Kurraba Residences in a boutique collection of high-end residences in Kurraba Point, one of Sydney’s most exclusive harbourfront enclaves.
Comprising just 24 premium 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, Kurraba Residences is set to be a contemporary architectural treasure, overlooking the harbour from one of the most highly converted vantage points.
A joint venture between industry leaders Thirdi Group and Phoenix Property Investors, Kurraba Residences embraces the surrounding landscape, encouraging residents to immerse themselves in Sydney’s national treasures – Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Botanical Gardens, Fort Denison, emerging Barangaroo and the CBD skyline.
Designed by acclaimed SJB and Mathieson Architects, every home at Kurraba Residences has been thoughtfully considered to ensure that luxury, comfort, function and style abound in equal measure. Dangar Barin Smith has crafted the landscapes, creating a place of tranquility and beauty in one of Sydney’s most vibrant locales.
Large balconies and semi-circular windows define the distinctive facade – featuring curved brick, reminiscent of the most striking art deco architectural masterpieces. This first impression sets the scene for the grandeur within, and is encircled by lush landscaping on all 3 sides, with the fourth opening up to take in the breathtaking 180-degree views across the harbour.
Artfully curated interiors are crafted by Mathieson, a firm known for their ability to create spaces of immense quality, character, and timeless sophistication. House-like dimensions ensure that each residence is abundant in space, with floor-to-ceiling windows welcoming in streams of natural light. Embedded in solid limestone and marble, privacy and exclusivity permeates the atmosphere at Kurraba Residences. Kitchens boast high-end Wolf and Sub Zero appliances, featuring luxurious expanses of solid Grigio Argento marble for functional glamour. Bespoke cabinetry, crafted from dark stained American Oak, exudes a sense of elegance and quality, creating homes that are an entertainers dream.
Bathrooms have carved marble basins, Danish Vola tapware, custom stone baths and magnificent bronze fittings, showcasing the ultimate combination of contemporary design and elegant timelessness. Secure, garaged residential parking with lift access provides residents with the height of convenience, highlighting the effort placed on creating the best possible lifestyle for every resident at Kurraba Residences.
This stunning collection of homes is a once in a generation opportunity to live on Sydney’s harbourfront at Kurraba Point – perfectly set within a boutique collection of residences echoing the majesty of Sydney’s grand waterfront estates.
Construction has commenced, with completion scheduled for 2022 – making now the ideal time to enquire.
When we think of some of the world’s greatest cities, certain images spring to mind.
Paris’s Eiffel Tower, the New York skyline and Sydney Harbour, to name a few. For some of these cities’ lucky inhabitants, these iconic views can be glimpsed from their own window.
Here are five of the world’s most iconic city apartment views.
Paris, France
In the city of lights, a clear view of the Eiffel Tower is just about as good as it gets.
Along the banks of the Seine, the wrought-iron lattice tower soars 326m high with outlooks that stretch for 70km.
Its height provides many vantage points across the city’s 20 arrondissements, where it’s possible the top half will make for an iconic background in your living room.
Height restrictions on inner city Paris apartments make a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower possible for many locals. Picture: Getty
Whether you own a private mansion, apartment on the Elyse or a penthouse with a terrace, if you’re lucky enough to lay eyes on the Iron Lady, you have one of the best city views in the world.
New York, USA
For the city that never sleeps, there’s no shortage of in-demand views. And the better the aspect, the bigger the price tag.
In the heart of New York, Central Park provides a front row seat for the cheek-by-jowl apartment buildings that line its perimeter. If you face the park, you’ll enjoy green vistas from every window – and they’ll never be built out.
This stunning view across Central Park will set you back a cool US$75 million. Picture: realtor.com
Many buildings also offer glimpses of landmarks like the Empire State Building or Chrysler Building. If your living room is high up enough in your building, you could enjoy an eye-level aspect too.
But for water views, you can’t beat overlooking the Statue of Liberty. She’s far away enough positioned out on the harbour, but there’s no mistaking her distinctive shape.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most picturesque cities in the world. In every direction you have world-famous sights.
As one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer is a sight to behold. Perched high atop Mount Corcovado, the landmark offers 360-degree panoramic vistas overlooking Rio and out to the Atlantic Ocean.
But if you live on Rio’s famous coastlines, you might also have perfect views of the city’s legendary harbour and the surrounding Sugarloaf or Two Brothers Mountains. And for even bigger bragging rights, a penthouse on Copacabana beach will provide the best viewing seat in the city.
