Elan comprises 36 high end apartments close to the beach front at Kirra. At 9 storeys in height, the building is partly visible from a distance to the West and is situated within a variety of residential buildings and some smaller retail / commercial uses. Our client, Mosaic Property Group, sought a simple, elegant building, in tune with its coastal context and containing high quality apartments with good access to natural light, breezes and view. The design maximises aspect to apartments by arranging them ‘in the round’, with a centralised core, and engages its context through a material palette referencing the Gold Coast’s vernacular architecture. The ground plane arrangement emphasises the entry, with an activated and landscaped podium containing the common areas over. Both the podium and ground floor provide for a high amount of planting and screening to the neighbours. The common area, pool and barbeque have been located adjacent to the north to allow for a connection to the main entry and the street beyond. Typical floors contain a central core supporting 4 apartments, each facing a different direction, to maximise views. The building form takes its cues from the Gold Coast vernacular, both past and present, with articulated balconies opening to favourable orientations and aspects, coupled with a combination of horizontal and vertical elements to define and articulate the form. The exterior of the building is light in colour with terracotta and timber features. Building materials incorporate a variety of sandy textures, brick and breezeblock as further reference to the Gold Coast’s architectural heritage. Overall, the built form utilises the northern aspect of the site, to create a considered balance of engagement and privacy with the street, surrounding context and the coastal environment.