Developments with wellbeing amenity are proving to have sell-out success, as an accelerating ‘wellness lifestyle’ trend in off-the-plan apartments ushers in a new era of city living.
From luxury day spas, wellness centres, cinemas and private dining rooms to co-working facilities and golf simulators, state-of-the-art amenities are becoming increasingly the norm for residents today.
But at the heart of these resort-style amenities are wellness facilities, with owner-occupiers seeking out homes where it's effortless to cultivate healthy living, even with an apartment lifestyle.
According to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), Australia ranks as the third largest market for wellness lifestyle real estate at $US16.54 billion ($A24.5 billion). But it's a trend felt worldwide.
GWI's 2024 Wellness Real Estate Market Growth and Future Developments report shows that globally, the wellness real estate market reached $US438 billion ($651 billion) in 2023 and is forecast to more than double to $US913 billion ($1.36 trillion) by 2028.
Brisbane's One Earle Lane's rooftop wellness suite welcomes you via Zen Garden.
An awareness of space and place
Wellness has been a big focus of off-the-plan developers the last few years in the wake of the pandemic, which made people realise how important their surroundings are to their health and wellbeing.
Gone are the days of a token pool or dinky gym in the basement that was a clear afterthought. Apartment buildings today are ‘vertical villages’ with integrated green and community spaces, where residents can work, rest and play, all under one roof.
"The pandemic accelerated a shift in the way people live and awareness of the critical role that internal and external environments play in our physical and mental health and wellbeing," said Salvo Managing Partner, James Maitland.
"Traditional apartment living has evolved to vertical communities and urban placemaking where residents can make new social connections in various communal indoor and outdoor spaces. They also expect resort-style amenities and connectivity with their local environment."
Moray House's spectacular sauna and shower looks fit for a high-end hotel.
Salvo Property Group’s latest development in Melbourne’s Southbank, Moray House, has wellness and relaxation front of mind – and it has become the developer’s fastest selling project ever.
Designed by architects Rothelowman and interior designer David Hicks, the 305-apartment project has a suite of luxurious health and wellness zones, such as a luxury day spa, yoga and steam rooms, as well as a pool, gym and massage suite accessed by a sculptural spiral staircase.
On the relaxation and lifestyle front, there’s a hotel-style reception, concierge, ground floor café and bar, private dining rooms, outdoor BBQ areas, residents’ lounges and state-of-the-art co-working spaces.
MORE: Wellness-inspired residences on Sydney's Lower North Shore
Biophilic design, rooftops a hit
In Sydney, The Newlands by Top Spring development uses biophilic design elements, significant green space and wellness facilities to punctuate the just over 300 residences on site in leafy St Leonard’s.
It broke price records in April, amassing over $50 million in sales following the launch of the project's second stage, which they note was a hit with owner-occupiers due to its positioning as a 'wellness utopia' with nature-focused design.
The premium gymnasium and studio at The Newlands.
The Newlands' amenities have been specifically chosen to amplify the wellness factor and create more opportunities to venture outside. There's a resort-style heated outdoor pool, expansive rooftop entertainment pavilion with barbecue facilities and lush landscaping, outdoor fitness areas and several kids’ playgrounds.
Inside, residents will enjoy a gym, infrared sauna and meditation space, along with the opportunity to book a personal trainer or join group fitness classes with their neighbours, which also helps to foster a sense of community.
“We’ve put together a suite of wonderful and considered amenities and services, assisting future residents to lead a healthy, happy life, surrounded by nature,” said Sydney Ma, Managing Director of Top Spring Australia.
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New Mediterranean-inspired residences raising the bar for Brisbane luxury
Brisbane development projects are similarly charging forward in wellness amenity, with its sub-tropical climate an ideal foundation for health-related facilities.
Sarazin’s Spanish-inspired development in Woolloongabba, Murcia, introduces a Mediterranean flavour to its wellness offering.
Murcia's rooftop amenity includes chilled and heated magnesium plunge pool as well as an edible orchard.
Besides the rooftop's infinity pool and private dining area, the alfresco entertaining area with dining and barbecue facilities features an edible orchard with olive trees, lemons, finger limes and rosemary to recreate the calming feeling of being in a quaint Spanish town.
The dedicated wellness centre also impresses, with chilled and heated magnesium plunge pools to soothe sore muscles and aid recovery, as well as a steam room, sauna, and fully-equipped gym.
One Earle Lane by Azure property in Brisbane’s Toowong is another project with wellbeing at its core. Designed by world-renowned architect Paul Conrad of Conrad Architects, the ethos is to provide world-class wellness facilities that empower residents to maintain a balanced, active lifestyle while residing in the heart of the city.
These inclusions are found on the rooftop: a lush, tranquil Zen garden that offers unlimited access to a gymnasium, yoga studio, 25-metre heated lap pool, sauna, steam room, and hot and cold plunge pools. Other amenities sure to promote relaxation include a leisure club and cinema.
'Futuristic wellness utopias' on the horizon
Some developers, like Melbourne's Gurner Group, have taken wellness to another level. The sprawling $1.7 billion Elysium Fields community promises to transform Docklands, providing a 'futuristic wellness utopia' with an "innovative fusion of modern health, ancient wisdom and neuroscience."
Gurner Group's Elysium Fields is pushing the boundaries of the wellness lifestyle trend.
Made up of 1700 dwellings, the development will have a self-contained, biosphere-like design and span a whopping 27,000sqm of verdant landscaping and gardens with amenities like rooftop sports courts, a pool club, retail, and dining offerings.
Residents will also enjoy filtered air and water throughout the residences and buildings.
The project offers an Elysium Reverse Ageing Medical Clinic, where residents can enjoy medical-grade procedures and testing, like MRIs, DEXA scans and blood testing, plus anti-ageing treatments like cryotherapy, various sauna options and IV infusions.
Gurner Group is also behind Melbourne's ultra luxe wellness club, Saint Haven, so naturally, Elysium Fields will host the largest club yet, complete with an "ancient bathhouse" that bills itself as one of the largest in the world. It will feature 15 varieties of enriched water that offer various health benefits.
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