Aranda Local Centre Corner Bandjalong and Jalanga Crescent, Aranda

role Architecture, Interior Design value $3.5million area 2,000m² completion date 2005

peckvonhartel were approached to design a prospective development for a site located in the inner Canberra suburb of Aranda that had previously been the subject of several unsuccessful development proposals. It was apparent that the design solution needed to take into account the evolving nature of the area, in particular, the increase of surrounding major shopping malls.

Through extensive consultation with ACTPLA and the local community, peckvonhartel’s response was to create a mixed-use development with retail tenancies to the ground level, residential units above and a public court within.

The solution aligned the built form with the abundance of native vegetation on the site. In form, the building steps to generate two and three storey volumes to alleviate visual bulk and to give prominent street frontage to the commercial area.

A variety of residential type units were designed to maximise views, solar penetration and opportunities for cross ventilation. Two units at the eastern end of the development provide flexibility for use as commercial, retail or residential occupancies.