The transformation of Brisbane’s Bulimba Barracks has reached another milestone following Development Application approval for the Apollo Road Apartments, the first residential complex in the expansive new riverside precinct.

The green light follows earlier approval for the adaptive reuse of Bulimba Barracks’ heritage Fabrication Shed and a new riverside pavilion, all designed by global architecture practice Buchan for the Shayher Group. The three projects comprise the first stage of the masterplanned community on the 21-hectare site.

The two- and three-storey multi-residential complex is located on Bulimba’s Apollo Road and will offer superior amenity with its waterside location, shared recreation spaces and adjacency to the Fabrication Shed. The Shed is set to become a community hub that will put retail and hospitality on the residents’ doorstep.

Buchan principal Lynn Van Dievoort is leading the project and says the 69 luxury apartments across two buildings take their cue from the site’s rich history and are designed to breathe in Brisbane’s sub-tropical climate.

“Planning for the two buildings prioritised fresh air, natural light and green space for residents,” says Van Dievoort. “The design draws on the site’s industrial heritage, with curved forms and brickwork referencing a former soap and candle factory dating back to the 1880s.”

The Apollo Road Apartments sit on the footprint of former WWII warehouses and are scaled to respect the surrounding neighbourhood. The development includes 10 one-bedroom,

38 two-bedroom and 21 three-bedroom dwellings, with two levels of carparking below. Breezeways, skylights and lightwells deliver airflow and sunlight throughout.

Central to the design are resident amenities positioned in a generous communal courtyard between the two apartment buildings. They include a 13-metre lap pool, cabana lounge, dining zones, sauna and lawn. Sky terraces on level two offer additional shared places to relax and take in the river views.

“Taking inspiration from the vernacular Queenslander, the communal courtyard acts as a front verandah for residents to gather,” notes Van Dievoort. “Residents will also have private outdoor space, with sheltered balconies and terraces on the upper-level apartments and courtyard gardens at ground level, enabling indoor and outdoor living attuned to the climate.”

Between the residences and the Fabrication Shed is a landscaped public pedestrian laneway that links directly to the river and can host community gardens, play spaces and public art, with the potential for markets and events. Residents will have direct entry from the laneway to the Fabrication Shed’s food, beverage and retail offerings, including a boutique supermarket and outdoor hospitality.

The laneway leads to the redeveloped riverfront parkland and walk. At the park’s eastern end, directly in front of the apartments, Buchan has designed two new pavilions connected by a striking sculptural roof inspired by the tree canopies of the surrounding park. The pavilions will be completed in two stages, first hosting the apartment sales office before expanding to become a cafe or restaurant.

Van Dievoort says approval for the apartments marks the start of an exciting new era for Bulimba, set to become a destination for the prestigious suburb’s existing community as well as attracting people from wider Brisbane.

“Residents will have an unrivalled waterside lifestyle that makes the most of Brisbane’s climate and river. The design of the Apollo Road Apartments will set a benchmark for future developments in the Bulimba Barracks precinct as it evolves into a vibrant new neighbourhood.”