Luminare Penthouse Collection
In Brisbane’s ever-evolving inner north, where old industrial sites are steadily giving way to dense residential living, Luminare offers a softer, more considered vision of apartment life.
Rising above Newstead’s Gasworks precinct, the tower by Cavcorp and Plazibat Architects was imagined not simply as a residential building, but as a vertical neighbourhood – one that balances the energy of city living with the comforts and rituals of home. For Cavcorp director Damien Cavallucci, the ambition was always as emotional as it was architectural. “When we designed the penthouse collection, we wanted people to open the door and feel that volume of space,” he says. “The warmth of the fireplace, the beautiful stone in the kitchen, the expansive balcony connecting to Teneriffe Hill – all those things that make people feel at home and forget they’re 30 storeys up in the sky.”
That sense of familiarity underpins the entire experience of Luminare. Though positioned high above the city, the homes avoid the sleek sterility often associated with luxury apartment living. Instead, the interiors draw heavily from the spatial qualities of large family homes found throughout Brisbane suburbs such as Hamilton and Fig Tree Pocket, places where residents may be downsizing geographically but not emotionally or experientially. “The brief was to look at homes people had really designed for themselves and bring that into this collection,” Cavallucci says. “They didn’t want to give up the cinema room, the sauna or the wine cellar just because they were moving into the city.”
Inside the penthouses, living unfolds through a series of carefully defined zones. Fireplaces anchor generous living areas, while richly veined stone surfaces bring warmth and tactility to kitchens designed for entertaining as much as everyday use. Beyond, expansive balconies extend the interiors outward, framing sweeping views while creating yet another distinct place to gather, unwind or retreat.
The planning prioritises both togetherness and separation. Bedrooms are acoustically isolated from adjoining dressing rooms and bathrooms, allowing partners to move through different routines without disruption. Elsewhere, separate laundries, secondary bedrooms and entertaining areas create flexibility for family life – spaces where residents can come together or peel away into privacy when needed.
Even the finer details lean into comfort and ease rather than overt display. Full blackout curtains, integrated smart technology, concealed systems and meticulously coordinated appliances quietly shape the day-to-day experience of living within the building. “One of the hardest things for us to show future residents are all the details,” Cavallucci says. “You really don’t find out until you live in it.”
Beyond the apartments themselves, Luminare’s broader architectural ambition lies in how it approaches community. For architect Shane Plazibat of Brisbane-based Plazibat Architects, the project drew inspiration from the communal rhythms of European urban life. “The ambition from the beginning was almost to create a village within a village,” he explains. “You have apartment buildings edging common courtyards where people come down, talk to the shopkeeper and create a sense of community. That was something we really wanted to foster.”
This thinking extends all the way to the rooftop. At a time when many residential towers concealed plant equipment above the skyline, Luminare transformed its uppermost level into a social and recreational space for residents. Pools, spas, gyms and saunas occupy the rooftop instead, embracing Brisbane’s subtropical climate and encouraging outdoor living high above the city. Among them sits a dramatic cantilevered pool that projects outward from the tower, a bold gesture that has since become one of the project’s defining features.
More than a decade after its conception, Luminare still feels notably forward-thinking in how it frames apartment living as something deeply human rather than purely functional. For Cavallucci, that remains the ultimate measure of success. “We always want our developments to improve people’s lifestyle,” he says. “You want people walking around with a smile on their face. If they’re happier, you get more community spirit – and that adds value in an untold way.”