Copacabana Beach is arguably the most famous stretch of sand in the world. Picture: Unsplash
Tokyo, Japan
As the largest metropolis in the world, Tokyo has an urban skyline that stretches for miles in every direction.
If you’re hundreds of metres up high in a neon-lit skyscraper, you could have floor-to-ceiling glass windows facing landmarks including Tokyo Skytree, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Tower and the Imperial Palace grounds.
But on a clear day, the best vistas are saved for Japan’s tallest mountain – Mount Fuji.
Even from a distance, the shape of Mt Fuji is unmistakable. Picture: Unsplash
It may be off in the distance, but an aspect of Japan’s highest peak is an enviable asset especially if you’re in Shinjuku, where you can catch a glimpse behind the prefecture’s skyscrapers.
Sydney, Australia
Every Sydneysider, and many others around the world, dreams of a place right next to the water.
And when you can see from your window the globally recognised symbols of Sydney, including the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you’ll have the best of both worlds.
The new $170m boutique development Kurraba Residences offers spectacular harbour views. Picture: Thirdi Group
In apartments at Kurraba Residences, on Sydney’s lower north shore, residents will be able to do just that as well as outlooks over the Botanical Gardens, Fort Denison and the famous CBD skyline.
“Harbourside living is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” says the development’s director of sales and marketing, Luke Berry, from Thirdi Group.
“It’s incredibly rare to enjoy these views today. And at Kurraba Residences, the beauty and cultural landmarks of Sydney will become an everyday pleasure and seamless extension of your life.”
Sydney’s property market has a secret. Some of the most lavish homes in the harbour city are traded in a parallel real estate universe, using measures to ensure the utmost privacy for buyers and sellers.
In the ultra-prestige sector, open homes and splashy advertising campaigns are often discarded. In their place, backroom wheeling and dealing is conducted by highly connected agents and, in many cases, buyer’s agents who can help find the right property at the right price away from the public gaze.
Simon Cohen is one such buyer’s agent. The chief executive of Cohen Handler says the biggest difference between the prestige sector and the general residential market is the ratio of supply versus demand.
“There are a lot less properties in the prestige sector and still a lot of buyers, so it makes finding opportunities a lot harder,” Handler says. “Most deals happen off market, so it’s not your typical auction campaign scenario you see in the everyday marketplace.”
Location and price are the most obvious markers of prestige.
An off-market sale refers to a transaction where an owner agrees to sell to a purchaser without promoting the fact the home is on the market. Benefits include speed, privacy and a less intense process. Publicity-shy vendors are often prepared to accept a discounted sale price to avoid a traditional campaign.
Buyers can fly under the radar too, at least until settlement occurs and their name – or that of an associated entity – appears on the title deed.
Cohen estimates 70 per cent of his firm’s deals are off-market or pre-market. Catalysts include divorce or if the vendor has bought another home and wants to sell quickly to avoid holding two properties.
Buyer’s agent Will Roberts is managing director of Alsaker. He says in off-market sales for ultra-prestige properties, the selling agent contacts buyer’s agents and select clients for private appointments, often driving straight into garages or carparks to avoid being noticed on the street.
A render of a living room in the luxury Kurraba Residences project.
Parties might be asked to sign non-disclosure agreements to keep the details under wraps for as long as possible.
“The buyer’s agent has an important role as they can obtain requested information and search without the identity of the client being known,” Roberts says. “And they can protect the client’s privacy during the process until the property has settled.”
So which homes are in high demand among high net-worth Sydney buyers?
“The prestige market tends to be more targeted, refined and unapologetic with its offering,” Roberts says.
Location and price are the most obvious markers of prestige but they are far from the only elements. Size, water frontage, harbour views, the quality of finishes and additional features such as extra garaging or big-name designers set the very best homes apart from the rest of the pack.
“So it’s not postcode equals high price,” Roberts says. “There is actually an element of value that is tangible.”
A render of the exterior of the new Kurraba Residences, a collection of luxury two and three-bedroom apartments.
This year’s COVID-19-related restrictions have driven a surge in demand for sprawling estate-style properties. A longer-term trend has been the emergence of affluent downsizers seeking oversized luxury apartments, ideally with harbour views and easy access to lifestyle drawcards.
A rare new development in the sought-after lower north shore suburb of Kurraba Point is attracting attention from buyers with a taste for super-premium real estate.
