VCON

PREMIUM AND PRESTIGIOUS RESIDENCES

THE FINER ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE

Rockley Gardens

2 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

VCON CONSTRUCTION

Constructing custom houses and highend apartments in Melbourne, VCON continues to build its brand. We speak to Director, Anthony Morton about the company’s latest developments Writer: Rachel Carr Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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enowned for luxury and prestige in the construction industry, VCON is a byword for high-end residential buildings and has developed a unique reputation over the past 25 years.

VCON’s group of companies is categorised by three residential types, which the organisation has chosen to segregate as different entities to maintain the exclusivity of the brand.

Target projects for VCON are architectural custom houses with a typical value of AUD$10 to 50 million.

These residences are rare, and as such, the volume at which they are constructed is limited. At any one time, VCON will only have two or three houses under construction.

“The reason is simple – few individuals commission houses of this magnitude. As such, VCON usually finds the role of construction begins with an early contractor involvement (ECI),” introduces Anthony Morton, Director of VCON. APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 3

VCON CONSTRUCTION

Element V Montague Square

ECI is a technique employed by the industry whereby the design team works collaboratively with a head contractor during the design development phase. This ensures the design accords with best practice, and when the design is ultimately costed, it will be within the owner’s budget.

In turn, VCON works closely with its subcontractors and suppliers to provide feedback to the design team to ensure it is adequate to meet the client’s directives.

“Our philosophy is to promote the architect to be as creative and indulgent as their repertoire allows, obviously always carefully abiding by the client’s brief. We provide advice on costings, programmes, and availability of materials to ensure the design of construction methodology is correct,” Morton tells us.

THE THREE ELEMENTS Morton was determined not to forgo the arm of VCON which constructs large houses; therefore, 15 years ago, he opted to brand the apartment arm of the company as Element Five, which became the face of the more 4 | APAC Outlook Issue 63

commercial side of the business specialising in mid-level apartments in the inner city.

“We found the correlation was a positive force, given the quality of construction was synonymous with VCON. Today, we wonder how Element Five can construct a 20-oddstorey apartment building in less time than a three-storey house,” recalls Morton.

Morton thinks the predominant reason for this construction phenomenon is the level of detail in the houses dictates the sequence of trades, and the overlap of trades is not possible when achieving the level of complexity these houses have.

“Element Five’s conception was directly attributable to VCON’s pathway. As directors, we were increasingly approached by developers and architects to provide a service to construct apartments.”

The main reason was the magnitude of the houses VCON was involved with had many characteristics of apartments – namely basement retention and concrete structures.

Element V Montague Square

Element V Montague Square

PROJECT UKIYO WIT H VCON & ELEMENT 5

Supplier of Natural Stone & Porcelain

VCON CONSTRUCTION

“From a PR perspective, we needed the VCON brand not to be tarnished by the commercial aspect of apartment construction. This is the reason we began to operate under the Element Five banner, which is a spinoff of Chinese methodology’s five essential elements of fire, water, earth, wind and space,” he details.

Finally, to accompany VCON and Element Five, VCON Multi was created to cater to the emerging demand for high-end apartment living.

“We have seen a trend in the community of Melbourne to embrace apartment living due to several factors. Primarily, downsizing the family home to free up equity for retirement for the older generation and to assist the struggling younger generation,” observes Morton.

Another benefit of apartment living is the proximity to Melbourne’s excellent infrastructure, such as entertainment and sporting events.

VCON Multi caters to the demand for luxury apartments in the most desirable blue-ribbon suburbs.

Specialised projects must fit specific criteria to enable the developer to market the project as VCON, such as the project design must be exclusive, and the product must sit within a certain price point

Kilmore Residence

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following the same design as VCON houses.

A DESIGN FOR LIVING Luxury Brighton apartment development, The International, is a VCON Multi project and a joint venture between V-leader and Landream. The developers sought to create a unique residential space specifically targeted to individuals who want high-quality, large apartments in an excellent location.

As a seaside suburb of Melbourne, Brighton is known for large, expensive houses, excellent old-school shopping strips, and outstanding parks and beaches – all within 10 kilometres (km) of the central business district.

“National award-winning Carr Architects headed up the design, and VCON has a valued relationship with the company, spanning decades and delivering some of Australia’s best residential and commercial experiences,” Morton states.

Every project designed by Carr Architects has a distinctive and robust character, and Brighton International is no different. For example, the façade is minimal, and a glassreinforced concrete (GRC) rain screen envelopes the structure.

GRC was selected partly because its properties can withstand high tolerances along with its velvety aesthetic. Thus, the entire façade of the building is GRC mounted

“ T H E D E V E LO P E R S A N D VCO N C O N S C I O U S LY D E C I D E D T O U S E L O C A L T R A D E S , A N D T H E R E S U LT S S P E A K F O R T H E M S E LV E S . Q U A L I T Y I S P A R A M O U N T AT B R I G H T O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L , A N D IT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH LOCAL CRAFTSMANSHIP” – A N T H O N Y M O R TO N , D I R E C TO R , VCO N

Elwood House

Elwood House

on a structural steel subframe that effectively hides all fixing and creates the rain screen.

