Northern Territory - Raffles Plaza

Architect
Graeme Whitford for KROMA

Client
Raffles Development Pty Ltd

Location
Darwin City

Traditional Land Owners
Larrakia

Year completed
1984

Project consultants
Engineers: Ginos & Associates

Builder
Civil & Civic Pty Ltd

Building type
Residential

Awards
AIA NT Enduring Architecture Award 2018

"Although its aesthetics may challenge contemporary sensibilities, it is a remarkable construction ... much loved by its many owner occupiers, who appreciate the sense of community it embodies, and distinctive spacious apartments ” - 2018 AIA AWARD JURY 2 0

Raffles Plaza was one of the earliest high-rise apartment buildings to appear in the Darwin skyline. Its concrete construction and tessellated floor plan fashion an instantly recognisable form.

While the building contrasts clearly with its surroundings from a far, it is softened by the rich, tropical vegetation at its base and up close thoughtful facade details such as concrete fluting and timber-grain form-work impressions diminish some of its brutality.

Like in many parts of Australia, the introduction of this building typology challenged the prevailing attachment to detached housing and even low-rise ‘walk-up’ apartments. It is likely this demanded some attention to convincing an unfamiliar public of the associated lifestyle and other benefits.

The jury citation for Raffles’ Enduring Architecture Award suggests this in turn encouraged a genuinely bespoke design;

“in contrast to the formulas that drive contemporary apartments. The larger apartments have unique living areas, with spatially defined dining and lounge areas, and in many cases bedrooms have balconies on two sides to promote cross ventilation. Similarly the external balconies are remarkably spacious, creating a truly innovative model for tropical inside-outside living, but within a vertical community.“

This is without mentioning the lofty ceilings, shared breezeways and unrivaled and almost uninterrupted view across the golf course to Fannie Bay. There is a generosity so rarely found in apartments, in space, materiality, light, air - in short, amenity.

Appreciation for the locally known 'Raffles' is not difficult to come by, particularly among its residents. Laurie the buildings manager has lived in the building for over 20 years and notes a consistently low vacancy rate as residents tend to stay for long periods. Finding an apartment can prove difficult, and Laurie has often fielded calls from people local, interstate and overseas desperate to secure a place.

Laurie understands the name derives from Raffles Bay on the Cobourg Peninsula, north-east of Darwin - in turn named after the founder of Singapore. This is presumed to be an effort to solidify Darwin’s link to its northern neighbours, and perhaps also a sly marketing strategy by the client, a south-east asian developer, to associate the building with the luxury of Singapore’s world famous 19th century hotel 'Raffles Singapore' and lure purchasers from this same region.

Another detail, learnt from Laurie’s occasional contact with the architect, illustrates the diverse influences the building’s design draws upon. It’s understood the concrete ‘fluting’ of the stair and lift core facade is inspired by the elephant and rhino house at London Zoo by architect Sir Hugh Casson. In this case it’s thought to provide a robust wall for the occupants to rub and scratch against. At Raffles, it provides a rough and unexpected texture which plays with light and shadow.

Raffles facade has also acted as backdrop to at least one documented instance of military action, with soldiers climbing up Raffles facade and rappelling back down, in an optimistic anticipation of a Darwin CBD high-rise boom.

Comments from AIA Jury from the award of the 2018 NT Enduring Architecture Award:

“With the plethora of apartment buildings recently completed or underway in Darwin, it’s easy to take for granted the notion of high density living within the city.

In fact the early prototypes for this way of living were trail blazers – the opposite of the ubiquitous product’ now feeding the market. The Raffles Plaza completed in 1984, and designed by Graeme Whitford for KROMA, is such a trailblazer in every way. Such earlier apartment buildings took real conceptual risks, developing for an apartment market that was not yet mature, proposing ‘mixed use’ development combining both offices and apartments, and creating a diverse range of apartment types and sizes.

Perhaps because Raffles Plaza was such an early essay in the apartment form, many aspects are uniquely bespoke – in contrast to the formulas that drive contemporary apartments. The larger apartments have unique living areas, with spatially defined dining and lounge areas, and in many cases bedrooms have balconies on two sides to promote cross ventilation. Similarly the external balconies are remarkably spacious, creating a truly innovative model for tropical inside-outside living, but within a vertical community.

Although its aesthetics may challenge contemporary sensibilities, it is a remarkable construction of in situ reinforced concrete that has indeed endured, and will continue to endure in comparison to the lightweight buildings being constructed around it. The building is also much loved by its many owner occupiers, who appreciate the sense of community it embodies, and distinctive spacious apartments.”

A brochure prepared for the marketing and sale of apartments and commercial in Raffles Plaza by Progressive Real Estate.

All articles by NT News, except one by Sunday Territorian

Library & Archives NT

Text References
Laurie Palfy, interview with author (Joel Harvey), June 2022.

Media References
Laurie Palfy, drawings, brochure + articles to author (Joel Harvey), June 2022.

"The Northern Territory news Thurs 15 Sept 1994 Nationwide News Pty. Limited, Darwin. 4 May. 2010 Web. 5 April, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/10070/158659.

"The Northern Territory news Sat 1 Oct 1983". Nationwide News Pty. Limited, Darwin. 4 May. 2010 Web. 5 April, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/10070/692482.

"The Northern Territory news Tues 3 July 1984" Nationwide News Pty. Limited, Darwin. 4 May. 2010 Web. 5 April, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/10070/161588.

"The Northern Territory news Sun 12 Nov 1989" Nationwide News Pty. Limited, Darwin. 4 May. 2010 Web. 5 April, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/10070/483468.

Harvey, Joel, photographs (Joel Harvey), June 2022.

Neumann, Tammy, photographs on behalf of AIA, July 2016.

Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Laurie Palfy for providing the NTAA with content on behalf of the building owner along with her time.

Authors
Joel Harvey