Planning
Planning

Large Lot Apartments 03 by Andrew Burges Architects

Residential flat building at 4–6 storeys with dwellings ranging from studios to 4 bedrooms.

Street view of 5 storey apartment with cars, people and planting in the foreground.

A competition winning large lot development around a garden courtyard featuring one- and 2-storey dual aspect apartments.

Large Lot Apartments 03 by Andrew Burges Architects is a 4-to 6-storey apartment building that combines the scale of apartment living with the rhythm of terrace housing. Designed for greenfield residential neighbourhoods, the pattern activates primary streets with ground-floor apartment entries, while upper-level apartments are accessed via wide walkways overlooking a central landscaped courtyard. Corner apartments and terrace-like rows create a fine-grain urban form, with services and driveways accessed from secondary streets.

The design includes a mix of studio to 4-bedroom dwellings, offered in both one or 2-storey layouts. The 2-storey apartments feature a linear ‘compactus’ housing stairs and bathrooms, allowing flexible living spaces with bedrooms on separate levels from living areas. All apartments have a minimum of 2 orientations, enabling cross-ventilation. Double-height communal circulation spaces on alternating levels provide access to 2-storey dwellings while maintaining privacy for bedrooms.

At the heart of the block is a shared courtyard, designed with landscaping that encourages social interaction, offers privacy to adjacent homes, and provides a green outlook for all homes. The layout is functional and flexible, with pattern adaptations for lot widths between 67 m and 127.5 m. The design supports double-building arrangements with 2 courtyards, can be scaled from 4 to 6 storeys, and accommodates basement, or on-grade parking configurations.

Download to preview Large Lot Apartments 03 (ZIP, 75.8 MB).

This pattern pack was revised to clarify a single development standard. The revision does not change the design intent, eligibility, or approval pathways. This revised version supersedes all previous versions. 

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Key metrics

Each pattern provides a design for low- and mid-rise (LMR) housing areas with some of the designs providing options to suit non-LMR housing areas. The key metrics reflect the compact designs for low-rise patterns and the range of options for mid-rise patterns.
  • Number of dwellings 58-140
  • Bedrooms per dwelling0-4
  • Gross Floor Area (GFA) 5803-14162 m2
  • Efficiency (NSA:GFA)93-94%
  • Parking spaces per building 30-120
  • zoom_in_map Minimum lot area 3551-6566 m²
  • Minimum lot width 67-127.5 m
  • Number of storeys 4-6
  • Floor-Space Ratio (FSR) 1.621-2.1:1
  • Livability rating (ABCB)Beyond Minimum
  • Site gradient front to back0-2 m

Key metrics

Each pattern provides a design for low- and mid-rise (LMR) housing areas with some of the designs providing options to suit non-LMR housing areas. The key metrics reflect the compact designs for low-rise patterns and the range of options for mid-rise patterns.
  • Angled street view of 5 storey apartment on a corner lot with two street frontages and cars and pedestrians in the street.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative street view, soft landscaping elements envelop the building.
  • View into open plan living room, dining room and kitchen with 2 adults and 2 children getting ready for school.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative interior view, apartments have minimum 2 orientations to maximise cross-ventilation.
  • View from an apartment balcony into the central communal courtyard with planting and people walking below and two chairs in the foreground.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative communal view, shared central courtyard provides green outlook for all homes.
  • View of 5 storey apartment from street frontage with two women and a dog greeting and cyclists and cars on adjacent road.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative street render, entry to ground floor apartments activate the primary street frontage.
  • View of double height communal area with person from home waving to another person sitting at a table with a dog.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative communal view, double height communal circulation on alternating levels maintain privacy to bedrooms.
  • View of the front door to an apartment building with vines growing up the side of the building, balconies and people standing outside the building.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative main entry view, landscape and ground floor apartments activate the street.
  • Street view of 5 storey apartment with cars, people and planting in the foreground.
     
    Credit: Choi Render
    Illustrative front view, combines scale of apartment-living with terrace housing.

Floor plans

Explore the floor plan layouts. Refer to the pattern pack for more floor plan variations to suit your preferences.

