A NOTE FROM DIRECTOR & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER TINA JIN
Welcome to Issue 19 of Open Projects Magazine. This edition is all about the way thoughtful design and detail can quietly transform how we live each day.
Our cover Project, White & Weston, showcases a collection of residences where strong contemporary architecture is paired with generous proportions and premium amenities that support modern urban life.
We also step outside the front door and into the spaces that shape our lifestyle. In conversation with landscape architect Jack Merlo, we explore how considered planting, structure and context can deliver gardens that feel deeply personal. Breadcetera in Malvern East reveals how a neighbourhood bakery and modern market concept can become a meeting place in the local community.
For those considering their next property move, our Industry Insights feature with Apartments & Developments looks at how technology, data and a connected ecosystem are redefining the off-the-plan journey for buyers and developers. We also highlight three recently leased rental Projects. Finally, Miele’s slow-cooked lamb rack with charred zucchini and white bean salad offers an elegant, comforting recipe to bring to your own table.
I hope you enjoy this issue and find ideas that inspire your next chapter in property.
Tina Jin
FEATURING
MALVERN EAST’S MODERN MARKET WITH HEART
APARTMENTS & DEVELOPMENTS SLOW COOKED LAMB WITH ZUCCHINI AND WHITE BEAN SALAD IN CONVERSATION WITH MIELE
CURRENT PROJECTS
Society — Armadale
Laurel — Bentleigh
Bright — Brighton
Frith & Howarth— Brunswick
Drummond House — Carlton
Bakehouse Terraces — Fitzroy North
Enso Gardens — Glen Iris
Audrey Auburn — Hawthorn
Hawthorn House — Hawthorn P.6 - 7 P.8 - 9 P.10 - 11 P.12 - 13 P.16 - 17
- 25 P.26 - 27
Denmark Gardens — Hawthorn East
Arteur — Kew
Montview — Kew
Foley Park
Wimba Avenue — Kew
Prime — Prahran
Chomley Terraces — Prahran
Grandview — Prahran
First Light — South Melbourne
“White & Weston is an exceptional opportunity to secure an incredibly high-end residence in one of Balwyn’s most prestigious pockets, surrounded by over 650sqm approx. of private gardens and with convenience at your doorstep.”
LIAM ADEY - MARSHALL WHITE PROJECTS DIRECTOR
DESIGNED BY GARDENS BY BUILT BY
A boutique collection of architecturally designed residences in the heart of Balwyn, White & Weston offers a refined balance of luxury, functionality and timeless design. With interiors curated by Cera Stribley, each residence enjoys premium finishes, EV-ready parking and seamless village convenience.
Developed in partnership with Coles and positioned opposite Balwyn Park in the Balwyn High School zone, this elegant address includes a 655sqm approx. private resident's garden by Jack Merlo and offers the rare opportunity to walk everywhere. ■
IN CONVERSATION WITH
JACK MERLO
We recently spoke with renowned landscape architect Jack Merlo about creating timeless, functional gardens in every setting. For Jack, living on an upper level does not mean missing out on a meaningful garden, as projects such as the Capitol Grand penthouse in South Yarra demonstrate for downsizers moving from larger gardens.
DEVELOPED BY DESIGNED BY GARDENS BY BUILT BY
34 BLACK STREET BRIGHTON
A 3 B 3 C 3
At $3,750,000
Sculpted from Brighton’s textured coastal landscape, these palatial residences illustrate exceptional craftsmanship and an undeniable sense of grandeur, an ode to the streetscape’s heritage residences.
KIERRA HAGEDORN 0432 737 911
GARDENS BY DESIGNED BY MANAGED BY
BUILT BY
DEVELOPED BY DESIGNED BY LANDSCAPING BY
BUILT BY
BREADCETERA: MALVERN EAST’S MODERN MARKET WITH HEART
From the team behind Riserva, Baia Di Vino and Lucia comes Breadcetera — a neighbourhood-forward concept that has quickly become a staple in Malvern East. Conceived as a modern market for a modern suburb, Breadcetera brings together great coffee, exceptional bread, premium pantry essentials and a thoughtful selection of everyday luxuries under one welcoming roof.
Co-owners Frank Ciorciari and Anthony Silvestre have long been part of the local fabric, having spent nearly a decade building relationships through their nearby restaurant, Riserva.
Breadcetera grew from their desire to fill a gap in the area: a place that felt genuinely local, easy to love, and stocked with provisions worth returning for.
Drawing on long-standing ties with Melbourne’s best producers, the shelves are lined with bread from Blanc Bakery (the team behind Hector’s Deli and Ruben’s Deli), coffee by Allpress, and pastries from Austro Bakery. The in-house food offering — fresh sandwiches, paninis, seasonal salads and generous take-home meals — is crafted by head chefs Gabriele Garro and Dino Mohsin, known for their work at Riserva and Baia Di Vino.
