Finbar set for 331 apartments on East Perth's Queens Gardens

The ASX-listed Perth developer Finbar Group are set to redevelop the old heritage-listed former Chemistry Centre on the fringe of Queens Park in East Perth.

The $154 million plans, drawn up by architecture firm S S Chang Architects, see the current heritage-listed building at 101 Hay Street, which dates back to 1942, incorporated in the design, acting as a base for a 27-level tower.

Given the vast 5,335 sqm site, Finbar are also building another 38-level tower alongside. Combined the development will have 331 apartments. 

The development plans pay homage to the heritage by retaining the Material Sciences building and a hexagonal design feature that also provides shade to apartments. The former Chemistry Centre will home 550 sqm worth of restaurant or cafes. There will be a further eight spaces slated for restaurant or cafe use, three personal service spaces and a shop, activating the 1,300 sqm of street level commercial space.

Finbar, alongside Singaporean developer Ventrade bought the 5,335 sqm site from the state government for $16 million.

In 2015 the local developer Diploma Properties Pty Ltd was chosen as the preferred developer to transform the former Chemistry Centre site, with over 200 apartments, dining venues and shops planned. That would have been a 16-level apartment tower with rooftop sky gardens.

The heritage component would have turned in to a laneway-style eat street.

Finbar and Ventrade's plans will see a shared podium on level seven.

There's a clear intent to create a work-from home space following the border restrictions and reduced appetite to return to the office.

The development will have a business lounge with consult room, board room, and over 10 study pods.

Resident amenity will feature a landscaped deck, cinema, resident dining and bar, virtual golf simulator, meditation yoga room, a child play centre, activity games room, and two swimming pools.

The taller tour will also have a rooftop sky bar and gym.

Summary by the strategic planning, urban design firm Element Advisory

The proposed development presents an exciting opportunity to deliver a contemporary redevelopment of the subject site that accords with DWA’s established vision for the area through the provision of:

• A well designed, sustainable development that offers an outstanding level of amenity to residents and visitors, and respects and celebrates the cultural heritage significance of the subject site;

• An activated, human scaled edge, through a suitably screened podium with slender residential towers above;

• Extensive landscaping and pedestrian zones at the ground floor level, offering a high level of amenity for pedestrians and designed to celebrate the cultural heritage significance of the subject site;

• A density and diversity of land use that will contribute to the critical mass of people required to activate the subject site and surrounds; and

• Increased housing choice in the locality, complemented by a range of ground floor commercial tenancies that will offer employment and leisure options for a diverse range of people