Over the last decade, we have seen an ever-evolving housing market, which has led toa sizable shift in the types of homes people are seeking.
In our recent story around new housing policies, the CEO of Intrapac Property, Max Shifman highlighted a generational shift towards accepting denser living, positioning Townhomes as an ideal solution for New Home Buyers.
Not only do Townhomes provide the space and quality for families that you expectfrom a detached home, they can also offer a cost-effective alternative foryoung Australians to enter the housing market or a high-quality lifestylealternative for those looking to maximise their free time by reducing thefootprint of their home.
Avant Townhomes, a subsidiary of Intrapac Property, was formed in recognition of this shift, setting a new standard for style and functionality across a range of architecturally-designed homes.
Bringingvaluable expertise in the built-form environment, David Lunardi, General Manager of AvantTownhomes, established the business to meet this growing buyer demand.
“About 10 years ago, it was decided that Intrapac needed to diversify their portfolio and start to complement their ‘land’ subdivision projects with medium density, " explains David.
Not all families fit into the nuclear, two parents and two kids mould. Householdsthese days come in all shapes and sizes from single parents and divorcees towidows and first-home buyers - people from all walks of life are seeking homesthat fit their current stage of life.
Thedecision to start Avant Townhomes allowed Intrapac to reachhome buyers in market segments that they normally wouldn’t. With housingaffordability an increasing factor over the last few years, a solution neededto be identified to meet this growing demand.
“From my experience, thedemand for townhouses has only grown in the past 10 years and only looks likeit will continue. With the current affordability issues and the skyrocketingcosts of construction, the move to townhouses and smaller dwellings is anatural progression,” continued David.
As a verticallyintegrated company, Intrapac Property acts as the land development business, with AvantTownhomes, the company’s townhomedevelopment arm and the recently created CaveHill Projects, taskedwith building them.
AvantTownhomes carries the exactingstandard formed by Intrapac, setting new benchmarks for what can be achievedwith medium-density living.
“Together, we can effectively manage and control all aspects of thedevelopment life cycle - from project acquisition, financing, development,marketing, design, planning and built form. The overlap of all facets of thedevelopment life cycle means that no gaps occur, and full accountability istaken by Intrapac,” David shared.
Not only does this make for a smoother business process internally, butit means that buyers can have more confidence in the end-to-end developmentprocess.
Smart ergonomic design has been implemented in each home to utilise all available space and maximise natural light and ventilation while still ensuring comfort, convenience and privacy. These are homes designed for growing families but at a much more affordable price point.
“Our sweet spot for delivery of a townhouse is three bedrooms, double storey, two bathrooms with a double garage. Designs are typically open-plan living with a generous-sized kitchen and ample storage,” David explains.
“The use of space in townhouses is extremely important. We focus on not “wasting” space through corridors and dead space that can’t be used, making the usable areas the right size and proportions for their purpose. It’s about designing spaces that work around the locations of furniture and ensure internal space works for the way a person would live.”
For the past 10 years, Avant Townhomes has enlisted the expertise of Arcadia Studio, a Victorian-based Architecture practice, that specialises in medium-high density projects. Together,a set of key design parameters and principles to ensure standards are maintained, with each project presenting an opportunity to learn and refine processes.
Avant Townhomes place a strong focus on sustainability, ensuring that each home is equipped from the outset with efficiencies and ways to
“Through these sustainable design measures, clever architecture (orientation and size of windows) and natural cross ventilation, we can ensure each dwelling maintains a healthy and enjoyable internal environment,” explains David.
Each Avant Townhome includes the provision of solar panels, fully double-glazed windows that passively regulate indoor temperatures, full insulation, cross ventilation and the use of recycled water where feasible.
“We implement passive design principles that enable a house to stay warm in winter and cooler in summer without the means of powered heating and cooling, reducing the reliance on carbon-emitting appliances,” says David.
As a business, we continue to evolve and grow alongside an uncertain housing market and future. By ensuring we listen to what buyers want and need in their homes, we can work to help as many Australians find their place in the property market.
You can learn more about Avant Townhomes here, or by heading to the Intrapac Property website.