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Park Lane’s street presence comes from a deliberate sequence: a dark Midnight Blue brick-tile podium at ground level, planted terraces above it, and a lighter upper composition of green-hued folded metal and lightly polished concrete. The dark base anchors the 11-storey building beside Elsternwick Station Reserve, while the upper materials break down its apparent scale. Robertson Facade Systems’ Brick Inlay assembly was also critical to the design: it enabled the one-brick-wide blade wall the team wanted at the lower balconies, a condition the project’s case study says could not be achieved with face brickwork at that scale.
Why the dark podium is Park Lane’s point of difference
Park Lane is on Riddell Parade in Elsternwick, Victoria, directly opposite Elsternwick Station Reserve. Jackson Clements Burrows Architects (JCB) designed the completed project for Citiplan Property, with the architect also providing the interior design. The scheme contains 24 home-sized, dual-aspect apartments across 11 levels, including two two-storey penthouses.
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At street level, the building is intentionally read as a substantial, dark base rather than as a stack of unrelated apartment floors. The design team selected Midnight Blue brick tiles for the podium, using Robertson Facade Systems’ Brick Inlay system. The deep blue-black tone gives the entrance and lower balconies a calm, weighty character that differs from the red-brick apartment buildings nearby, including earlier projects by JCB.
The palette was chosen to acknowledge the neighbourhood’s village and suburban surroundings. Planting then interrupts the solidity of the podium, linking the building visually to the reserve opposite. This combination—dark masonry, greenery and a lighter upper volume—creates the project’s “striking point of difference” without relying on a single decorative gesture.
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“The dark brick of the podium is softened by planted terraces to the apartments above. Upper levels on the east and west facades are articulated by a subtle green-hued zinc metal cladding that reflects both the hues of the parkland opposite and the ambient light conditions. Lightly polished concrete to the north façade is punctuated by deep window reveals positioned to maximise privacy and light. We selected all the materials for their durability and timeless appeal.” — Graham Burrows, JCB Director
Park Lane at a glance
| Project detail | Documented information |
|---|---|
| Location | Riddell Parade, Elsternwick, Victoria, opposite Elsternwick Station Reserve |
| Cultural Country identified by the architect | Bunurong/Boonwurrung |
| Architect and interior designer | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects |
| Developer/client | Citiplan Property |
| Project year and status | 2021; completed |
| Scale | 24 apartments across 11 levels, including two two-storey penthouses |
| Apartment planning | Home-sized, dual-aspect apartments |
| Reported energy rating | Average NatHERS rating above 7 stars, as reported by JCB |
What the Brick Inlay facade system makes possible
Midnight Blue brick tiles rather than a conventional brick wall
The project does not use the phrase “dark brick inlay” as a generic description of a consumer tile product. Its documented material is Midnight Blue brick tile installed in a Brick Inlay facade assembly. The supplier’s case study identifies the system as the means of delivering the podium finish, while Titan Precast is named as the Brick Inlay precaster.
Brick Inlay is visible beyond the main street facade. The tiles continue onto balcony inner faces and into the ground-floor entry, lobbies and lift. That continuity matters: a resident or visitor encounters the same dark, variegated surface while moving from the public edge into the building, rather than seeing a masonry-like treatment stop abruptly at the facade line.
The one-brick-wide blade wall
The most specific reason for choosing the system was structural and spatial. The design team wanted a very narrow blade wall to buttress the lower-level balconies. Sam Franklin, an associate on the project team, described the requirement this way:
“We wanted a one brick wide blade wall buttressing the lower level balconies and structurally, we simply couldn’t achieve that with face brickwork on this scale,” — Sam Franklin, Associate
This is a project-specific explanation, not a universal rule that face brick can never form a blade wall. At Park Lane, the desired width and the balcony configuration made a conventional face-brick solution unsuitable according to the supplier’s case study. The Brick Inlay approach allowed the appearance of a narrow brick blade while accommodating the structural and prefabrication requirements of the facade.
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Where the tiles matter visually
The dark tiles establish a strong horizontal datum at the base, but their use on balcony returns and interior arrival spaces adds depth. Recessed balcony faces catch less direct light, so the blue-black surface changes subtly as people move past it. This variation prevents the podium from reading as a flat, painted panel.
Franklin also emphasised the finish’s colour range and surface response:
“The design team really liked the variety in the Midnight Blue brick tiles. It’s a dynamic colour, and it tied in well with the other project materials. It also has a natural shimmer that complements the zinc façade above.” — Sam Franklin, Associate
How the upper levels lighten the 11-storey form
Green-hued folded metal on the east and west
The upper east and west elevations use a green-hued zinc cladding. JCB describes the material as subtle green-hued folded metal, while the supplier identifies it as zinc cladding; both descriptions refer to the same upper-level strategy. Folding gives the metal a faceted profile that changes with sun, cloud and viewing angle, rather than presenting a single uninterrupted plane.
The green cast picks up the parkland across the road without turning the building into a literal camouflage object. It also creates a measured transition from the dark podium: the lower levels feel grounded and tactile, while the upper elevations appear lighter and more reflective. The zinc’s changing light response is part of the intended relationship between facade and reserve.
Lightly polished concrete on the north facade
The north facade is materially different again. Lightly polished concrete forms the field, with windows set into deep reveals. Those reveals provide shade and shadow lines, but the documented design purpose is more specific: window positions were arranged to maximise privacy and light.
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Using polished concrete on the north rather than extending the zinc around every elevation gives the building a quieter, more monolithic face. The contrast between concrete, folded metal and brick makes orientation legible from the street. It also keeps the upper volume from becoming a single-colour object.
