Plus Architecture have lodged a development application for a new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development in Petrie, Moreton Bay, north of Brisbane, Australia.
Designed to embody modernity and sophistication, the accommodation is strategically located to support the anticipated growth of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s newest campus, which aims to host up to 10,000 students by 2035.
The plans follow a report released by the Student Accommodation Council in April that showed the current pipeline of new PBSA developments will not meet future needs – with the projected 7,770 new beds due to come online by 2026 not enough to alleviate demand in the private rental market.
Situated at 47 Old Dayboro Road, the 3,100 sqm site, with a total Ground Floor Area of 2,913 sqm is one kilometre from the university campus.
Providing 203 rooms and 301 beds over seven storeys, the PBSA scheme has been designed to ensure comfort and convenience for students. Amenities include state-of-the-art facilities, including a panoramic rooftop pool and entertainment spaces.
Plus Architecture’s design promotes collaboration, creativity and a balanced, healthy lifestyle, with thoughtfully integrated green spaces enhancing both the cityscape and residents’ wellbeing. Designed in harmony with the local neighbourhood, the accommodation includes an engaging street frontage, which will be home to local businesses – fostering a seamless connection with the wider community.
The designers have drawn on the warm brick vernacular of the two level residential neighbourhood that surrounds the site, employing a texturally and tonally sensitive response by integrating a brick base.
Rising up to the level of the treeline of the surrounding landscape, the facade then transitions to a material palette of greens, including green concrete, matte green facade panels and mullions alongside tinted glazing – reflecting a commitment to aesthetic harmony and sustainable design principles.
Designed to maximise the building’s performance to ensure comfort and ease of use for the residents, the design has been informed by Brisbane City Council’s ‘Buildings that Breathe’ guidance. It outlines key considerations for designing subtropical architecture. Key interventions include designing a stepped building mass that ‘erodes’ on the north and eastern aspects.
These ‘incisions’ in the building enable light, wind and solar to access and permeate deep into the site, avoiding a dark courtyard environment. Orientated to capture some of the afternoon sun, shading via a significant roof overhang has been incorporated on the western facade.
“The project underscores the practice’s commitment to placemaking, reflecting their approach to each site which draws on and celebrates its unique urban context.
“Our vision celebrates the vibrant and creative essence of what it means to be a student. Imbued with youthfulness and dynamism the space has been designed to surpass traditional expectations and foster a profound sense of community and wellbeing.
“Rooted in our dedication to placemaking, our design aims to provide an enduring architectural legacy that will both enhance student life and enrich the local community, setting a new benchmark for student accommodation in Queensland and beyond.”
Chrisney Formosa, Principal, Plus Architecture
Old Dayboro Road is the latest project in Plus Architecture’s growing portfolio of PBSA developments across the country, with sites across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
This news comes as Australia’s Student Accommodation Council has welcomed the government’s historic recognition in the Budget of the critical role PBSA plays in providing a first-class experience for international students in Australia.
