Off-the-plan penthouses at Como Toorak smash suburb records

Breaking records before construction even wraps, Como Toorak by Prime Edition has set record-breaking sale prices for not one, but two of its signature penthouses. Snapped up off-the-plan by different buyers for $20.95 million each, the dual purchases total just under $42 million.

Located at 2 Bruce Street, the dual penthouses – 301 and 302 – are the most expensive penthouses sold in Toorak, with 302 achieving the highest rate per internal square metre for a penthouse in the blue-chip suburb, at $46,659 per square metre.

The sale of penthouse 301 was undisclosed for a few months, setting the record at $44,000 per square metre recently.

The record-breaking prices were achieved by Marcus Chiminello of Marshall White for 301 and Sean Cussell of Christie’s International for 302, for separate purchasers.

Architecturally designed by Jolson Architecture and Interiors, with gardens by Paul Bangay, Como Toorak is a boutique development of just 16 residences across three levels. It is currently under construction, with completion expected in February next year.

Spanning 449 and 474 square metres respectively, the 302 and 301 penthouses are the largest penthouses in Toorak, each offering four bedrooms, five bathrooms, two powder rooms, two generous living areas, and a separate study. They also include a seven-car private garage with car plate recognition for seamless access.

Every detail has been considered to deliver the ultimate in comfort and sophistication, from a private cinema, wine cellar, sauna, steam room, and gym to a dog wash and premium Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances.

Crowning each is a breathtaking private rooftop terrace, complete with a pool, bar, and multiple entertaining zones surrounded by signature Bangay landscaping – a true sanctuary in the sky.

“The penthouses sit atop the building as glass pavilions surrounded by generous terraces, with views over the park, river, city skylines, and South Yarra Tennis Club,” said Mat Wright, director of Jolson.

Each purchaser has opted for a range of luxurious customisations, with 302 requesting the basement be transformed into a bar and bespoke beauty room for treatments and hair and makeup, as well as the creation of a Hollywood-style walk-in wardrobe upstairs.

Prime Edition director Alistair Taylor said the sale underscores the rarity of a residence that combines the ease of low-maintenance living and high security with all the hallmarks of a prestigious Toorak home.

“This sale really demonstrates the appeal of a home that offers all the luxury and scale of Toorak living, without the maintenance that often comes with it,” Alistair said.

“Its sculptural, chiselled façade is softened and enlivened by Bangay’s discerning and creative eye, creating a building that will be valued for many years to come as one of Toorak’s best.

“2 Bruce Street offers an uncompromising lifestyle, and located right opposite Como Park and the Royal South Yarra Tennis Club, it offers a location that can’t be beat.”

Marshall White director Marcus Chiminello said the 301 buyer wished to remain anonymous but had purchased the property as a home for themselves and was highly active in the Melbourne property market.

He said they’d also made a range of customisations, including his and her master robes and ensuites, specified art walls for their art collection, and added a spa and TV viewing area to the rooftop pool.

“This sale sets a new record for penthouse living in Toorak and signals that Melbourne’s penthouse market is very much alive and well,” Marcus said.

“Penthouses are a rarity right now in Melbourne, with demand well outstripping supply.

“We’re seeing strong interest fuelled by downsizers moving from large homes in search of greater security and lower maintenance.

“The buyer appreciates that opportunities like this are finite, bringing together exemplary talent to create an ultra-luxury penthouse where every detail is considered, in Melbourne’s most prestigious suburb.

“Given the calibre of offer, success was inevitable.”

The record price continues Prime Edition’s success with penthouse product, with its Avoca penthouse in Avoca Street, South Yarra selling in 2024 for $8.695 million at a rate of $37,000 per square metre. The luxury building, designed by Pandolfini, will be completed in the coming months.

2 Bruce Street’s 16 apartments start at $3.75 million each and include two-, three-, and four-bedroom configurations. Spanning three levels, Jolson has created a building that reads sculpturally, as if carved out of brick, with soft chiselled edges and a permanence that will establish it as a building of reputation in Toorak.

It employs over 100,000 handmade bricks imported from Spain, textured render, and column elements that integrate with deep, recessive balconies and garden beds.

Here, Paul Bangay’s vision deploys textural foliage that cascades over the hardscape to soften every space and give the building a living composition that echoes the leafy nature of its surrounds.

Each home has access to private basement parking, many of which feature flexible spaces that residents can configure as they wish, a private gym here, a wine cellar there, perhaps a cinema room… the options are endless.

Penthouses are rare across Prime Edition’s portfolio, with only one remaining in the area. This is in its Tintern Toorak Village development at the corner of Tintern and Toorak Road, which will commence construction shortly and features just two full-floor apartments and a double-level penthouse.

To find out more about Tintern Toorak Village, you can visit the listing here.

For more property news and off-the-plan apartments, click here.