For Paragon, Beulah brought its transformative research and design-driven approach to a prominent corner site in the heart of the bustling Melbourne CBD. Collaborating once again with the renowned architectural studio of Fender Katsalidis, at the time this project would be Beulah’s largest to date in terms of scale, yet would lose none of its trademark attention to detail.
From the beginning, it was agreed that the heritage of the site’s original building – the Melbourne Celtic Club – would be projected, restored and celebrated. As well as retaining the façade of this 19th-century corner pub, the façade of the glass tower rising above features an elegant pattern derived from Celtic culture. Through this response, the tower is both respectful and refined.
“Our vision for Paragon follows the same principles as all our projects. Each should transform into a place for people to enjoy, something that adds value to their lives rather than just being another building.”
– Adelene Teh, Executive Director, Beulah
Beulah and Fender Katsalidis conducted extensive research into the needs and wants of inner-city residents, which informed both the interior design of each apartment and the development of amenity spaces. Most striking is the “urban forest” level, where landscape designer Paul Bangay has created a lush green escape high above the bustling city streets. This level, a first of its kind in Australia, also features flexible space for exercise, watching movies and engaging in wellness sessions.
For the residences themselves, Beulah reduced the original scheme of 280 apartments to 227. This allowed for fewer apartments per floor (between four and six), which resulted in much more natural light and spectacular corner vistas. Large spaces, exquisite materials and intelligent layouts add to the appeal of each luxurious apartment.
Paragon is set to be a landmark tower within Melbourne’s CBD when it is completed in late 2020.