Marshall White Open - Metro E124 by remagazines

CONSISTENCY SETS THE TONE FOR MAY

Transaction volumes across Melbourne have remained steady through the traditionally quieter April weeks, a result that speaks to the strength of buyer demand and the value of well-located, quality property. What has been equally encouraging is the level of preparation taking place behind the scenes, with vendors and agents alike laying the groundwork for what should be a very productive May selling season.

Strong volumes of new listings are expected to reach the market in the coming weeks, and for buyers, this represents a genuine window of opportunity. The breadth of stock anticipated will offer the kind of choice that has, at times, been difficult to come by in recent months. Buyers are active and engaged, and where properties are well presented and accurately guided, competition at auction and through private sale continues to deliver sound results for vendors.

The broader conditions point to a market that remains balanced and measured. Currently, there is little pressure driven by speculation or sentiment. Instead, we are seeing decisions guided by lifestyle priorities and long-term value. That is precisely the kind of environment that supports strong outcomes for both buyers and sellers.

If you are considering a move this autumn, the weeks ahead will offer one of the year’s most active windows before the market settles into its winter reprieve. Your local Marshall White team would welcome the opportunity to discuss your plans and how the current conditions align with your goals. ■

By John Bongiorno

YUMSINGHOUSE

CONDENSED MILK BUNS WITH MANDARIN BURNT BUTTER

INCONVERSATIONWITH RITZ AND GHOUGASSIAN 11

NGVXCOUNTRYROAD FUTURE COUNTRY

PROJECTS SOCIETY ARMADALE

ARCHITECTURAL BRILLIANCE

237 HIGHFIELD ROAD

Designed by Webster Architecture & Interiors and built by Mazzei Homes, this newly completed Camberwell residence delivers exceptional scale, craftsmanship and family functionality. Defined by its northern orientation and expansive glazing, interiors are bathed in natural light, revealing a refined palette of American Oak, stone and bespoke finishes. A series of thoughtfully zoned living spaces includes a sunken cinema lounge and a dramatic open-plan domain beneath a soaring curved ceiling, where floor-to-ceiling glass connects seamlessly to landscaped gardens, pool and alfresco entertaining.

“A beautifully executed home that delivers both everyday functionality and a sense of quiet luxury throughout.”

JAMES TOSTEVIN

MARSHALL WHITE DIRECTOR, AUCTIONEER

The state-of-the-art kitchen, complemented by a butler’s kitchen, is appointed with premium V-Zug appliances and tailored joinery. Accommodation is equally considered, with multiple ensuite bedrooms including a luxurious main suite overlooking the pool. Enhanced by solar power, battery storage and extensive automation, this is a complete family home positioned moments from leading schools, parklands, transport and Camberwell Junction. ■

Soft, pillowy condensed milk buns finished with a rich burnt butter glaze and served with house-made mandarin marmalade butter. This signature from contemporary Asian restaurant Yum Sing House balances sweetness with citrus brightness and depth, designed for generous sharing.

Serves: 40 buns

INGREDIENTS

Tangzhong (Starter)

60g bread flour

300g water

Dough

920g bread flour

360g milk

120g condensed milk

80g milk powder

25g yeast

16g salt

120g sugar

120g unsalted butter, softened

Glaze

150g burnt butter

150g condensed milk

Mandarin Marmalade

1kg mandarin pulp

Zest of 5 mandarins

1kg sugar

2 lemons

Mandarin Butter

480g softened butter

200g mandarin marmalade

8g salt

METHOD

Prepare the tangzhong

In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour and water. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture reaches 65°C and thickens into a smooth paste. Set aside to cool.

Make the dough

Gently warm the milk and condensed milk until lukewarm.

In a mixer bowl, combine flour, yeast, salt, sugar and milk powder.

Gradually add the tangzhong and warm milk mixture, mixing on low speed until a smooth dough forms. Continue mixing until elastic and a windowpane texture is achieved.

Add the softened butter gradually and mix until fully incorporated.

Cover and proof the dough until doubled in size.

Shape and bake

Divide into 50g portions and roll into smooth balls. Arrange in a lined tray (5 × 8 formation).

Lightly egg wash (1 egg to 1 part milk).

Bake at 180°C for 18 minutes or until golden.

Prepare the glaze

Combine burnt butter and condensed milk. While the buns are still warm, brush generously and pour over to coat evenly.

