International architecture practice, Plus Architecture have lodged a DA for a new Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) development in Petrie, Moreton Bay, north of Brisbane. Designed to embody modernity and sophistication, the accommodation is strategically located to support the anticipated growth of the University of the Sunshine Coast's newest campus, which aims to host up to 10,000 students by 2035. 

Situated at 47 Old Dayboro Road, the 3100 sqm site, with a total Ground Floor Area of 2,913 sqm is just one kilometre from the university campus. Providing 203 rooms and 301 beds over seven storeys, the accommodation has been designed to ensure comfort and convenience for the students — featuring state-of-the-art facilities, including a panoramic rooftop pool, entertainment spaces, and modern amenities. 

Seeking to strengthen the existing student hub, Plus Architecture’s design promotes collaboration, creativity, and a balanced, healthy lifestyle, with thoughtfully integrated green spaces enhancing both the cityscape and residents' well-being. Designed in harmony with the local neighbourhood, the accommodation includes an engaging street frontage, which will be home to local businesses — fostering a seamless connection with the wider community. 

With meticulous attention to detail, Plus Architecture have drawn on the warm brick vernacular of the two level residential neighbourhood that surrounds the site, employing a texturally and tonally sensitive response by integrating a brick base. Rising up to the level of the treeline of the surrounding landscape, the facade then transitions to a material palette of greens, including green concrete, matte green facade panels and mullions alongside tinted glazing — reflecting a commitment to aesthetic harmony and sustainable design principles. 

Designed to maximise the building’s performance to ensure comfort and ease of use for the residents, the design has been informed by Brisbane City Council’s ‘Buildings that Breathe’ guidance — which outlines key considerations for designing subtropical architecture. Key interventions include designing a stepped building mass that ‘erodes’ on the north and eastern aspects. These ‘incisions’ in the building enable light, wind and solar to access and permeate deep into the site, avoiding a dark courtyard environment. Orientated to capture some of the afternoon sun, shading via a significant roof overhang has been incorporated on the western facade. Employing brick for the masonry construction has enabled the project to achieve the required r values to deliver appropriate thermal and acoustic regulation. 

Plus Architecture Principal, Chrisney Formosa said the project underscores the practice’s commitment to placemaking, reflecting their approach to each site which draws on and celebrates its unique urban context. 

"Our vision celebrates the vibrant and creative essence of what it means to be a student. Imbued with youthfulness and dynamism the space has been designed to surpass traditional expectations and foster a profound sense of community and well-being. 

Rooted in our dedication to placemaking, our design aims to provide an enduring architectural legacy that will both enhance student life and enrich the local community, setting a new benchmark for student accommodation in Queensland and beyond." 

Old Dayboro Road is the latest project in Plus Architecture’s growing portfolio of PBSA developments across the country, with sites across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. 

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