Norwest developer Mulpha has lodged its development application (DA) for the first stage of its approved $1billion masterplanned community, Norwest Quarter, a development set to lead and shape the national conversation on sustainable neighbourhoods, and the keystone of Mulpha’s vision to transform Norwest into a vibrant lifestyle and economic town centre.
Located within 400 metres of the new Norwest Metro Station at 40 Solent Circuit, Norwest in Sydney’s Hills District, the first stage of Norwest Quarter will include two residential apartment buildings, with a total of 196 apartments, and more than 3,500sqm of specially curated retail and commercial space including a full-floor commercial gym, fresh food grocer, medical services, and restaurants.
The slender residential towers with their small building footprints will allow for 70 percent of the site to be used for landscaping and amenity, setting a new benchmark in integrated urban design and community making. Gently sloping landscaped grounds with scattered shade trees will lead up the stairs at the entry of Norwest Quarter to an open-air plaza with retail and outdoor dining, a nature based, informal play area, an amphitheatre for community events, and other landscaped areas.
When complete, the Norwest Quarter masterplan will transform over 3.8 hectares of greenfield land into a vibrant village centre for over 2,000 residents, harnessing the latest in innovation, traditional values, human understanding, and sustainable practices to create a new model for neighbourhoods. There will be nine slender residential towers containing 864 apartments, with 6,000m2 of space provided for cafes, restaurants, neighbourhood shops and childcare facilities.
Leading architects Bates Smart and Smart Design Studio, together with award winning landscaping firm Aspect Studios, urban designers Terroir, and environmental sustainability firm Finding Infinity, have been appointed to work together to design and deliver an innovative, environmentally led development, rich in design, with a unique nature-driven biophilic ethos encapsulating the built form and vibrant public realms.
Sustainability is at the core of Norwest Quarter. Smart building design and landscaping are being used to minimise the urban heat island effect (UHIE) and create a cooler environment. Initiatives and design considerations include using high performance glazing and insulation, rooftop solar PV panels, facades to invite winter sun to penetrate whilst blocking summer sun, rainwater harvesting and non-potable reuse, water efficient fixtures and fittings, electric vehicle recharging and car sharing. With ambitions of zero waste retail outlets including a local produce grocer/supermarket, communal gardens and edible plant selections, worm farms, organic waste treatment, and productive beehives for enhanced pollination, this project is set to be a comprehensive environmental benchmark.
Mulpha’s Head of Developments, Tim Spencer said:
“We started the design process by asking how people today want to live their lives and what sustainability, technology and community practices reflect their needs, lifestyle and aspirations. The whole design process was about breaking down and identifying what truly makes a community sustainable – it was an inter-disciplinary design exercise that had to accept that for true sustainability the project had to have economic and employment drivers, social and education opportunities, bring health and wellness to the forefront and manage the built form and technology infrastructure super efficiently.
“The past year has reinforced our belief that we need to be holistically designing to achieve great communities to live in, not just designing stand-alone buildings.
“Our society is craving connection to one another, to themselves, and to nature – to live a life that feels more human and actually connected. I believe people will choose to live here for the opportunity to be part of grassroots leadership, driving for a better future, targeting 100% renewable energy, zero waste, and the water sensitivity that the world needs.”
This project will be a core pillar of the entire Norwest community that is anchored by 46 hectares of public open space and interwoven with 50 kilometres of pathways and 10 kilometres of cycleways, creating a truly walkable and cyclable city, actively encouraging residents and locals to stroll or ride between precincts.
Mr Spencer said Mulpha has made a long-term commitment to the transformation of Norwest Business Park into a world-leading innovation, lifestyle and economic hub.