  • Architectural drawing of the ground floor plan including basement ramp to underground parking.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    Ground floor plan (not to scale), apartments arranged around communal landscaped courtyard.
  • Architectural drawing of the basement plan with parking.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    Basement floor plan (not to scale), underground parking with deep soil zone for mature tree growth.
  • Architectural drawing of the first floor plan with 18 apartments arranged around a central void.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    First floor plan (not to scale), mix of 1- to 4-bedroom apartments with dual aspect layouts.
  • Architectural drawing of the second floor plan with 20 apartments arranged around a central void and connected by wide walkways.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    Second floor plan (not to scale), 1- and 2-storey apartments balance privacy and opportunity for interaction.
  • Architectural drawing of the third floor plan with 18 apartments arranged around a central void.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    Third floor plan (not to scale), circulation spaces on alternating levels maintain privacy for bedrooms.
  • Architectural drawing of the fourth floor plan with 12 apartments with 2 communal open spaces.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    Fourth floor plan (not to scale), wide walkway connects upper level apartments and communal open spaces.
  • Architectural drawing of the roof plan with solar panels and 2 voids.
     
    Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
    Roof plan (not to scale), voids provide ample light to communal areas.

Fixed and flexible features

Fixed features must be included in your planning application. Flexible features can be modified within agreed parameters.

Axonometric section of the Large Lot Apartments 03 Andrew Burges Architects.
Tap to explore

  • Fixed features
    • Central courtyard

      The central courtyard provides a green outlook for all dwellings while providing a place to gather, relax and meet. 
    • Rhythmic block hierarchy

      Ground floor apartments activate the primary street frontage while services and driveways are accessed along secondary frontages.
    • General arrangement

      This building is comprised of single storey corner apartments, with rows of terrace-like dwellings connecting each corner.
    • Compactus wet areas and stair

      Within the terrace-like dwellings the ‘compactus’ contains all wet areas (kitchen, bathrooms) and stairs to simplify construction.
    • Through site link and services

      A 9 m-wide through site link enables on-site waste collection and is a pedestrian thoroughfare for all sizes of this pattern.

  • Flexible features
    • Facade finish

      Brick and rendered material palettes are available in various tones including terracotta, sage green and a light, pale brick tone.
    • Parking

      Basement or on-grade parking options are available. The courtyard level adjusts to suit the parking arrangement.
    • Lot Size

      Variants are available to fit lot sizes, with minimum widths between 67 m- and 127.5 m-wide.
    • Solar panels

      Optional solar panels on the large roof area can reduce energy bills and improve energy performance.
    • AS 4299-1995 Adaptation

      Several apartments can be adapted to Australian Standard 4299-1995 – Adaptable Housing.

Materials and character

Large lot apartments 03 by Andrew Burgess Architects features a restrained and elegant facade, to suit a variety of neighbourhoods. The pattern includes 3 colour palette options and 2 primary material sub-options, which can be interchanged to adapt to different contexts.

A key feature of this competition-winning design is its focus on efficient, cost-effective construction. Wet areas, services, and staircases are consolidated within a stacked 'compactus' core running through each apartment. Open-air walkways and staircases are strategically located to maximise natural light and access, while encouraging walking over lift use to reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Angled street view of 5 storey apartment on a corner lot with two street frontages and cars and pedestrians in the street.
 
Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
Pale brick

Pale clay brick combined with sage-coloured compressed fibre cement cladding.

Street view of 5 storey apartment with cars, people and planting in the foreground.
 
Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
Brick bands

Stacked wet areas and services cores are expressed as vertical brick bands on the facades.

Close up of balconies with awning and two people looking out onto the street, framed by trees on the left.
 
Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
Optional awnings

Awnings in matching tones are optional.

View of double height communal area with person from home waving to another person sitting at a table with a dog.
 
Credit: Andrew Burges Architects
Matching details

Metal balustrades and painted cladding match in colour.

About the architect

Andrew Burges Architects is an architecture practice with a diverse range of projects including civic and public buildings, single residential dwellings, multi residential housing, and master planning. The practice was founded in 2001 by Andrew Burges and now has 12 staff. Some of ABA’s core design principles include rethinking what spaces can be to create innovative approaches to residential living for a more diverse range of users and sustainable building performance through a range of ESD measures.

For more of Andrew Burges Architects’ work, visit Andrew Burges Architects.

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Getting into the detail

Learn more about turning your pattern book project into reality with  guidance for designing your landscape and gaining fast-track planning approval.

Illustration of landscape design. Credit: Felix Saw
Illustration of landscape design. 
Credit: Felix Saw

Complement your proposal with beautiful, resilient, landscape designs.

Illustration of approvals process. Credit: Felix Saw
Illustration of approvals process. 
Credit: Felix Saw

All patterns are eligible for a fast-tracked planning assessment pathway.

Preview or purchase this pattern

View the pattern drawings at no cost to help you select the most suitable pattern for your project.

To use the pattern for your planning application, you must purchase the full suite of documents, accept the terms and conditions and reference your unique identification number. When you pay the fee, you will receive technical drawings in PDF and DWG formats, an editable design verification statement and your unique identification number.

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