West Residences being built next to train line in Mt Lawley set new bar in acoustic measures

Article by Kim McDonald | The West Australian

Trains passing by a revolutionary new track-side apartment complex are only marginally louder than the sound of a single voice inside the unit, setting a new standard for acoustic control.

Developer Tim Willing’s latest project in Mt Lawley, called West Residences, will bring Perth into line with most other capital cities, where luxury track-side apartments are the norm.

The West Australian newspaper visited the complex under construction about 15m from the train line to test noise levels with the use of an online decibel counter from Ovoshi Media, which operates through a non-calibrated smartphone.

On the day The West visited, the meter hovered between 40 to 50 decibels when there were no trains in the vicinity, which is typical for a residential property. Decibels increased to the mid to high 60s when Mr Willing spoke within a metre of the phone.

When the device was placed by a closed window parallel to a moving train, the decibel count hovered in the low 70s. When the train passed an open window, it hovered around 80.

Mr Willing said he did not put much stock in smartphone noise meters, though the results reflected his claim that the units had the same muted noise levels of a high-end city hotel room.

He concedes the boutique complex would not suit everyone — especially as there are no noise barriers on the balconies — but he said rail-side apartments had broad global acceptance.

“We are building over train tracks all over the world, and that’s what gave me the confidence to buy this site,” he said.

He said that the building’s acoustic measures exceeded Australian Building Codes by about 20 per cent. It included the use of rockwool in both exterior and interior walls.

Walls alongside window and door frames have been injected with a foam that sets to form an air seal, creating further acoustic separation.

The double-glazed glass windows are 10.65mm thick, with a laminated film set between the two panes to create a further noise-blocking air lock.

“In paying less for the land, we have been able to put more into the building,” Mr Willing said.

The construction cost came to an incredible $26 million for the 29-apartment complex. To date, 22 have pre-sold.

The complex, inspired by New York’s famous Flatiron building, is the first Klopper and Davis-designed apartment complex to make it to the construction stage.

It includes artisanal features like a skirting board with 60 individual cuts and grooves, the oversized 2.4m high internal doors, arched windows, curved walls and thick steel balcony balustrades.

All materials, fixtures and chattels were sourced from WA or Australia, to make replacement easier.

Mr Willing said his goal was to create a building that was beautiful in its own right, without being dependent on a view as a selling point.

But with the stadium, Matagarup Bridge and the city skyline within view, as well as planes taking off in the distance and trains running alongside, it will no doubt appeal to train spotters, AvGeeks, landscape enthusiasts and those who love the city lights.