created with a clever use of clear glass operable louvres, to complement the visual depth of the building’s exterior. “Our vision for this east-facing facade was to create a bold urban gesture to St Kilda Road and to Toorak Road directly across the intersection,” Cole says. “Lucient challenges the trend towards small units
Below left:Lucient’s sleek, curving street facade is reminiscent of a gigantic ship in graceful full sail. Below:High ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing and a spacious winter garden are among the features of the apartments.
Below right A Health Club with a 25m lane pool and fully equipped gym, a steam room and sauna are all part of the Lucient lifestyle.
and it is refreshing to create apartments that will bring an iconic sense of grace to Melbourne’s city centre,” says the architect. One of Lucient’s key points of difference is its winter garden concept, a signature feature that invites the outdoors in. Created by the mechanically operable louvres on the building’s curved facade, and measuring the full width of each apartment, the winter garden is effectively a very large indoor-outdoor dining area. Residents can open their living space out to the vibrancy of St Kilda Road or the bay side, or choose to keep the area enclosed, according to the weather conditions. “The best of everything has gone into the design and
fit-out of these apartments – each residence has generous living areas and 2.9m-high ceilings,” Cole says. The vast entry lobby leads to individual living spaces with entry powder rooms, real-flame fireplaces and, in a typical apartment, three bedrooms with three ensuites or bathrooms. Each apartment offers high-end features and finishes, including Miele kitchens, walk-in robes and vanities supplied by premium Italian company Poliform. For further information, contact The Buchan Group, phone (03) 9329 1077, fax (03) 9329 0481. Email: tbg@melbourne.buchan.com.au. Or visit the website: www.buchan.com.au.
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Below: Large operable clear glass louvres, supplied and installed by AGP, enable Lucient residents to enjoy the winter gardens in all weathers.
With the winter gardens such an important part of Lucient’s exotic appeal, the operable glass louvres that make them possible play a vital role – both from within the individual apartments, and also from the bustling city streets below. Architectural Glass Projects (AGP) was responsible for the supply and installation of all the Fineline-XTS operable glass louvres on the St Kilda Road facade, as well as the louvres on the west elevation. AGP’s extensive skill base allowed it to undertake the entire curved facade treatment, as well as the main entry doors and associated fixed glazing on the lower levels. Ideally suited for the apartment winter gardens, the large, frameless glass operable louvres open in opposite directions to provide users with greater clear viewing space. The horizontal and vertical louvre seals allow the balcony spaces to be used even in the most adverse weather conditions. In addition, opening the louvres allows residents to promote natural airflow and ventilation within their apartment. The Lucient Apartments continues a tradition of upmarket operable glass louvre projects for AGP in Melbourne, with other notable projects including the Urban Workshop at 50 Lonsdale Street, the Transport Bar at Federation Square, BHP Billiton headquarters at QV1 and the Melbourne GPO. For further details, contact AGP, 9 Liberty Rd, Huntingwood, NSW 2148, phone (02) 9671 0000. Website: www.agpgroup.com.au.
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