Brisbane builder and developer Graya pivots to apartment development
New luxury homes by acclaimed Brisbane builder and developer Graya will be rarer as the firm focuses on Brisbane and the Gold Coast’s high-end apartment market.
Luxury builder and developer Graya is setting its sights on the high-end apartment market in southeast Queensland as its latest boutique home hits the market.
Brothers Andrew and Rob Gray have been making a name for themselves over the past decade as the fresh faces of luxury living in Brisbane, and are known for their use of curves and command of natural materials.
Graya’s recently completed project, Scorpia, has just hit the market, causing lines down the street to get through the door of the first viewing.
It is one of the firm’s few homes to be offered to the public for sale, as most sell during the construction phase.
Andrew Gray said: “We‘ve been a bit risk-averse and when we get a decent offer earlier, we seem to take it and move on.
“But for this property, it’s so special.
“We’d rather take it to market and let people see the finished product because it doesn’t really do it justice until it’s done on this particular site.”
Designed by KP Architects, Scorpia is described as a riverside oasis built into the side of Hamilton Hill, and has views of the Brisbane River and city.
The three-level house is decorated in a neutral palette. Natural elements of burnished concrete, Venetian plaster, Grigio Orsola limestone and Travertine feature throughout the home, which was designed to create a sense of flow and connectedness.
Mr Gray said the two-and-a-half year build was a “very tricky build” to get off the ground.
“We're basically cutting into a cliff face,” he said
“It’s a lot different to what we’ve done in the past. We just think it’s a standout home.”
While a number of offers were made during the construction process, Ray White The Collective principal Matt Lancashire and agent Josh Brown have been appointed to market the property on Grays Rd in Hamilton.
Expressions of interest close Friday, June 9. But the chance of getting a brand-new Graya house will become rarer, as the firm is pivoting towards high-end apartments.
A 10-unit development called Chalk was recently announced in riverside New Farm, while a 21-unit project called Canvas is under way in the southside suburb of Bulimba.
Another two apartment sites have been secured on the Gold Coast’s Palm Beach, with construction expected to begin later this year.
“I’m very proud of where we’ve come and what we’ve achieved and we want to just continue steadily growing,” Mr Gray said.
“Boutique high-end apartments is what we’re passionate about and where we want to focus our efforts.
“We’ll still do a few houses but … it’s the management. You can use the same amount of resources and build 10 or 20 units and development. It is not possible to do like 20 or 30 of these luxury homes if you want to scale your business.”
The business’ growth momentum has allowed the developers to employ a five-person in-house architecture team to give Graya the freedom to design about half of its projects.
“It’s a bit of a unique situation and makes it a lot easier for us to sort of change designs and decisions on the run,” Mr Gray said.
Graya has another luxury house under construction in suburban Indooroopilly as well as several other commissioned projects.
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