Kurraba Residences by developers Thirdi and Phoenix Property Investors is an elegant collection of two and three-bedroom apartments, including a penthouse and sub-penthouse piquing the interest of luxury downsizers and trophy-home hunters.
With architecture by SJB, interiors by Mathieson Architects and landscape design by Dangar Barin Smith, the project boasts A-list design credentials. Its upmarket finishes, generous layouts, subterranean wine cellar, concierge and elevated harbour views, taking in the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, place the homes in the upper echelons of the off-the-plan apartment market.
Luke Berry, sales and marketing director for Thirdi, says he’s confident the combination of location, design, amenities and never-to-be-built-out harbour views will resonate with ultra-prestige buyers.
“We’ve got all the ingredients to create an iconic project,” Berry says.
Like the plush velvet seats in the front row of a glittering theatre, the majestic properties lining the waterfront of Sydney Harbour are the VIPs of the real estate market.
Some of the most spectacular vantage points – the A-reserve tickets of the Emerald City – are to be found on the lower north shore, from where the iconic landmarks of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House take centre stage beyond the rippling water.
Kurraba Point is one such exclusive enclave. With a population of 1521, the slender finger of land juts into the harbour between Kirribilli Point and Cremorne Point, directly across the water from the Royal Botanic Garden and Potts Point.
Statuesque trophy homes with tennis courts, boat sheds and jetties can be seen from the ferries that criss-cross the harbour. Interwar apartment blocks, including art deco beauties with curvaceous facades, also figure prominently along the high-profile stretch of Sydney.
Kurraba Residences will have sweeping city views.
Into this world-famous sliver of real estate, a new apartment development is taking shape, promising A-list architecture and interior design, lavish resident amenities and some of the most incredible views the city has to offer.
Kurraba Residences from developers Thirdi and Phoenix Property Investors is a $170 million residential project comprising 24 luxury apartments – including a four-bedroom penthouse with a private rooftop garden billed as one of the largest in Sydney.
The sales and marketing director for Thirdi, Luke Berry, says it took three years to gain council approval for the project, which will replace three red-brick walk-up blocks that housed 26 apartments in total.
“The buildings were a typical representation of the post-war boom, where there were a lot of buildings built but not a lot of thought put into the long-term amenities,” Berry says.
Residents will have access to a subterranean wine cellar room.
“[We wanted to] replace them with something that was in line with this iconic location. It deserves something to represent the very best of what Kurraba Point is.”
In the process of securing development approval, intriguing lessons were learnt. There are rules, for example, governing the colour of the materials that can be used on buildings that face the harbour.
In order to ensure new structures don’t steal the spotlight from the Opera House or Kirribilli House, pale facades such as light sandstone are prohibited.
SJB instead took inspiration from the masonry fabric of the neighbourhood to design a building that pays homage to the lower north shore’s elegant 1920s apartment buildings, pairing curved brickwork with semi-circular windows and balconies. The shapely form of Studio KO’s award-winning Musee Yves Saint Laurent in the Moroccan city of Marrakech also informed the design.
Kitchens feature expanses of Grigio Argento marble.
“[Architect] Adam Haddow and his team at SJB have expertly created a tapestry of bricks of different settings to create this architectural masterpiece on the point,” Berry says. “I think what we’re delivering is almost an architectural piece of art that the local community can celebrate. When people are going past in a boat, they’re going to look up at this building and be in awe.”
The residences are spread over five storeys, including three ground-floor apartments with spacious private gardens. Each apartment comes with its own underground car space. Parking has also been set aside for visitors.
Mathieson Architects, led by Philip Mathieson, designed the interiors. “He demonstrated that he could seamlessly connect inside and outside,” Berry says.
The sophisticated palette of solid limestone, marble, bronze and oak might just as easily be found in a high-end free-standing home. Kitchens feature Wolf and Sub Zero appliances, with expanses of Grigio Argento marble. Towering pivot doors in timber and bronze can be left open or closed to hide the kitchen and living areas to create an intimate space when required.
Carved marble basins and custom stone baths will make for luxurious bathrooms.
Fluted marble detailing, generous storage crafted from dark stained American oak, carved marble basins, custom stone baths and lustrous bronze bathroom finishes convey a contemporary yet timeless glamour.
Terraces are positioned to take full advantage of the harbour views.
