Sunlight Lifestyle Precinct is a joint project between Aquis Australia and the Gold Coast Turf Club, located in Bundall. Drawing together both local and international design agencies to create a multi use development through urban renewal and enhancement of approx 2 Hectares of land. Complementary to the Gold Coast Turf Clubs vision of transforming the broader equine precinct into a world class entertainment and tourism hub, Sunlight promises an artisan atmosphere through the infusion of exciting shopping, food markets, wellness, dinning and entertainment precincts, short stay serviced apartments and residential apartments.
The development shall comprise three mixed-use towers of 20, 15 & 19-storeys respectively, as well as four 3-storey mixed-use buildings and one 4-storey short-stay accommodation building. The ground plane features a central courtyard flanked by retail tenancies and public amenity. A 2-storey basement carpark is provided for resident and short-stay use, while two on-grade carparks service the retail functions. The arrangement of the buildings, variety of high-quality landscaped sub precincts, and series of interesting pedestrian linkages and laneways are thoughtfully planned to enrich the ground level experience.
Crowning the tallest tower, the stunning Sunlight Sky Garden will be open to the public and feature lush gardens, open-air infinity wet edge pools, day beds, and a restaurant, all with spectacular panoramic views overlooking the racetrack and Gold Coast skyline. Responding to local climatic conditions, the lifestyle precincts sub tropical architecture is designed for healthily living, with open floor plans, multiple indoor-outdoor spaces, articulated green walls and public water gardens, all contributing to a sense of calm within a serene environment.
Sunlight is a new place to live, stay, visit and play.
Corner of Racecourse Drive, Bundall, Queensland 4217
Spread over approximately 2 hectares, Sunlight will be the catalyst for rejuvenation of the immediate area by providing a sub tropical, mixed use lifestyle precinct whose beneficiaries extend to HOTA, Surfers Paradise and the broader Gold Coast community.
Immersive and extensive water features located within the public, ground floor realm, adjacent to the main entry and retail tenancies offer a cooling effect and help reduce the impacts of urban heat.
An integrated network of comfortable streets and spaces is established via a layering of simple and direct linkages from the northern frontage of racecourse drive via the sub tropical boulevard through to the Gold Coast Turf Club.
Lush landscaped laneways carve their way through the built form and connect the prominent frontage of racecourse drive through the sub tropical boulevard.
Northern and western entries are defined by a series of landscaped arbours and water features that mark the arrival points to sunlight. These markers provide the opportunity for elevated greenery, public art and lighting integration and provide tangible reference points for visitors to the precinct.
The precinct inludes with two basement parking levels plus two adjoining on grade car parks.
Formal exterior edge landscape with wild tropical interior landscapes
* RLB Economic Report 2023
Sunlight is centrally located and well connected to Surfers Paradise, HOTA, the Bundall Office Precinct, recreational facilities, Heritage Bank Stadium, and the Nerang Train Station.
Innovation Zone (Bundall Specialist Centre)
Showroom Zone
Surfers Paradise Specialist Centre Zone
The existing horse ‘tie-ups’ will be replaced with new and improved facilities further south. This aligns with other improvements being made to the precinct.
Proposed Tie Up Location
Existing Tie Up Location
Horse movements will be taken off the public roadway with all new, dedicated pathways and tunnels to increase safety and reduce traffic impacts.
Proposed Horse Movement
Proposed Tie Up Location
Sunlight is located within the north-western corner of the Gold Coast Turf Club site to reduce traffic impacts, enhance its connection with HOTA and the Bundall Office Precinct and to avoid impacting the racecourse or existing uses within the south-western portion of the equestrian precinct.
