Cirqua Apartments creates a new living environment for East Ivanhoe. The project involves the consolidation of 2 neighbouring properties into a single block for a new multi-residential development. The project site has been the subject of several unsuccessful planning applications in the past, and is affected by a complex range of planning policies and physical constraints. The design comprises 44 dwellings on a steeply sloping site, with a range of sizes and types on offer.
photography by © Peter Bennetts
The project is designed to carefully consider accessibility and passive environmental performance. All apartment bedrooms and living areas have direct access to natural light and ventilation, and significant landscaped areas have been integrated into the design to provide a high quality garden setting. The building facades are highly articulated to reduce the overall building’s mass. The design draws on the materiality and expression of local, historical housing types that are reinterpreted in a contemporary manner.
photography by © Shannon McGrath
Project Info :
Architects: BKK Architects
Project Location: 206-208 Lower Heidelberg Rd,Melbourne, Ivanhoe East VIC 3079, Australia
Signage: MASS
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Peter Bennetts, Shannon McGrath
ESD: Urban Digestor
Structural: Kersulting
Project Area: 5800.0 m2
Services: NJM Consulting
Traffic and Waste: Cardno
Building Surveyor: Group II
Manufacturers: Robertsons Bricks
Landscape: John Patrick Landscape
DDA: Nick Morris Access Consulting
Builder: Aspekt Construction Group
Architects in Charge: Simon Knott, George Huon
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.