For the George to fit in seamlessly with the landscape of Flemington Road, our design team wanted it to reflect the charm of the 100-year old Plane trees lining the boulevard below. The building's facade features a series of dark screens and balconies with perforated aluminium panels that spill leaf-shaped sunlight into the apartments. Dark hallways create a sense of luxury and calm – an entrance that helps accentuate the light and bright apartments inside. Incorporating a fusion of light and dark – light, airy apartments set within luxurious dark surroundings – its design reflects the silhouette of a Plane tree in winter, and celebrates the sunshine that dapples through its leaves in summer. Contributing to a feeling of spaciousness are mirrored kitchen splashbacks, large balconies, wide bathroom mirrors, floor-to-ceiling windows and a clean, fresh palette. The building incorporates sustainable design principles such as solar panels and on-site rainwater collection for toilet flushing. High performance window glazing minimises solar gain and the perforated exterior screens allow for natural ventilation across the top two levels of the car park. While supporting density on a transport route, the George is also an important and prominent gateway to Melbourne's city – and one that is a distinct, positive and memorable contribution to the character of Flemington Road and North Melbourne.