Caspar
The site for Caspar is a classic brownfield derelict: a corner lot occupied by a decaying light industrial warehouse, its brickwork crumbling and its pedestrian flank choked with weeds. The proposal is a reclamation of this wasted space — a medium-density residential block that breathes a new public life into the suburb, trading a fortress-like presence for a permeable, multi-use block.
Planning Context
Caspar sits at the intersection of two planning imperatives: the push for brownfield infill and the demand for accessible artisan retail. The development is positioned as a policy-compliant answer to these pressures, using a brownfield levy offset by a 20% affordable housing quota. The planning narrative is one of remediation and civic contribution, proposing a site that delivers housing while also creating a public amenity in a pedestrian-starved area.
Site Character
The site is defined by its dual edges: a vehicular streetscape on one side and a pedestrian flank on the other. The proposal works with this friction rather than smoothing it over. The pedestrian flank is treated as a public extension, not a private boundary, while the vehicular edge is softened through a palletized brick facade and a setback that reduces the perceived mass of the buildings. The existing derelict structures inform the materiality, with recycled brickwork linking the new to the old.
Proposed Program
The program is a mix of private and public functions, a medium-density program of 45 units that avoids the anonymity of the high-rise and the sprawl of the low-rise.
- 45 residential units, a mix of one- and two-bedroom flats and three-bedroom maisonettes
- A ground-floor artisan hub with micro-retail units for makers, a café, and a shared workshop
- A communal rooftop terrace with a public view
- A sunken public plaza that extends the pedestrian flank into the site
Design Language
The design language is a vernacular of the everyday, a palletized brick facade system that uses the recycled brick of the old warehouse as its primary texture. The sawtooth roofs are a nod to the site's industrial past, providing light to the artisan units while creating a distinctive skyline. The palette is restrained: red brick, weathered steel, and timber — materials that age gracefully and ground the new buildings in their suburban context.
Urban Planning Rationale
The planning rationale rests on the "permeable block" — a pedestrian spine that runs through the site, connecting the pedestrian flank to the sunken plaza and the rooftop terrace. Instead of a sealed block, the site is a porous urban piece, a public realm extension that invites the suburb in rather than closing it out. The pedestrian spine is the organizing element, a civic artery that justifies the development's public contribution and softens the overall density.
Planning Policies
The proposal is anchored in several key planning policies:
- A brownfield levy offset by a 20% affordable housing quota
- A travel plan that prioritizes walking and cycling over parking
- A biodiversity net gain pledge that introduces a green roof and a rain garden
- A public realm contribution that extends the pedestrian flank into the sunken plaza
- A design policy that mandates the use of recycled brickwork and a palette that respects the existing fabric
By aligning every design choice with a planning policy, Caspar becomes more than a housing scheme — it becomes a policy-compliant urban intervention, a remediated corner that gives back to the suburb a pedestrian spine and an artisan hub.