Breadcetera’s selection moves with the rhythm of the week. Mornings begin with fresh sandwiches and paninis; salads shift with the seasons; and the takeaway fridge is stocked with rotating favourites such as pies, hearty meals and classic desserts like tiramisu. The philosophy is simple: quality provisions that make everyday eating easier — and more enjoyable.
“Breadcetera is basically a collection of the things we use and love most. It’s personal, but we’ve always believed the personal can be universal. We didn’t want to overcomplicate it - somewhere to grab good bread, a coffee, something for dinner, or even just a great pantry item you didn’t know you needed. It’s not a
supermarket and it’s not a café - it’s something in between. It’s the sort of place we wish already existed around the corner", says Ciorciari.
The thoughtful curation extends beyond food. Shelves are dotted with small-batch aperitifs, boutique liqueurs, non-alcoholic sodas, flowers, homewares, gifts, gelato and a small run of understated merchandise.
Breadcetera’s warm and inviting interiors were designed in collaboration with global architecture and interior design firm Mitchell & Eades, and brought to life with branding by creative agency Blurr Bureau.
Designed in collaboration with global architecture firm Mitchell & Eades and brought to life with branding by Blurr Bureau, the space channels a refined European market sensibility. Microcement walls, custom timber joinery and soft-toned terrazzo are enriched with bronze accents, fluted glass and mosaic tiling. A dedicated gift-wrapping station, window seating, a takeaway coffee leaner and a central island bench contribute to its inviting, intuitive flow.
Created with young families, home cooks, thoughtful gifters and last-minute shoppers in mind, Breadcetera stands as a warm, beautifully considered hub for the neighbourhood — a place where good food and good design meet seamlessly. ■
ARCHITECTURE
BUILT BY
390A QUEENS PARADE
FITZROY NORTH
A 2-4 B 1-2 C 0-2
From $1,995,000
Bakehouse Terraces, located at 390A Queens Parade in Fitzroy North, offers 14 architecturally designed terrace homes in one of Melbourne’s most desirable inner-city suburbs.
DEVELOPED BY ARCHITECTURE BY
44 SCOTT GROVE GLEN IRIS
A 2-3 B 2 C 1-2
From $895,000
Enso Gardens is a sculptural symphony of green - where nature and design meet in quiet harmony. Tucked behind Scott Grove, its Japanese-inspired landscaping by Acre features wisteria-draped pergolas, Zen stones, and a serene water feature.
HAMS 0410 160 151
ROSS
DESIGNED BY DEVELOPED BY GARDENS BY BUILT BY
IN CONVERSATION WITH
APARTMENTS & DEVELOPMENTS
Tom Hywood is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of AD Group: Apartments & Developments, spanning media, software and sales technology. With more than a decade in the off-the-plan sector, he brings a data-led view on buyer behaviour, product design and market opportunity.
How did Apartments & Developments evolve into AD Group’s broader ecosystem, with Development ID and Showcase, and what specific gap in off-theplan sales did each product set out to solve?
AD Group’s ecosystem includes three verticals built over the last 12 years: Apartments & Developments, Development ID and Showcase. Each evolved in response to pain points across the off-the-plan life cycle identified by developers, project marketers, agents and buyers. Development ID delivers a single source of truth for inventory management, contract administration and stock allocation, plus a marketplace where channel agents can transact. It is now used nationally and has facilitated more than $25 billion in off-the-plan transactions. Showcase grew from a tool within Development ID into standalone sales presentation technology, combining interactive stock display, CRM integration and buyer insights.
How is the buyer split tracking in 2025 between owner-occupiers vs investors vs first-home buyers, and how does that compare to previous years?
As of Q1 FY26, our Apartments & Developments data shows downsizers and other owner occupiers at 45%, investors at 10% and first-home buyers at 24%. For 2024, the split was 47% downsizers/ owner occupiers, 15% investors and 21% first-home buyers, so the weighting has remained similar, with a slight softening in investor activity. This owner-occupier skew reflects the current product mix, with fewer large-scale, investor-style projects and more boutique schemes designed primarily for people buying to live in.
Which property floorplan layouts are winning the click-to-enquiry race, and how are current lifestyle preferences changing buyer behaviours?
On Apartments & Developments, configuration preferences mirror what is being delivered to market. By click-to-enquiry, 1-bedroom layouts account for 8% of demand, 2-bedrooms 37%,
3-bedrooms 46% and 4-bedrooms 9%. Our recent Path to Purchase survey of 750 enquirers shows buyers are prioritising proximity to dining, shopping and entertainment, access to family and friends, neighbourhood reputation, public transport and considered amenities or wellness facilities. Taken together, this points to a lifestyleled owner-occupier market seeking convenience, connection and liveability.
