Elena brings boutique living to Helen Street in Brisbane

The eight-storey-plus-rooftop building will contain just 38 residences.

The project has been deliberately scaled back from higher density in favour of larger floorplans and an owner-occupier focus.

Cavill Architects, a practice with an established record in Brisbane’s inner-north, designed the building.

The site sits at the edge of Teneriffe’s Heritage Sub-Precinct, close to several of the suburb’s recognisable woolstores.

Their masonry facades and architectural rhythm have informed the building’s design, which takes a contemporary approach rather than replicating the area’s industrial history.

Elena is Frank Developments’ fourth development application in this part of Teneriffe.

The project follows the sold-out and under-construction Ducale and Murano developments, along with The Francis, which has recently been lodged, all located on nearby Wyandra Street.

The name Elena references the project’s Helen Street address as well as Frank Developments’ Italian heritage, continuing a naming thread that links the company’s projects in the area.

Frank Developments Founder and Managing Director Frank Licastro said the company had taken a long-term view of the precinct by acquiring multiple sites, allowing greater influence over design outcomes, building setbacks and the relationship between new and existing developments.

According to Licastro, this approach is intended to protect sightlines, deliver considered design outcomes and support the long-term value of the company’s existing projects while remaining respectful of surrounding residents.

At street level, the design includes a landscaped porte-cochere leading to a glazed lobby, with street trees and planting softening the transition from Helen Street.

Subtropical landscaping continues through the building via balconies, facades and a podium level before reaching a rooftop garden.

The building has been designed with deep, operable balconies intended to draw in natural light and cooling breezes while shielding residences from Brisbane’s western afternoon sun.

Ground-floor residences will include private outdoor space and pools, while upper-level residences are oriented to capture views across Teneriffe, the Brisbane River and the city skyline.

The rooftop level will include three pools: two private pools attached to the building’s two penthouse residences, and a communal, west-facing pool and entertaining area for other residents.

Three basement levels will provide 102 car spaces.

Frank Developments Project Director James Strahan said the design drew on natural materials and carefully considered forms intended to reflect the character of the precinct.

“Teneriffe possesses one of Brisbane’s richest architectural histories, and our ambition was to create a building that belongs to that story rather than competes with it,” said Strahan.

Licastro said the design was intended to combine two distinct qualities of the area.

“We wanted the building to sit comfortably between them to have the permanence and craftsmanship of the old Teneriffe, but the openness, greenery and subtropical quality of Brisbane today,” he said.

With the development application now lodged, Frank Developments has said further details, including pricing and floor plans, are expected to be released in the coming months.