The affluent riverside suburb of Como is most prominently known for its large stately homes and treelined suburban streets. However, as its population has matured and families grow up, the range of residential product suitable for people wanting to downsize yet stay in the area has been limited.

The M/26 by Match apartment complex was specifically developed for this market.

Located in an idyllic treelined street just minutes’ walk to the popular café strip and theatre, the site offers easy access to the Kwinana Freeway and close proximity to CBD. It is also a short stroll to the banks of the Swan River.

The design requirements needed to both reflect the luxuries that are befitting to the suburb, as well as accommodate the floorplan and space demands of the downsizer market.

The property was designed by reputable architects CCN Architects on behalf of Match, and the 40- apartment boutique complex was deliberately designed to be understated and airy, with interior scheme choices that reflect the popular Hamptons and Manhattan styles.

From a building perspective, the site’s exact location in relation to the Swan River had some challenges. It fell into Coastal Conditions, which meant that all external materials would be required to be ‘fit for purpose’, and additional building considerations would be needed for building on top of the high-water table with a basement carpark.

M/Construction, part of the M/Group of companies, was engaged to execute the development plans, and did so with precision and ingenuity.

M/Construction Director, Michael Read, said being an integral part of the development process meant that the company had the flexibility to address all building and material requirements with innovation and value-add where possible.

“M/26 by Match was not merely completed on time and to specification, it has showcased how attention-to-detail and innovation can deliver a broad range of ongoing benefits,” he said.

“An extraordinary amount of focus was given to areas that are not overtly evident to those visiting the property but will ensure the longevity and quality of the investment for many years to come.

M/Construction reinforced the entire basement wall structure with some 380 concrete continuous pilings at 450mm diameter running from ground level, down to the basement and beneath. Once the piles were in place and the site was excavated, a large amount of de-watering and waterproofing took place, including all concrete footings, lift shaft, tower crane base and fire tanks.

Extensive future proofing provisions for the underground water table level were made within the basement area. In the event that the water table was ever to rise above the recorded maximum level, a water pump could be installed at that time to allow water to be pumped into council’s stormwater system. Given that a water pump may never be a requirement for the property, the forethought to circumvent its installation has effectively removed the need for regular servicing and maintenance and all associated strata costs. Further, All storerooms in the basement are raised on concrete plinths for added precautions.

Two x 72kl concrete fire tanks with the capacity to hold the water reserve were installed, which were backed by two x 42kw diesel water pumps to be used for pushing the water to a booster cabinet located at street level for the Fire Brigade trucks to connect to. An additional fire safety measure included the installation of auto-closing sliding fire doors in the basement car park to compartmentalise the area to avoid spread of fire.

Above ground, all external items were graded to some of the highest specifications to deal with and last through conditions of a property located nearby a large body of water. The majority of products provided a lengthy warranty for coatings and finishes.

“We were able to re-engineer several aspects of the project, including a concealed air conditioning system in lieu of an unsightly wall mounted split-system, as well as the introduction of a polished plaster feature wall to the lobby. Such detail can add immeasurable value to the property and create a consistent and uninterrupted experience for the end-users.

“The project was subject to some of the toughest environmental requirements by the City of South Perth, which not only met, but also exceeded Greenstar accreditation in some cases.”

M/Construction sourced and applied sustainable materials throughout the project. This included Greenstar Concrete to slabs and AFS walls, Greenstar reinforcement in concrete slabs and AFS walls, low VOC paints, adhesives and linings. The directive was to achieve a minimum of 51 points. However, M/Construction delivered a project that exceeded this by 13 points to 64.

M/Construction Senior Contract Manager, Mark Gannaway, said the construction team were meticulous in the delivery of the building and effortlessly adapted to unforeseen Covid-19 conditions.

“M/Construction is one of the few companies that use advanced technology to manage the development process. This enables the highest level of site-tracking and safety processes across all our projects, he said.

“In terms of M/26 by Match, I can tell you that our workforce recorded a total of 63,633hrs, 288,742min and 5,132sec based on the output of our site tracking software. This technology enormously simplified the increased requirements brought on by Covid-19, where we had to manage rigorous cleaning procedures and stringently monitor who and how many workers were on site at any given time.

“Time delays and an inadequate workforce can have an adverse impact on a project like this, so we take our systems and processes, methodologies and materials extremely seriously. Being part of the larger development framework makes us accountable for this and gives us the flexibility to manage a building process that will benefit the end user, project investor and company reputation. That’s not always the case with third party builders.”

M/Construction’s parent company, M/Group, is an integrated property group that offers services in investment, development, construction and real estate.

“The days of the traditional builder is well and truly over. Today, construction is a significantly more regulated and controlled industry and the successful players are highly professional with knowledge that must span across a whole range of disciplines,” Michael continued.

“While we will always look to research and test new innovations, all our fixtures and fitting are from well-known brands and sourced from credible suppliers. We place the quality of brands such as Bosch and Reece, ahead of the potential for higher margins, and we transfer all the after-service value onto the new owner.

“We are extremely proud of the standard of projects M/Construction consistently delivers and the benchmark we continue to increase in the construction game. M/26 by Match is another testament to the standard of work we deliver in Perth.”

M/26 by Match comprises of one and two-bedroom layouts across three stories. Each apartment is designed to maximise the city skyline and river views, with most floorplans running vertical to the exterior to capture the outlook across the living space and multiple bedrooms.

The project is located in Mary Street, Como, and the property has been made further distinctive by an artwork sculpture by Ayad Alqaragholli.

“(The sculpture) showcases two human figures, a man and woman, who pay homage to the multicultural tapestry of the South Perth community and how this blend of people live, love and interact,” she said.

“I hope that my sculpture will embody the positive values of life and that the wider audience who view my sculpture will feel uplifted and blessed as did I with my first experiences of this area.

M/Construction has won several coveted building awards for its work within the M/Group project network, however, the company is also highly regarded for its work for independent clients.

As seen in Master Builder’s Magazine – Spring 2020 Edition

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