Inside a Hilltop Village Where Architecture Meets Nature
MELBOURNE
At Como Terraces in South Yarra, architecture meets nature in a refined response to place, topography and materiality. Designed by Carr in collaboration with developers Cbus Property and Sterling Global, the project spans 39 residences across eight individually articulated buildings that cascade gently down the natural slope. The result is a residential precinct shaped by sensitivity to landform, offering a village-like atmosphere that feels quiet yet connected. Every spatial gesture is deliberate, guided by a shared philosophy of restraint, longevity and human experience.
From the outset, the design was shaped by pedestrian flow. Walkways and stairwells thread between buildings, guiding residents from the street through a sequence of framed views, native planting and textured surfaces. These pathways foster a sense of calm detachment from the surrounding city and promote engagement with the landscape at every step. It’s in this layering of movement and moments that architecture meets nature in a lived and felt way – not merely through design language, but in how space is experienced over time.
Internally, the apartments mirror the scale and proportions of traditional homes. Generous open-plan living zones are anchored by travertine kitchen islands and full sculleries, with layouts that support entertaining and retreat equally. Integrated V-ZUG appliances provide seamless performance, while considered detailing – including dedicated laundries, generous storage and carefully zoned bedrooms – ensures practicality never compromises design. The kitchens in particular stand out as spaces that embody both utility and aesthetic refinement.
A soft, tactile material palette brings warmth and coherence to the interiors. Engineered European oak flooring, warm stone finishes and a restrained neutral base establish continuity and a sense of timelessness. V-ZUG’s minimal and high-performing appliances integrate effortlessly within this setting, reinforcing a broader commitment to enduring quality. This subtle alignment of performance and design exemplifies how architecture meets nature in material form – through tone, texture and cohesion.
The landscape by TCL plays a vital role in softening built elements and enhancing resident connection to place. Indigenous and climate-sensitive planting frames each building, extending greenery into courtyards, terraces and shared zones. Communal spaces – including private lounges and dining rooms – are dispersed throughout the site, offering moments of interaction within an otherwise tranquil setting. In these outdoor transitions and social nodes, architecture meets nature once again, providing continuity between public and private life.
Como Terraces is the result of close collaboration between architecture, development and landscape. It offers a compelling model for site-responsive, multi-residential living – one where form and function are shaped by an ongoing relationship with context. Here, architecture meets nature in the most holistic sense: in spatial planning, material choice and the gentle rhythm of daily movement across the site. It is a project defined not by scale, but by its ability to quietly connect people to place.
00:00 - Introduction to a Hilltop Village
01:03 - Walking Through the Terraces
02:31 - Interiors and Materiality
04:43 - Collaboration and Craft
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Architecture and interior design by Carr.
Development by Cbus Property and Sterling Global.
Landscape by TCL.
Appliances by V-ZUG.
Filmed by Matt Richards.
Edited by The Local Production.
Production by The Local Production.
Location: South Yarra, Victoria, Australia
The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
#Architecture #Nature #Hilltop