How planting connects the podium to Elsternwick Station Reserve
Landscape is not an afterthought at Park Lane. Eckersley Garden Architecture was the landscape architect, and the planting is used to soften the junction between the dark podium and apartments above. Terraces introduce a living layer at the point where the building changes material and scale.
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Planting also changes how the facade is experienced at close range. From the footpath, leaves and stems partially screen portions of the masonry; from upper apartments, the terraces become foreground landscape. The effect is a gradual transition from public street to private dwelling rather than a hard line at the podium roof.
Engineering and construction issues behind the zinc upper facade
The supplier’s project account records three areas that required resolution for the zinc facade: wind engineering, waterproofing and construction method. These are practical constraints rather than visible design features, but they determine whether a folded-metal concept can be delivered reliably on a multi-storey building.
- Wind engineering: the cladding and its supports had to be developed for the wind actions affecting the upper elevations.
- Waterproofing: junctions, penetrations and transitions between metal, concrete and other facade elements had to control water entry.
- Construction method: the team had to settle on an installation sequence and fabrication approach that could deliver the folded profiles on the completed structure.
The available project description does not publish the calculations, membrane specifications or connection details, so those technical solutions should not be assumed from the finished appearance. What is established is that these issues were part of the delivery challenge and were resolved as part of the project.
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The Brick Inlay portion had its own coordination demands. A very narrow blade wall beside balconies leaves little room for dimensional error, tolerances or drainage detailing. Prefabrication was part of the documented project team: Bianco Precast supplied the polished concrete precast elements and Titan Precast supplied the Brick Inlay precast work.
Apartment planning and the reported energy outcome
Park Lane’s 24 apartments are described as home-sized and dual-aspect. Dual-aspect planning gives each dwelling openings to more than one orientation, a layout that can support cross-ventilation and varied daylight conditions when the window arrangement and local climate permit. The project information identifies the planning type but does not publish apartment-by-apartment ventilation or daylight measurements.
JCB reports an average NatHERS rating above 7 stars. That figure should be read with its attribution: it is the architect’s reported project average, and the available project page does not state the assessment method, climate-zone assumptions or a breakdown by apartment. It is therefore evidence of the project’s reported energy target or outcome, not a guarantee that every dwelling has the same rating.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reading the facade by orientation and distance
At the street
The podium is the first material a passer-by encounters. Midnight Blue brick tiles give the entry and lower facade a consistent identity, while planting prevents the dark surface from becoming visually severe.
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Across the reserve
From the opposite parkland, the building reads as a dark base supporting a faceted, green-tinted upper volume. The zinc’s changing reflectance and the concrete’s lighter tone make the top levels less visually heavy than a full-height masonry facade.
At the balcony
On lower-level balconies, the one-brick-wide blade wall is both a structural element and a close-range material detail. Brick Inlay continues onto balcony inner faces, so the view from the apartment includes the same finish seen from the street.
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At the north windows
Deep reveals around the north-facing windows create shadow and depth in the polished concrete. Their documented purpose is to balance privacy with access to light, rather than simply to provide decoration.
What to evaluate when considering a similar facade approach
Park Lane provides a useful set of questions for architects, developers and owners comparing brick tile, face brick, precast and folded-metal options. The project does not supply product-testing or cost data, so these are evaluation criteria rather than claims that one system is universally better.
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- Ability to form narrow or projecting elements: define the minimum blade, pier or return width early. Park Lane’s one-brick-wide balcony blade was the specific condition that led the team away from face brickwork.
- Weight and structural support: coordinate the facade build-up, balcony edges and supports with the structural engineer before fixing the material palette.
- Detailing and waterproofing: resolve interfaces between brick inlay, concrete, metal folds, windows and planted terraces. Metal facades require particular attention to wind, water and installation sequence.
- Durability and maintenance: specify how the finish will weather, how joints will be inspected and how damaged tiles or panels can be replaced. JCB says durability and timeless appeal guided its material selection, but no lifecycle testing for Park Lane is published.
- Site relationship: consider adjacent buildings, vegetation, outlook and cultural context. At Park Lane, the dark podium responds to the village-like surroundings, while green metal and planting refer to the reserve.
Project team and documented responsibilities
| Role | Named project participant |
|---|---|
| Architect and interior design | Jackson Clements Burrows Architects |
| Developer/client | Citiplan Property |
| Landscape architect | Eckersley Garden Architecture |
| Builder | Figurehead / Figurehead Constructions |
| Polished concrete precaster | Bianco Precast |
| Brick Inlay precaster | Titan Precast |
| Services engineering | Waterman Group |
| Structural engineering | Adams Consulting Engineers |
| Environmentally sustainable design | GIW Environmental Services |
Why the facade works as a whole
Park Lane’s distinction does not come from dark brick alone. The Brick Inlay podium supplies a durable, tactile base and enables the narrow balcony blade wall; the Midnight Blue finish continues into spaces where residents touch and see it close up. Planted terraces then soften that base and establish a visual link to Elsternwick Station Reserve.
Above, green-hued folded metal and lightly polished concrete divide the upper levels by orientation and light behaviour. Deep north-facing reveals address privacy and daylight, while the zinc’s folded surfaces respond to changing conditions on the east and west. The result is a facade that moves from weight to lightness, from masonry to metal and concrete, and from street edge to planted terrace without losing a coherent identity.
That carefully controlled sequence is what makes the dark brick inlay facade a genuine point of difference for Park Lane: it is simultaneously a neighbourhood response, a structural decision and a way of making an 11-storey apartment building feel more grounded at the street.
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