Plaza Parade, Maroochydore QLD
Commissioned by Pellicano, the project integrates 258 apartments with approximately 825 square metres of ground-level retail and commercial space.
Location: Maroochydore, QLD
Client: Pellicano
MODE Expertise: Architecture
Completion Date: TBC
Plaza Parade Mixed-Use Residential
Located within the emerging high-density heart of Maroochydore, 45–49 Plaza Parade is a dual-tower, 16-storey mixed-use development that contributes to the evolving structure of the Maroochydore City Centre. Commissioned by Pellicano, the project integrates 258 apartments with approximately 825 square metres of ground-level retail and commercial space.
The development supports a mix of build-to-rent and short-stay accommodation, offering a diverse range of apartment types from studios through to three-bedroom dual-key configurations. This flexibility responds to changing residential patterns while supporting long-term adaptability within a rapidly growing urban precinct.
Design Approach
The design is guided by the Sunshine Coast Design Principles, with a strong focus on climate responsiveness, landscape integration, and human-scale urban experience. Rather than operating as an isolated object, the project is conceived as part of a broader city framework, mediating between existing urban fabric and emerging density.
The built form is articulated through a clear base, middle, and top hierarchy. A four-level podium anchors the towers and establishes a landscaped interface with the street, softening the building’s scale while reinforcing pedestrian comfort and visual connection to the public realm. Above, the towers are composed to balance solidity and openness, framing views to the coast and hinterland while maintaining a calm, legible skyline presence.
Sustainability & Climate Response
Apartment layouts are predominantly oriented north and north-east to maximise daylight, cross-ventilation, and thermal comfort, reducing reliance on mechanical systems. Passive design strategies are prioritised, with deep planting zones, shaded facades, and layered landscaping contributing to environmental performance as well as amenity.
Landscape is treated as environmental infrastructure, providing shade, cooling, and visual relief at multiple levels of the building. Rooftop areas are designed to accommodate solar infrastructure to support common and public spaces, reinforcing a resilient, low-impact approach suited to the subtropical climate.
Shared Amenity & Community
A central internal laneway connects Plaza Parade through to a sheltered courtyard plaza, creating permeability through the site and a sequence of spaces that prioritise pedestrian experience. These spaces are designed as places of pause and gathering, offering comfort, shade, and relief from surrounding urban activity.
Resident amenities are consolidated at podium level and extend beyond typical residential provision. Wellness, social, and work-from-home facilities support a range of lifestyles while encouraging interaction and a sense of community. Ground-level retail and public domain spaces further activate the street edge, contributing to a more engaging and inclusive urban environment.
Together, the project delivers a climate-aware, flexible, and people-focused residential development that supports Maroochydore’s continued transformation into a connected and resilient city centre.