It’s in this idyllic setting that architectural studio, Turner was tasked with designing Promenade, a resort-style development on five hectares of riverfront land. Director of Turner, Stephen Cox says the dynamic location and site on the Parramatta River were the starting points for their thinking.

“Parramatta is a city that is future orientated and ambitious, we looked to create an urban contemporary design to fit with this direction,” he says.

“The site is quite special being a river setting, so we also looked to create a tranquil and landscape focused environment within a wider urban context.”

Promenade includes an expansive 1.2 hectares of landscaped parkland and consists of 773 apartments over 11 buildings.

Turner has used the building form to maximise connections to the foreshore setting, with layouts designed to capture the best aspects and light. Indoor-outdoor flow is paramount. Cox says balconies have been designed to have additional width and the feature framing elements on the façade, frame the views.

A special landscaped space in front of the building is designed for all residents including a water play area and communal barbeque facilities. Native plants were selected to work with the river ecology.

“We have worked with Scape design, the landscape architect, to integrate the building with a bespoke landscape design to blur the threshold transition of exterior to interior,” says Cox.

Parramatta is going through an $8 billion transformation.

“Initiatives such as Westconnex, Parramatta Square and the Western Sydney light rail are a huge value add to the area,” says James Swete of Starryland, Promenade’s property developer.

“Many corporations and government services are moving their offices to Parramatta and the University of Western Sydney is becoming one of the fastest growing universities in Australia.”

The Parramatta food scene is also expanding with the recent announcement that Neil Perry will be opening his next Burger Project restaurant here in early 2017. To add to the smorgasbord, Simon Goh’s modern Malaysian restaurant Chinta Ria and gourmet Italian providore, Salt Meats Cheese will also open soon.

Swete says that so far, there has been huge interest in Promenade from locals as well the greater Sydney area as buyers are now familiar with the significant changes occurring in Parramatta.

“Parramatta has been rated ‘Sydney’s most liveable city’ by the Urban Development Institute and is also Australia’s fastest growing city with Parramatta and its surrounding suburbs expected to accommodate 60-70 per cent of Sydney’s growth over the next 25 years,” he says.

Promenade stage one was completed earlier this year and construction has commenced for stages 2 and 3 with anticipated completion in early 2018. Three stages have been released to date, with the final building release of stage 3 on 17th September 2016.

Swete says Promenade has been highly sought after with successive releases selling out quickly as it offers attractive price points for all buyer types, including first home buyers, owner occupiers and investors alike.

Stephen Cox says that purchasers in the Parramatta area are interested in value for money.

“It was important to us that the project combined a great living environment with the pragmatics of construction and ongoing costs so that the apartments were an excellent proposition for the market,” he says.

Timeless design and the openness and connection to the water reflecting the contours and hues of the riverside landscapes makes Promenade an attractive option for anyone keen to wake up to birdsong along the riverbanks in an ever-evolving area.

“We think that the new residents will really enjoy the convenience of urban living and the tranquillity of the riverside location,” says Cox.

Buyers have an opportunity to secure an apartment in this highly sought after development with its final waterfront release launching on the 17th September.

One bedroom apartments will start from $495,000, two bedrooms from $680,000 and three bedrooms from $970,000.

Further details can be found on the project website – promenadeliving.com.au