“The internals are also minimalist but not stark. All the finishes are exotic, with stone, timber, and polished plaster, to name a few. The residents also enjoy large communal shared areas, which have abundant light and water features to balance the sheer walls of the monolithic GRC,” he explains.

The project has not been without its challenges for the delivery team; purchaser changes include large adjacent apartments that were bought and amalgamated into one giant super apartment. Another purchaser bought an apartment to convert into servants’ quarters.

“The developer was determined to attract buyers who wanted to put their individual touch on their apartment; as such, purchasers set about using the services of Carr

Elwood House

Elwood House

Architects to achieve this.”

VCON Multi is proud to rise to the challenges as nothing is standard, and design documentation is being produced in parallel with construction. The company also takes pride in most large trades, such as joinery, windows, and the GRC, which are locally produced.

The relationship between VCON and Carr Architects extends to a

collaboration of imposing and daring construction and design of the Jackalope Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula – a blend of typologies and mythologies with an artistically otherworldly presence. However, its’ moniker and contemporary statue are from a different continent and origin.

The jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns. The word jackalope is a portmanteau of jackrabbit and antelope.

CHALLENGES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

Jackalope

“I have honestly never seen the industry in such a turbulent place. The combination of rising interest rates, the unpredictable nature of supply channels, and the ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic have all been a challenge, but one of our biggest hurdles is finding construction APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 7

VCON CONSTRUCTION

APAC OUTLOOK: WHAT ARE VCON’S ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES AND ITS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY? ANTHONY MORTON, DIRECTOR: “At VCON, we recognise our responsibility to meet community expectations and are committed to continuously improving our environmental performance. We recognise the importance of sustainability and reducing its ecological footprint, and to do this, we comply with the relevant environmental legislation and systems across the business.

“Our site team does a daily walk to assess and prevent all environmental and construction risks. Our priority is the safety of our workers and the public via ecological awareness. VCON considers all environmental factors, so we often consult with environmental engineer recommendations. We work with competent hygienists who help guide our practices to ensure we abide by all environmental legislation.

“VCON and Element Five are also committed to the formal process of obtaining Green Star Certification, which is often enforced via the Planning Permit and is managed by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). This certification is enacted during the construction of a building and fit-out and is awarded a rating by an independent, third-party assessor.

“The GBCA operates with the requirements of ISO 9001. Thanks to our procedures and policies in conjunction with our ISO accreditation and VCON’s processes, we successfully minimise and control high-risk activity on site as well as complying with ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, and the Quality Management System in compliance with ISO 9001 standard.”

Jackalope Launch

Jackalope Launch

Jackalope Launch

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Jackalope Launch

workers,” shares Morton.

Morton believes the struggles are due to younger generations wanting to explore the world, a consequence of the quarantine imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Local craftmanship is always a great thing to provide. Although, due to the rise of China, procurement is directed offshore to enable us to be competitive. If all other builders are offering overseas procurement at a discount to local manufacturers, then builders have few options to provide locally sourced materials and labour,” says Morton.

However, Brighton International has bucked this trend, and as such, the “usual players” in offshore products have significantly reduced.

If a stone is specified from Italy or appliances from Germany, offshore manufacturing is mandatory, albeit

joinery and windows are produced in Melbourne.

“The developers and VCON consciously decided to use local trades, and the results speak for themselves. Quality is paramount at Brighton International, and it is synonymous with local craftsmanship,” he assures.

As the factories producing these products tend to be significantly smaller than offshore manufacturers, the attention to detail is magnified.

Finally, the logistics are suited to the requirements of customisation.

Therefore, changes in design can be coordinated more efficiently with local trades.

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE Regarding ongoing projects, VCON is currently working on a boutique hotel in South Melbourne. The developer

has joined forces with a new and exciting chain of luxury hotels, and the Melbourne build is destined to be the first of its kind in Australia.

“We also have an extremely large and modern house destined to be built on the Brighton beachfront.

However, the site comes with its challenges, but none no greater than keeping the ocean out of the basement,” Morton notes.

The client wants their house to be an experience for the senses, with internal gardens, soaring voids, and the mandatory ten-pin bowling alley – all within the backdrop of the beautiful Port Philip Bay. “Finally, we continue to work with a brand called Intermode, which has developed a unique service for those looking for a relatively quick and easy process in planning approval and getting a finely designed and crafted

house,” he informs us.

VCON and Intermode provide lifestyle, architecturally designed modular houses, often found on a crest in the Mornington and Bellarine peninsula or the range surrounding Melbourne’s northeast.

“At this stage, we are consolidated to performing in our chosen fields. We are a strong believer in ‘sticking to our knitting’. We prefer to strive for the best in practice, rather than practising to be the best in other fields,” Morton concludes.

VCON Tel: (03) 9537 7777 reception@vcon.com.au vcon.com.au APAC Outlook Issue 63 | 9

VCON Level 13, 412 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004 Tel: (03) 9537 7777 reception@vcon.com.au vcon.com.au

PRODUCED BY APAC OUTLOOK MAGAZINE