Longton

Life in the iPartment, Sydney's perfect pad

Kristen Craze From: The Daily Telegraph 09 October,2012

IT began as an entertainment device, but one developer has turned the Apple iPad into an essential living gadget which controls everything from the temperature to what song plays when you get home.

Futra in Mascot is being marketed as Australia's most intelligent apartment building and features 54 units, each controlled by iPads. Additional gadgetry includes fingerprint recognition entry and an electronic noticeboard in the lobby which displays social media information for residents.

As the single most important piece of furniture in Futra, the iPad controls the zoned lighting, temperature, blinds, TV and surround sound system which can also pipe music directly from an iPod or iPhone. The tunes and air temperature can be monitored via an iPad at home, or from remote locations.

Energy-saving and lifestyle monitoring software means residents can save on power bills because the "iApartment" learns living habits then calculates the most efficient way to reduce energy consumption. "We strive to set trends, not follow them, so we have ensured Futra is Australia's most advanced apartment building," said Steven Yu, managing director of developer Longton.

"Professional people, in particular, want the resources to be as productive at home as they are at the office, and they have told us they would be prepared to pay for the latest technology and inclusions," he said.

David Chittenden of Colliers International says Futra is a "quantum leap" in apartment living. "These iApartments are special in so many ways," he said.

"They are far larger than average, have multi-dimensional aspects and extensive outdoor living spaces. But it's a lot more than the architecture and the high-tech wizardry that sets Futra apart. The site and location are also special, and the area is on its way up. I believe Mascot is the next Surry Hills."

The 12-storey building, at 103-105 O'Riordan St, Mascot has been designed by MD+A Architects. Developer Longton is launching Futra this weekend with off the plan purchases from $499,000 for a studio, $585,000 to $695,000 for one-bedroom units, $655,000 to $920,000 for two-bedrooms and there are two three-bedroom "iPenthouses" priced at $870,000 and $905,000.