272 Hedges Avenue, rising 44 storeys above its beachside setting, offers an unfolding experience of architectural elegance and unparalleled amenity, with the pedestal’s design inspired by the natural forces of the project’s coastal location.
Project Name: 272 Hedges Avenue, Mermaid Beach
Studio Name: CONTRERAS EARL Architecture
Sunland Group, an Australian property developer, commissioned Contreras Earl Architecture to design the Mermaid Beach tower’s two-story pedestal base, as well as the interior and communal areas. The exquisite design, inspired by wind and water patterns on rocks and sand, brings a human scale to the ground plane of the tower and creates an engaging, sculptural connection with the streetscape and parklands. It marks the transition between the coast and the urban edge, and the seamless transition from outside to inside provides residents and visitors with a one-of-a-kind spatial experience.
The organic design honours nature’s most extraordinary sculptors: the wind and ocean. The exterior’s sculpted curves are inspired by windswept crests and sand erosion, while the interior’s sweeping voids and vaults are inspired by a rock cave naturally eroded by the ocean. The materials amplify this effect, with a distinctive semi- reflective stainless-steel façade that subtly reflects the streetscape and surroundings, and a cave-like and elemental concrete finish to the grand foyer. The transition from outside to inside is smooth and welcoming, and artistic lighting follows the ridgelines subtly to enhance the flow from one space to the next. The pedestal, foyer, and communal areas are enhanced by refined sculptural detailing throughout the architectural and interior details. The stainless-steel concierge desk in the foyer, as well as the lift lobby – a privately enclosed space within the suspended arches – are examples of this.
The ground floor’s private amenities include a resident lounge, boardroom, and function room. A 15-metre pool and spa sit beneath a vaulted ceiling on the first floor, opening to a garden terrace with views of the coastal parklands. A gym, sauna, hammam steam room, and treatment rooms are also available to residents. The minimalist, tactile spaces are intended to stimulate the senses by creating a spatial sequence and atmosphere that will be sensory and soothing to the user.
Quotes:
- “272 Hedges Pedestal was designed as a beautiful sculptural that is both visually stunning and ”
- “Residents will experience a breathtaking welcome as they enter the tower’s lobby from Hedges Avenue, and the general public will enjoy the beautifully detailed addition to the public realm that culminates the end of Hedges Avenue and transition to the Broadbeach ”
- “The fluid and seamless progression from outside to inside is a unique spatial experience for residents and visitors. Upon arrival residents are greeted by a grand foyer of sweeping voids and illuminated arches.”
- “The pedestal is inspired by the natural forces in play at the project’s coastal location. The subtle curving semi-reflective exterior façade resembles the crests and erosion effect of wind on sand, while its interior creates the illusion of a rock cave naturally eroded by the ”
- “The brief was to create an amazing spatial The pedestal design does that by bringing a human scale to the project, and creating an exquisite sculptural connection with the surrounding streetscape and parklands.”