From first view to enquiry, what does the average buyer journey look like on A&D?
Typical high-intent buyer journeys on A&D involve repeated, concentrated engagement rather than a single quick visit. In one recent multi-milliondollar Kew sale, the purchaser viewed the same project page more than 10 times on the day they enquired, as well as the Kew suburb profile. Over the following week, they compared five neighbouring projects via our site, newsletters and SMS alerts, before ultimately purchasing the original project.
Looking into early 2026, what buyer-behaviour shifts do you expect to persist (or fade)? Any emerging micro-markets or product types you’d watch closely?
Data from Development ID shows a strong resurgence in Melbourne apartments. Unconditional off-the-plan transactions have risen 110% year-on-year, with the $750,000 to $1 million band up 381%. Investors are responding to the relative value compared with Southeast Queensland and Sydney, seeing Melbourne as a discounted entry point with near-term growth potential. We expect this value-driven investor focus to persist into early 2026. ■
ARCHITECTURE BY DEVELOPED BY GARDENS BY
BUILT BY
DEVELOPED BY DESIGNED BY BUILT BY GARDENS BY
Miele has long been known for precision and performance in the kitchen, making it easy to recreate this slow-cooked lamb recipe at home.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
Slow cooked lamb:
2 frenched lamb racks, 6 per rack
8 garlic cloves, skin on
2 tbsp Ras el hanout (Moroccan spice mix)
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
2 tsp salt flakes
Charred zucchini and white bean salad:
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt flakes and pepper, to taste
1 x 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained
½ cup mint leaves
½ cup parsley leaves
60 g rocket leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
Tahini sauce:
200 g (1 cup) thick Greek yoghurt
80 g (¼ cup) hulled tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sumac
Salt flakes, to taste
METHOD
Slow cooked lamb:
1. In a large bowl, add the lamb, garlic cloves, spice mix, olive oil and salt, and toss the lamb to coat well.
2. Place the lamb in the middle of a grilling and roasting insert on a universal tray. Place the garlic cloves under the lamb, insert the food probe if using, and place in the oven on shelf level 2 on Fan Plus at 85°C.
3. If using a food probe, set the internal temperature to 60°C. If you’re not using a food probe, check the meat after 45 minutes with an external food probe until 60°C is reached. This can take from 45 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes depending on the lamb.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Charred zucchini and white bean salad:
1. Combine the zucchini strips and half of the olive oil in a large bowl. Season to taste.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in another bowl.
Tahini yoghurt sauce:
1. Place all of the ingredients into a bowl, mix and season to taste.
To serve:
1. Preheat a griddle plate on medium-high heat, induction setting 7, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini and char until slightly softened, then add to the white bean salad. Cook the lamb until charred all over.
3. Slice the lamb into individual pieces and serve with the salad and tahini sauce.
Miele accessories
Griddle plate, universal tray and grilling and roasting insert
DESIGNED BY DEVELOPED BY GARDENS BY
BUILT BY
646 HIGH STREET PRAHRAN
A 2-3 B 2-3 C 2-4
From $2,150,000
Construction started. Grandview offers luxury 2, 3 and 4-bedroom residences in Prahran East Village, near Hawksburn and High Street. Designed by Carr Design, these homes feature 3m ceilings, bespoke joinery, smart home tech, and city views.
DEVELOPED BY BUILT BY GARDENS BY DESIGNED BY
28 ALBERT STREET
SOUTH MELBOURNE
A 2-4 B 3-5 C 2-4
From $2,500,000
In Melbourne’s coveted Domain Precinct, First Light will soon unveil a groundbreaking fusion of art and architecture, promising to redefine the concept of luxury living through its innovative design and unparalleled attention to detail.
KIERRA HAGEDORN 0432 737 911
DEVELOPED BY INTERIORS BY
DESIGNED BY BUILT BY
DIRECTOR & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER TINA JIN
Highly motivated, with an aptitude for organisation, Tina is a well-regarded business development manager, specialising in off-the-plan and apartment leasing.
Tina’s approachable manner and impeccable market knowledge with regard to off-the-plan leasing makes her a pleasure to do business with With you for the entire journey from sourcing tenants to then seamless management, Tina’s meticulous focus and dedication to managing client expectations ensure a stress-free investment experience. She derives immense satisfaction from delivering premium service at all times as well as fostering and growing relationships with her renters and owners. Proficient in written and spoken English and Chinese Mandarin, Tina possesses supreme communication skills and is comfortable engaging with people from all backgrounds.
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