Mandarin Marmalade

Remove the flesh from the mandarins, discard seeds and blend into a pulp.

Trim excess pith from the zest, julienne finely, then blanch and drain.

Combine pulp, zest, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.

Cook over medium heat until thickened to a jam-like consistency. Allow to cool.

Mandarin Butter

In a bowl, combine softened butter, mandarin marmalade and salt.

Mix until smooth and well incorporated.

To Serve

Serve the warm glazed buns with a generous spread of mandarin butter.

RITZ & GHOUGASSIAN

We spoke with Gilad Ritz, co-founder of architecture studio Ritz & Ghougassian, about what makes Australian architecture genuinely interesting today. In this conversation, he reflects on the power of clear planning rules, a project reshaping our public spaces, and what he believes is the next frontier for Australian design.

When you think of 'interesting Australian architecture' right now, what qualities define it?

I’m drawn to architecture that reveals its connections, the way components meet, support and rely on one another. When these relationships are exposed, the building becomes legible. It allows the observer to understand not only how the building works, but how the architect thinks. In an Australian context, another layer emerges. Our architecture must negotiate the particularities of this landscape. An intense sun and extreme temperature changes. The question becomes: how does a building respond to all of this? When architecture engages directly with the realities of its environment, rather than resisting or disguising them, it becomes genuinely interesting to me.

Your current material fascinations – what are you reaching for, and what are you avoiding?

I’m drawn to materials that are comfortable with time: timber that softens and greys, brick and concrete that show their mass, metals that shift tonally in the sun. I’m looking for tactility, grain and shadow. In essence, I want materials that speak quietly but with depth. I’m moving away from materials that feel synthetic or overly engineered. I have little interest in surfaces that disguise themselves, chase flawlessness, or rely on decorative effect. I’d rather work with materials that hold truth, rather than those that try to escape it.

If you could change one planning rule tomorrow to enable better housing design, what would it be?

If I could change one planning rule tomorrow, it would be to establish clearer, more generous “as-of-right” design parameters. When owners and architects have well-defined guidelines to operate within, the

design process becomes far more linear and purposeful. We spend less time negotiating subjective outcomes and more time designing quality architecture. This inevitably means a shift in the balance of rights. Neighbours would have fewer discretionary avenues to challenge compliant proposals. Yet if the rules were robust, transparent and consistently applied, we would replace the current circular, uncertain process with a more efficient system that delivers better design outcomes for everyone. What recent public Australian projects have moved the dial in architecture?

The National Gallery of NSW’s Sydney Modern has moved the dial in Australian architecture. Its significance lies not just in its scale, but in the cultural shift it signals. Instead of monumentality, SANAA and Architectus have created a building that is light, open and deeply tied to landscape, a distinctly Australian sensibility. The project reframes what a major cultural institution can be. It terraces into the site,blurring interior and garden; roofs become courtyards; circulation becomes a gentle meander. It is almost anti-object, prioritising climate, shade, permeability and generous public space over formal display. Sydney Modern proves that Australian public architecture can be both ambitious and quiet, environmentally responsive, open, and genuinely public. It signals a shift in how we conceive our cultural buildings and their responsibility to place.

In your opinion, what is the next frontier for Australian architecture in one word?

Regeneration ■

FUTURE COUNTRY

NGV X COUNTRY ROAD

The NGV continues its commitment to First Nations art with FUTURE COUNTRY, the second iteration of the Country Road + NGV First Nations Commissions, now on view at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.

Conceived as a national biennial mentorship and exhibition program, the initiative brings together emerging First Nations artists with leading creative practitioners from across Australia. Each pairing supports the development of ambitious new work, encouraging artists to explore new mediums, scales and ideas within their practice.

Spanning photography, sculpture, textiles, video and installation, the exhibition presents a breadth of contemporary approaches. At its core is the theme of ‘Future Country’, inviting artists to look forward while acknowledging the past through their work.

Central to the program is its mentorship model. Established First Nations artists are invited by the NGV to nominate and guide earlycareer practitioners, supporting them through the conception, development and realisation of their commissions. This exchange brings together a diverse range of perspectives, shaped by experience, practice and cultural knowledge.

The 2026 cohort reflects a wide range of disciplines and voices from across the country, reinforcing the strength and diversity of contemporary First Nations art. From intricate material works to largescale installations, the exhibition highlights the evolving nature of creative practice today.

