World’s tallest wooden apartments

World’s tallest wooden apartments

Lend Lease is building the world’s tallest wooden residential building between Mosaic and Serrata in Bourke St, Victoria Harbour.

Known as Forte, construction has started on the 32.17 metre, 10-storey structure and is expected to be finished by October.

The developer is blazing new sustainability territory with its chosen cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction and is watching closely the market’s reaction.

Should the 23 apartments and four townhouses be snapped up quickly, it is likely that Docklands will see more timber constructions – particularly on the Victoria Harbour peninsula, which is ear-marked for low-rise luxury dwellings.

Forte was launched by the Premier Ted Baillieu on May 25.  Inclement weather prevented the first wooden panel being lifted into place.

In reference to the marquee sheltering guests from consistent rain, Mr Baillieu joked that Lend Lease should be congratulated for its innovative use of plastic and velvet.

On a serious note, he remarked that Victoria Harbour had become a “playground for innovation and a playground for
sustainable design.”

The Premier also gave a commitment to pursue cheaper constructions costs, warning that Australia risked pricing itself out of the world market.

He later posed for photos with children bussed in from Laurimar – a Lend Lease community of 4000 people 30 km north of Melbourne which has its own primary school.

The small gathering was later entertained and informed by a panel of experts.  Among other features of the building, the group
was told:

The building material itself comprises 50 per cent carbon;

The construction will result in a saving of the equivalent of 1400 tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere;

The building will be carbon-neutral for at least 10 years; and

Lend Lease is aspiring for Australia’s first 5-star as-built Green Star residential rating for Forte.

Cross-laminated timber is used commonly in Europe but it the first time is has been used in Australia.

Forte will comprise seven, one-bedroom apartments (59 sqm and priced from $450,000); 14 two-bedroom apartments (80 sqm and priced from nearly $700,000); and two, two-bedroom penthouses (102 sqm and priced from $800,000).  There are no car parking spaces.

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