The five-storey building is surrounded by layered gardens at ground level and a shared rooftop garden by acclaimed landscape design firm Dangar Barin Smith. Kurraba Residences occupies an elevated position on the headland, above the sprawling foreshore Kurraba Reserve park, with its mature fig trees, Depression-era stonework, boat ramp and grassy spaces.
Residents will also have access to a subterranean wine cellar room and lounge. For the first five years, a concierge service will be provided. After that period, residents will be able to decide whether to continue the service. Home automation features are incorporated into the design.
147 Kurraba Road, Kurraba Point, NSW 2089
Previous projects from Thirdi include The Gentry Alexandria, Paragon of Pyrmont and Iconic Waterloo.
The address is five minutes’ walk from Kurraba Point ferry wharf, offering easy access to the entertainment and dining highlights of Circular Quay and the CBD.
There’s a sprinkling of cafes in Kurraba Point and it’s about 20 minutes’ walk to Neutral Bay village.
The developer expects north shore downsizers to purchase most of the apartments. Enquiries have also come from international trophy home hunters, with robust interest from buyers based in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Some buyers have expressed an interest in merging two apartments to create vast harbourside residences. Berry says he suspects this year’s restrictions have brought forward many downsizers’ timeframes, as they’ve had more time to consider their long-term real estate plans.
Each apartment comes with its own underground car space.
When the alternative is spending years maintaining older-style houses, there’s a certain appeal to an ultra-convenient lifestyle in a new designer home on the harbour.
Whoever ends up living at Kurraba Residences, they can be assured of a view that will never be built out in a suburb that is one of the shiniest jewels of the lower north shore.
“To be able to sit on your deck and have that interface with Sydney Harbour, to literally hear the rigging of the yachts’ masts slapping, to hear the birdlife on the reserve, to taste the salt air – it’s hard to put a value on that.”
Put simply, Kurraba Residences redefines luxury harbourside living.
Set to become a notable architectural icon, the new Sydney project offers a front row seat to the action – 180-degree views that wander across the CBD, Opera House, Bridge and beyond, and which form a heady entree to what is a once in a generation build.
A powerful alignment of nature, architecture and interiors, Kurraba Residences rests between Neutral Bay and Shell Cove, encompassing just 24 designer addresses spanning 2- and 3- bedrooms inclusive of an ultimate 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath penthouse.
Brought together by a tantalising trio – SJB architects, Mathieson Architects and landscapers Dangar Barin Smith – the exclusive Thirdi Group project proves a curved wonder that sits within the ’20s narrative of nearby properties, a tasteful nod to heritage as seen in the exterior use of shapely brickwork.
Each residence boasts a sense of style, space and elevated living, with finishes that include solid limestone and marble, alongside touches of bronze and fine ash timbers, with design that seamlessly melds the indoors to alfresco terraces.
Kitchens are fitted with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, with Grigio Argento marble workspaces boasting fluted detailing and custom fireplaces that align in the use of the finish.
Bedrooms feature commodious and functional wardrobes (with the option of customised cabinetry), while bathrooms and ensuites have carved marble basins, Vola tapware and custom stone baths alongside bronze adornments.
Luscious private gardens come grafted to several apartments, while others offer the use of a shared rooftop garden with views across the harbour. Elsewhere, landscaped grounds spill to the neighbouring Kurraba Reserve which borders the water’s edge and where heritage figs and slender palms line the shore.
View from the penthouse master suite.
The literal crown of Kurraba Residences is the 430sqm, two-storey penthouse. Serviced by private lift, the interiors echo the themes of other residences while limestone floors, coffered ceilings and skylights lighten the second story that’s accessed via a bespoke, stonework staircase.
The penthouse also boasts custom wine cellar, expansive garden terrace – the outdoor area measuring 250sqm – and private infinity pool framed by spectacular city and harbour views.
The main bathroom also takes in the aforementioned vistas and includes circular marble vanities and carved marble baths that complement an oculus skylight. Further, a second living area and private study forms a removed and private sanctuary.
Each residence has private parking and access to a temperature and humidity-controlled cellar as well as a communal lounge space and concierge services.
Kurraba Residences sit 10 minutes from the Sydney CBD by car (or ferry from nearby Kurraba Point Wharf). The acclaimed Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Neutral Bay shopping precinct and Balmoral Beach are all within nearby and easy access.
The project will officially launch on November 7, with building to be completed in Q4 2022.
Sales and enquiries via CBRE Residential on 1800 656 874.
