Jefferson Lane - [Palm Beach, Gold Coast - Australia]
The Jefferson Lane development is located in Palm Beach at the intersection of Jefferson Lane and Thirteenth Avenue, on two sites previously occupied by a two-storey house and a vacant lot. The corner site presents an opportunity to create a contextual gem nestled within the suburb drawing from the unique context, a beachside residential laneway.
The low-rise development consists of 8 boutique beachside apartments in a building of 9 levels. These spacious one-per floor apartments provide an enticing alternative to single dwelling homes where residents will be able to experience sunlight and views from multiple aspects including towards the breath-taking white sand of Palm Beach and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Inside the apartments outdoor spaces are seamlessly integrated with the internal spaces contributing to the overall feeling of openness and providing enhanced cross ventilation throughout all internal areas. The allocation of extra large balconies in each apartment supports flexible living patterns and enables semi-outdoor living all-year-round in the sub-tropical climate.
The building design (interior and exterior) responds to multiple site parameters such as orientation, context, environment and public realm integration. The directionality and openness of the building towards the ocean was of primary importance, driving the design process. The location of the core and stairs towards the south-west façade work to maximise privacy and the amount of open space available towards the favorable North East aspect.
The refined shape and form of the building is the result of a responsiveness to the parameters mentioned. The resultant building allows for an interesting tension between solidity and transparency allowing for enclosure and openness from within protecting from unfavorable conditions (western sun, southerly winds, potential overlooking neighboring buildings) and opens and embraces the favourable summer breezes and beautiful views to the beach.
The morphology and self-sufficiency of certain clam shell species inspired the curvaceous form of the apartment pods that read as individual elements horizontally. The elegant facade articulation derives from the recognized need to give the project more privacy towards the southern neighbour as well as protect the building envelope from prevailing winter winds, providing an enclosed side and an anchor point for the apartments to open and extend towards the northern and eastern facades. The continuous curvilinear shading device provides climatic control and reduces heat loads and also allows for protection from prevailing winter winds. Visually this shade device creates individual pods per apartment and provides a high level of modulation and presents an attractive sculptural interface to the south east corner. Planters to the North protect and bring privacy as well as bringing greenery to the building helping it to touch lightly and integrate with the ground plane.
This iconic corner will create a unique sense of arrival to the prospering suburb of Palm Beach on approach from Jefferson Lane as well as a beautiful visual addition from Gold Coast Highway and the pedestrian experience will be optimised through the active engagement of the ground plane with street orientated landscape solutions. This new landmark will be an engaging architectural asset for the urban fabric of the coastal city.
