SEPP 65 - Apartment Design Guide

IntroductionPrinciple 4: SustainabilityGood design involves design features that providepositive environmental and social outcomes. Goodsustainable design includes use of natural crossbreezes and sunlight for the amenity and liveability ofresidents and passive thermal design for ventilation,heating and cooling reducing reliance on technologyand operation costs. Other elements include recyclingand reuse of materials and waste, use of sustainablematerials, and deep soil zones for groundwaterrecharge and vegetation.Principle 5: LandscapeGood design recognises that together landscape andbuildings operate as an integrated and sustainablesystem, resulting in attractive developments with goodamenity. A positive image and contextual fit of welldesigned developments is achieved by contributingto the landscape character of the streetscape andneighbourhood.Good landscape design enhances the development’senvironmental performance by retaining positivenatural features which contribute to the local context,co-ordinating water and soil management, solaraccess, micro-climate, tree canopy, habitat values, andpreserving green networks. Good landscape designoptimises usability, privacy and opportunities for socialinteraction, equitable access, respect for neighbours’amenity, provides for practical establishment and longterm management.Principle 6: AmenityGood design positively influences internal amenityfor residents and external amenity for neighbours.Achieving good amenity contributes to positive livingenvironments and resident well being.Good amenity combines appropriate room dimensionsand shapes, access to sunlight, natural ventilation,outlook, visual and acoustic privacy, storage, indoorand outdoor space, efficient layouts and service areas,and ease of access for all age groups and degrees ofmobility.Principle 7: SafetyGood design optimises safety and security, withinthe development and the public domain. It providesfor quality public and private spaces that areclearly defined and fit for purpose. Opportunitiesto maximise passive surveillance of public andcommunal areas promote safety.A positive relationship between public and privatespaces is achieved through clearly defined secureaccess points, well lit and visible areas that areeasily maintained and appropriate to the locationand purpose.Principle 8: Housing Diversity and SocialInteractionGood design achieves a mix of apartmentsizes, providing housing choice for differentdemographics, living needs and householdbudgets.Well designed developments respond to socialcontext by providing housing and facilities to suitthe existing and future social mix. Good designinvolves practical and flexible features, includingdifferent types of communal spaces for a broadrange of people, providing opportunities for socialinteraction amongst residents.Principle 9: Architectural ExpressionGood design achieves a built form that hasgood proportions and a balanced compositionof elements, reflecting the internal layout andstructure. Good design uses a variety of materials,colours and textures.The visual appearance of well designed apartmentbuildings responds to the existing or future localcontext, particularly desirable elements andrhythms of the streetscape.DRAFT | Apartment Design Guide I September 201413