architecture + urban design
architecture + urban design
Fitzgibbon Chase is a residential master-planned community covering 295 hectares of Queensland State Government land and comprising 1,500 homes. Commencing in 2009, the project was a collaborative approach between the developer and Economic Development Queensland (EDQ), as well as the designer, builder, home owner and the community.
Fitzgibbon Chase is the first project in Australia to receive full marks under Enviro Development’s Version 2 Standards, which recognise six key areas of sustainability: ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water and community.
Our principal role was to facilitate the delivery of substantial innovations in housing, with 185 degenhartShedd-designed homes on a variety of freehold-title lots that equate to a density of 60 dwellings per hectare.
As well as exploiting the advantages of small, freehold lots for dwellings, the Fitzgibbon Chase Neighbourhood Centre embraces the concept of ‘micro-retail’: small, need-based businesses within the community. These retail stores help to organically develop the neighbourhood and encourage residents to explore and enjoy their community spaces.
With a focus on fostering and preserving the natural surroundings and promoting community living, the concepts implemented at Fitzgibbon Chase represent a shift away from traditional apartment style living and embraces the European virtues of an urban lifestyle and the local streets.