Corporate News

Villawood Properties has upped the industry ante for greenfields community infrastructure with a stunning, cutting-edge new $18 million residents club at its Redstone project in Sunbury.

Club Redstone includes multiple features: swimming pools, gym, saunas, sports courts, a boutique licensed café/restaurant, a function centre, parents/kids facilities and a 108-place childcare centre.

The latest of 11 resident clubs delivered by Villawood, the ClarkeHopkinsClarke-designed facility is a tall russet-coloured structure with sprawling views to Melbourne and the Macedon Ranges and which presents a landmark for visitors to Sunbury.

Villawood’s clubs provide a raft of socially focused facilities, and events, years ahead of what might be delivered, if ever, by local councils or government. They are integrated with nearby parks, playgrounds, sport reserves, retail facilities and open space in the best of contemporary masterplanned urban design.

The resident club model has proven a key drawcard for purchasers across its masterplanned projects, with each new club building and expanding on the success of its predecessors.

“Redstone is pioneering the delivery of new infrastructure that will transform Sunbury as a prime growth corridor for Melbourne,” says Villawood Managing Director Rory Costelloe.

“These clubs are designed as social hubs and landmarks that help people to strike up friendships in their new community.

“Club Redstone’s ready-made infrastructure – its pools, gym, café-restaurant, sports courts, childcare and more will make the Sunbury corridor even more attractive.

“Redstone already has 700 homes built or under construction by purchasers who can see Sunbury’s many attributes; its existing schools, health, transport, retail, community and entertainment, and its natural features – there’s so much to discover.

“This is why Melbourne’s northwest is replacing the southeast as the city’s major growth corridor.

“Villawood’s residents clubs are really setting the pace with essential infrastructure for new homebuyers.

“Club Redstone is purpose-made for coffee/lunch catch-ups, school pick-up and drop-off meets, workouts, kids splash and poolside fun, tennis/futsal matches, lap swimming, mums and kids, birthday parties, engagements – even weddings. Some residents even work from the clubs.

“Our clubs are delivered early in the life of our new communities, and gifted by Villawood to residents to run themselves. The clubs also stage events and provide a range of programs and classes.

“They become the new suburb’s social and community hub – years before any similar infrastructure might be provided by government.”

ClarkeHopkinsClarke partner Ngaio Chalmers describes Club Redstone as a multi-generational hub that integrates childcare, a café and community facilities within a single destination, creating activity and connection throughout the day and into the evening.

“The building grounds the community in place, taking inspiration from the surrounding landscape, with its curved brickwork, rich red tones and earthy textured materials reflecting the area’s soils and natural character,” Ms Chalmers says.

“The design features generous glazing and volumes over two levels, carefully orientated to capture beautiful views and natural light throughout, the building provides a welcoming, enduring place that helps anchor a sense of identity, belonging and community for Redstone’s growing population.”

Key points about Club Redstone

• Unique model including a childcare, which allows activity throughout the day and a real social connector for new communities. The café then has a licence and extended hours providing nighttime activation.
• The design anchors the community to Redstone, with a strong earthy red palette used throughout the design, and grounding curved brick features.
• Internally, this language continues, with russet features throughout – signage, tiling and walls, and the earthy tones and textures continue through internally tiled spaces.
• The building has been oriented to capture north sunlight to the outdoor area, and both city and mountain views of the area and the earthy tone is used as an anchoring element, creating a sense of permanence and homeliness

Villawood’s most recent clubs have included Club Alamora at Tarneit, Club Coridale at Lara and its UDIA Great Place Award-winning Club Rathdowne at Wollert.

Others are at Claremont, Tarneit, Alamanda Point Cook, Marriott Waters Lyndhurst, Trillium Mickleham, Armstrong Geelong, Delaray Clyde North and The Surrounds at Helensvale Queensland.

More clubs are planned for Villawood projects at Kimberley Sunbury, William Lakes, Oakden Rise and Aldinga in Adelaide, and Moorabool Geelong.

The club model itself has been shortlisted for a design award at the UDIA’s Victorian awards later this year.