Importantly, each commissioned work will enter the NGV Collection, expanding its representation of contemporary First Nations artists and ensuring these works are preserved within Australia’s cultural record.

Open to the public, the exhibition is on view from 20 March to 13 September 2026 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. ■

Installation view of FUTURE COUNTRY: Country Road x NGV First Nations Commissions from 20 March – 13 September at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne.

Photo: Sean Fennessy

THE LOCAL EDIT

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL

COMEDY FESTIVAL

UNTIL 19 APRIL 2026

Melbourne Town Hall, 90/130 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

PENINSULA CERAMICS WORKSHOP

19 APRIL 2026

545 Mornington-Tyabb Road, Moorooduc, VIC 3933

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST MUSICAL

UNTIL 20 APRIL 2026

Her Majesty’s Theatre, 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

SORRENTO WRITERS FESTIVAL

23-26 APRIL 2026

The Intercontinental Sorrento, 21 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, VIC 3943

DIVA AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM OF PERFORMING ARTS

UNTIL 26 APRIL 2026

100 St Kilda Road, Southbank, VIC 3004

RUN THE TAN

26 APRIL 2026

Tan Track, Melbourne, VIC 3004

2026 MORNINGTON PENINSULA CLASSIC AT THE DUNES GOLF LINKS

26 APRIL - 1 MAY 2026

335 Browns Road, Rye, VIC 3941

MACEDON RANGES AUTUMN FESTIVAL

UNTIL 30 APRIL 2026 Southrock Road, Woodend, VIC 3442

COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS AT THE KITCHEN

1 MAY 2026

1917 Point Nepean Road, Tootgarook, VIC 3941

MAYTIME FAIR

2 MAY 2026

Xavier College, 135 Barkers Road, Kew, VIC 3101

WOODEND COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET

2 MAY 2026

High Street & Forest Street, Woodend VIC 3442

HILL AND RIDGE COMMUNITY MARKET

2 MAY 2026

184 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill, VIC 3937

KINGSTON FARMERS MARKET

2 MAY 2026

3 Jean Street, Cheltenham, VIC 3192

WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS 1900-1975:

A LEGACY OF LIGHT UNTIL 3 MAY 2026

National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006

LET’S PARTY! FASHION FOR KIDS: DESIGNED BY DANIELLE BRUSTMAN UNTIL 3 MAY 2026

National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006

ART TRAILS & OPEN STUDIOS

3-4 MAY 2026

Various Studios in Macedon and Mount Macedon

HEIDE MARKET

9 MAY 2026

7 Templestowe Road, Bulleen, VIC 3105

BOROONDARA FARMERS MARKET

16 MAY 2026

484 Auburn Road, Hawthorn, VIC 3122

TRENTHAM FARMERS MARKET

16 MAY 2026

27 High Street, Trentham, VIC 3458

MORNINGTON RACECOURSE MARKET

10 MAY 2026

320 Racecourse Road, Mornington, VIC 3931

MOTHER’S DAY TEA AND TOUR AT DULDIG MUSEUM

10 MAY 2026

92 Burke Road, Malvern East, VIC 3145

STONNINGTON PICNIC SERIES: ROCKLEY GARDENS

17 MAY 2026

Rockley Gardens, 346 Toorak Road, South Yarra, VIC 3141

MACEDON VILLAGE FARMERS MARKET

30 MAY 2026

67 Smith Street, Macedon, VIC 3440

POINT NEPEAN PORTSEA MARKET

6 JUNE 2026

Point Nepean Quarantine Station, Coleman Road, Portsea, VIC 3944

MOTHER: STORIES FROM TH E NGV CO LLECTION

UNTIL 12 JULY 2026

Ian Potter Centre, Federation Square, Melbourne, VIC 3000

A 3-5 B 2-6 C 3-8

From $3,190,000

Society Armadale cements its place as an architectural piece for generations to come. A private sanctuary exuding style and unparalleled sophistication - at the forefront of design, materiality, amenity and state of the art technology.

JONATHAN SCOTT 0426 211 034 SALES BY

ELEVATED LIVING

Positioned high above Malvern with a prized north-west aspect, this subpenthouse delivers exceptional space, light and refined modern design. Expansive open-plan living extends to a private terrace, while premium finishes, a beautifully appointed kitchen and a luxurious main suite create a sophisticated rental opportunity in a sought-after boutique setting. ■