GCTC Boundary
Proposed Sunlight Development
Proposed Sunlight Carpark
Sunlight is supported by a network of existing transit options and is proximal to several important landmark nodes such as HOTA (Home of the Arts) and the Bundall Showroom Precinct. It is well connected to Surfers Paradise via the HOTA Green Bridge. Both HOTA and Surfers are walking distance to and from Sunlight
Climate responsive design is essential in managing the environmental impacts of urban areas and establishing the resilient communities of the future. The proposed Sunlight development responds to its climate in the following ways:
The proposed development will be a catalyst for rejuvenation of immediate area by providing a sub-tropical, mixed-use lifestyle precinct whose beneficiaries will extend beyond the site to HOTA and Surfers Paradise.
Each building is distinguished via varied articulation and built form while a common architectural language of horizontal expression, warmth through considered material selection and elevated greenery unite to signify the development as a legible precinct. Tower A, B & C rooftops are designed to provide a distinctly differentiated silhouette across the Gold Coast skyline.
The courtyard water feature provides an identifiable meeting point for residential, retail and hotel use to coalesce. Further placemaking mechanisms include a series of landscaped arbours to the North & West entries. These arbours mark the precinct gateways and provide an extension to the existing Gold Coast Turf Club and Equine Precinct gateways located along Racecourse Road and Crombie Avenue respectfully, further emphasising the proposed development’s strong relationship to its context.
Densely landscaped laneways offer an intimate, fine-grain connection through to the central boulevard enhancing the character and experience for pedestrians and retail patrons alike.
The proposed Sunlight development features an extensive soft, pervious landscaping extent throughout the site. Where possible, deep containerised planting zones are provided for trees along the Northern frontage to Racecourse Drive and internally within the Boulevard, providing shelter and amenity throughout the public realm.
The development is flanked by a formal landscaped edge that presents as a respectful & valuable community interface with the surrounding streetscape. A wild, tropical landscape bleeds through to the interior of the site via the laneways offering a protected & immersive landscape pedestrian experience. Vertical greenery to Towers A, B & C provide further opportunities for improved & multi-layered urban biodiversity connecting to rooftop & podium amenity.
Project Sunlight establishes an integrated network of comfortable streets and spaces via a layering of simple & direct linkages from the Northern frontage of Racecourse Drive via the sub-tropical boulevard through to the Gold Coast Turf Club. The ground plane is designed to be relatively flat and accessible with no ramp grades exceeding 1:20.
Laneways are formed between Ground level retail uses while pedestrian pathways blur with outdoor retail tenancies to encourage diverse community & commercial activity. Strategically located street trees flank either side of the laneways at the entry from Racecourse drive and internally from within the Boulevard. Differentiated paving treatments at crossing points distinguish pedestrian movement zones from vehicular movement zones.
A combination of trees, awnings and slab edge overhangs to pedestrian areas provide both a natural & built canopy throughout the public realm.
Project Sunlight proposes a mix of residential, short-stay accommodation and retail uses across an array of product formats that are complimentary land uses to that of the surrounding area. The proposed residential mix is reflective of market demands 7 expectations within the area and comprises a range of 1B, 2B, 3B & Penthouse product across both low and high-rise scales. Private residential amenity is provided for in the form of podium and rooftop level recreation areas designed to cater to diverse occupant profiles. Amenity includes lap pools, spa/sauna, bookable function & dining facilities.
Up to 12 retail tenancies are proposed throughout the precinct in addition to a large-format Gym. The retail mix provides diversity of offer and ensures the daily needs of the community are met with a Grocer, fashion, showroom, general retail, and Food & Beverage outlets proposed.
CPTED principles such as low-level planters, direct sightlines through pedestrian links and passive surveillance via highly visible retail shopfronts work in tandem with the proposed program and design features to provide ‘life on the street’, delivering a sense of safety, community ownership and activation.
Project Sunlight comprises of a total of eight buildings whose forms and massing are used to define streets, establish a clear street structure and hierarchy. Five of the eight buildings are between three and four storeys in height and are sympathetically located along the Northern frontage where existing development of a similar scale resides. Connecting all buildings at the Ground Plane is a public realm of high quality which features significant soft landscaping elements as well high-quality paving treatments and an extensive water feature.
