The rare address in Kew’s Studley Park precinct that took “years to find”

AT A GLANCE: 

• Developer: Piccolo House
• Builder: Hamilton Marino
• Address: 18 Barry Street, Kew, VIC 3101
• No. of Residences: 60
• Estimated Completion Date: 2027

In Melbourne’s tightly held Studley Park precinct, development opportunities rarely come along, and when they do, they tend to disappear quickly. 18 Barry Street, Kew is one of those rare sites that took years to find, according to developer Piccolo House’s managing director, Michael Piccolo.

“We don’t pick sites just based on opportunity. It has to feel right,” Michael says.

“I always walk a site and if I don’t connect with it instantly, it’s a no.

“This one is in a special part of Kew – quiet, elevated, and tree-lined.

“These kinds of sites are rare and take years to find.”

Set on an elevated corner within one of Kew’s most prestigious residential pockets, the project has been carefully conceived to respect both the character of the neighbourhood and the lifestyle expectations of future residents. The result is something truly special.

A lush pavilion of five buildings

Rather than delivering a single large building, 18 Barry St, Kew is designed as five boutique pavilion-style buildings, housing 60 residences in total. This approach reduces the overall scale and allows the development to sit more comfortably within its leafy surroundings while also creating a sense of privacy and exclusivity for residents.

“You’re only sharing your lift and entrance with about 12 neighbours,” Michael explains. “That helps create a sense of intimacy and privacy.”

The pavilion layout also allows for more corners, more windows, and stronger connections to natural light and greenery, with many apartments enjoying dual aspects and outlooks over landscaped gardens.

House-like apartments with generous proportions

Architecture by Woods Bagot draws inspiration from the surrounding Kew streetscape, referencing the pitched roofs and heritage forms common along Barry Street while interpreting them through a contemporary lens. Materials including slate, natural stone, and board-form concrete have been selected for durability and to age gracefully over time.

Inside the residences, interiors by Hecker Guthrie focus on proportions and practicality, with three-metre ceilings throughout – not just in the penthouses. Apartments are designed to feel more like houses, with generous living spaces, full-sized laundries, and kitchens that include a butler’s pantry as standard.

Natural materials define the palette, including silver travertine stone, whitewashed oak flooring and custom joinery, paired with premium Gaggenau appliances and Brodware tapware.

A central meadow with a dedicated wellness precinct

Beyond the residences, Piccolo House will be home to a dedicated wellness precinct that includes an indoor thermal pool, cold plunge, sauna, gym, and yoga room positioned within the landscape, alongside a private treatment space for visiting specialists.

Residents will also have access to a private dining room, hotel-style guest suite for visiting loved ones, dedicated concierge service with grand porte cochère and valet car parking, and even a subterranean wine cellar and tasting room. For golf enthusiasts, a simulator suite offers the chance to practice year-round.

At the centre of the site, landscape architecture by Acre introduces a lush meadow garden, designed as the quiet green heart of the development. A pedestrian spine connects the pavilions through smaller laneways and pockets of space, creating the feeling of a residential enclave rather than a conventional apartment building.

Parkland living just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD

The address itself is another major drawcard. Located just moments from Studley Park, Yarra Bend, and the Yarra River trail network, residents are surrounded by more than 250 hectares of parkland while remaining only five kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD.

With highly regarded schools, transport connections, and Kew Junction’s cafés, boutiques, and village-style retail all nearby, residents will enjoy a quieter, more refined residential setting without sacrificing proximity to the city.

For Piccolo House, the aim was always to create something that feels lasting.

“We’re not just building homes,” Michael says. “We’re creating lasting value.”

Two- and three-bedroom residences are selling. Priced from $2.2 million for a two-bedroom home with two bathrooms, one study, and one car parking space.

Click here to learn more or to enquire about 18 Barry St, Kew.