First Modules Installed at Herring Road, Australia’s Tallest Modular Housing Project
The first volumetric modules have been installed at Freecity’s Herring Road development in Macquarie Park, marking a key milestone in the delivery of Australia’s tallest modular building.
Designed by COX Architecture, the 20-storey purpose-built student accommodation development will deliver 528 homes adjacent to Macquarie University and Macquarie Park Metro Station. With the first modules now stacked, the project’s design ambition, shaped through years of research and collaboration, is beginning to take physical form.
As installation commences, Herring Road demonstrates how design-led VMC can deliver high-quality housing faster, more sustainably and at a scale aligned with Australia’s growing demand.
COX Director Felipe Miranda said the milestone reflects a shift in how high‑density housing can be conceived and delivered.
“Designing places that improve how we live is at the heart of what we do, and modular construction is pushing the boundaries of how we design and deliver high-density housing,” Miranda said. “At Herring Road, we’ve worked closely with our delivery partners to ensure the architecture remains coherent, with precision manufacturing supporting both quality and performance. It opens up new possibilities for scalable, sustainable living environments.”
He added that the installation of the first modules brings the project’s ambition into focus.
“What began as a series of design iterations is now becoming a built reality, and it challenges long-held assumptions about how residential buildings are delivered at scale. There is an urgent need for housing that can be delivered efficiently without compromising liveability, sustainability or design quality.”
Each module arrives fully fitted out with façades installed, enabling parallel fabrication and on‑site assembly. This approach compresses program time while maintaining the precision and consistency central to the architectural intent.
Lawrence Zheng, Co-Founder and Joint CEO of Freecity, said: “Seeing the first modules stacked is a significant moment, and the result of a lot of hard work, years of investment, research and development of stringent processes. It is also a reminder of what this project is ultimately about: improving productivity and getting much-needed housing into the market faster than conventional construction allows.
Co-Founder and Joint CEO of Freecity, Lawrence Zheng
Working with COX from the outset, Felipe and the team have designed something that sets a new benchmark for student accommodation in Australia – a terracotta façade with genuine depth and material quality, generous communal spaces, and interiors that reflect how students actually want to live. Modular construction made it possible to deliver that without compromise, and seeing that architecture take shape on site is something the whole team has been working toward for a long time.
From the outset, the design team sought to leverage the efficiencies of modular construction while maintaining architectural clarity. A terracotta façade system, articulated in response to orientation, reduces bulk, improves energy performance and gives the tower depth and material richness. Behind this envelope, the building incorporates generous shared amenities and communal spaces – including a cinema, meeting and study rooms, function spaces, a fully equipped gym, communal kitchens and social areas – ensuring the development supports both efficiency and a strong sense of belonging.
Sustainability has been embedded throughout the design process. A life cycle assessment informed key material decisions, including the adoption of green steel and the retention of terracotta cladding for its lower environmental impact. Off-site fabrication reduces material waste and construction impacts. The project will achieve a 5 Star Green Star Buildings rating and WELL for Residential Certification.