The ground plane public realm is designed to assist in creating a strong sense of local identity through extensive active frontages that address both Racecourse Drive and the internalised Boulevard and Courtyard. Laneways, awnings, and arbour structures provide permeability and cover that responds to the human scale while window seating integrated into retail shopfronts directly contributes to the activation and character at the street’s edge.
Embedded within the Project Sunlight scheme is an inherent consideration to prevailing social, economic and environmental influences. The low-rise buildings located along Racecourse Drive have considered an alternative use for Commercial Office space should market factors dictate the need to pivot to alternative uses.
The ground plane is designed with durable surface treatments to withstand the anticipated pedestrian & vehicular movement for a precinct of this scale. Surface levels have been carefully manipulated to accommodate Q100 flood evacuation strategies to ensure habitable spaces remain accessible yet above defined flood immunity levels.
The Boulevard is conceived as a flexible external space, capable of accommodating potential uses such as weekend & night markets, food & wine festivals, moonlight cinema and other cultural events.
The adoption of a rigorous design process by industry-leading professionals has ensured a culture of collaboration throughout the conception phase of Project Sunlight, promoting quality design outcomes to deliver integrated solutions that benefit community.
Architectural design initiatives draw on established industry benchmarks via reference to design guidelines such as Brisbane City Council’s Buildings that Breathe & Design-led City publications as well as the QLD Government’s QDesign Manual.
As part of the external engagement process, a public notification website will be established to provide the public with information regarding the development application.
Open plan living. Seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Direct connection with nature
583 one, two, three and four bedroom residential apartments
8 mixed use buildings featuring 3 main roof top pools all with breathtaking views
1,250 basement and above-ground carparks
63 studios, one and two bedroom serviced apartments
Entertainment, lifestyle, health and wellness facilities
Day and night horse racing
2,893m2 over two levels of lush gardens, restaurant, function rooms, bars and pools
565m2
1.5km
2.7km
6.3KM
1. Break down mass & establish proportion
2. Unite podium & crown tectonic
3. Accentuate horizontal expression
2. Awnings relate to human scale
3. Landscape integration
Structured Creative Landscaping
Blurred threshold between garden and pavement
Sophisticated areas of enclosure
Textured layered draping landscaping
Unique engagement with natural elements
Textured water elements that engage and excite
The central courtyard is the heart of the precinct and the signature landscape elements of the public realm. A significant water feature flanked by lush landscape, pedestrian pathways, retail frontages and lounge pavilions provide meaningful places to meet for visitors to the Sunlight Lifestyle Precinct
1. Vertical breaks
2. Accentuate horizontal expression
3. Landscape integration
From Gold Coast Bulletin: Plans to transform the Gold Coast Turf Club into a $370m tourism and lifestyle precinct have been welcomed by civic leaders.
Aquis Australia and the Gold Coast Turf Club are working together to reimagine the Gold Coast Turf Club experience
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This promotional material has been prepared for Aquis Australia Pty Ltd (‘Aquis’) solely for marketing and illustration purposes only and is subject to change without notice. The proposed Sunlight development (‘Sunlight’) is subject to all, and any statutory approval and changes may be made during the further planning and or development stages. The Developer reserves rights to make any changes to any part of the development including land uses, dimensions, fittings, finishes, costs, specifications, and quantity of real estate. All photos, images, information and drafting in this publication is indicative only and does not constitute any offer, representation, inducement, warranty, or contract. The final product may differ from that depicted herein. Furniture and fittings are not included. Neither Aquis, the Gold Coast Turf Club, the Developer nor any of its contractors or agents make any representation or give any warranty in relation to the size, configuration, location, quality or appearance of any land use, residence, concepts, images or that any particular view will be available from any residence or common area. All aspects of the Sunlight development are subject to change without notice. To the extent permitted by law, Aquis, the Gold Coast Turf Club, the Developer, its contractors, and agents disclaim all liability. Aquis, the Gold Coast Turf Club, the Developer, its contractor and agents do not give any warranty in relation to the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. COPYRIGHT: Aquis Australia Pty Ltd 2023.
