Alpha & Palais Apartments

This project was delivered over 2 stages on a significant city site with two main street frontages.

The Alpha Apartments was constructed as the first stage. The site for this stage is framed by Frome Street along the main western frontage and Vaughan Place to the eastern and northern side boundaries. Sym Choon Lane connects Vaughan Place and Frome Street along the south side of the site.

This building comprises a multi-level carpark, street level retail and 44 luxury apartments with access to private rooftop terraces.

The multi-level carpark is constructed with three of the levels below ground. The remaining carpark levels are contained within a solid polychromatic brick framed podium. Perforated metal screens with “Pic-perf” images are incorporated into the masonry frame along the Frome Street frontage. The screens are embellished with heritage images that depict the previous historic uses of this site.  

The ground level on the east and west sides is sleeved by commercial tenancies and the entrance lobby to the apartments above.

The upper floors of the building are constructed from a fully expressed structural steel exoskeleton with full-height high performance IGU windows to all four sides. Expansive private balconies and terraces are set into the building and provide sheltered outdoor space to all apartments.

 The Palais Apartments were constructed as the second stage of the site development. The site for this stage fronts North Terrace and is framed by Paxton’s Walk to the east and Vaughan Place to the south. The historically significant Ayers House site is directly adjacent to Paxton’s Walk and presented a challenge for the design.

The architectural style from stage 1 was repeated on the Palais building but scaled down in keeping with the bulk and scale of the adjacent heritage buildings.

The Palais Apartment building incorporates a multi-level carpark that connects into the adjacent Alpha Apartment building carpark below ground. Street level commercial tenancies are provided on 3 sides, including a covered colonnade facing Paxton’s Walk. Four levels of student accommodation are provided above ground. These apartments are accessed through a central atrium with a large, ventilated sky roof above.

A total of 100 apartments are provided, and the proximity to the universities and the Rundle Street precinct has made them a popular choice.