Atop nine storeys of concrete and structural steel wrapped in scaffolding and mesh, a lone tree sits, symbolising thousands of years of construction tradition.
With origins in Scandinavian and Norse cultures, the tree marks the ‘topping out’ of a building, when construction reaches its highest point.
Just before Easter, Muse, a mixed-use residential building at Bowden, reached that milestone.
Instead of being hoisted up the side of the building, as was done for centuries before the industrial revolution, the Blueberry Ash tree was brought up in a lift, along with beer, wine and small boxes of snacks to help celebrate the occasion.
The tradition is believed to be a gesture of respect to nature, both an offering and an apology for the displacement of land to allow the structure to rise.
In front of an audience of builders, architects, government officials and friends, Daniel Harris, Founder of Otello, the company behind the apartment building rising on the corner of Third and Gibson streets, marked the progress of the project.
“The entire team has been fantastic getting us to this point,” he said.
“It is a great milestone to be standing here with the roof on.”
The team includes Studio Nine Architects, who designed the building, Build Society, who are handling construction, Renewal SA, Bowden’s master developer, and Polly Property, who oversaw apartment sales.
Construction began in October 2024 following the demolition of a former gym which once occupied the site and is scheduled to be complete around August this year.
Following this, internal works will commence on a new ground-floor restaurant to be delivered by Big Easy Group, the hospitality team behind Bowden Brewing and a number of city and suburban dining venues.
During his speech, Mr Harris said the opportunity to deliver the high‑rise building came after being encouraged to get involved in the site by Big Easy Group, which had an idea for a venue that could not be delivered without apartments above.
“They said it doesn’t really work unless we partner and do some kind of residential component to it as well, and that’s when we got involved.”
While praising the partnership, Mr Harris remained tight‑lipped on the specifics of the venue, hinting it would share similarities with one of the more European‑influenced restaurants under the Big Easy banner.
The apartments above, also expected to be complete by mid‑year, offer a mix of one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom residences.
What began as plans for 36 homes became 35 after a purchaser bought neighbouring apartments and amalgamated them into a single dwelling.
The remaining apartments sold within months of hitting the market, with two retained as display suites for another Otello development at Bowden, FLOWE, which is set to break ground later this year.
Muse will also feature a small amount of short‑stay accommodation on its second level.
The tree sitting atop the Muse building will remain on site for the rest of the construction period and will form part of the final landscaping works on completion.
