Balconies and outdoor living

Balconies are a key part of Darwin CBD life. They generally have a ceiling fan, are generously proportioned and essentially create an ‘outdoor living room’.

Whether watching a sunset slip slowly down or the kites ride the thermals, balconies are important for engaging with the outdoors, keeping cool and tuning in to the delights of the city. Balconies can help to improve the liveability of apartments, while also providing shade for the building and for the street below.

Balcony projections for shading

Balconies have long been part of the tropical design character as they can improve comfort in the building through shading and cross-ventilation, while also improving thermal comfort at the street level^{1, 2}.

There is the potential to extend balconies beyond the building façade above ground level along frontages to the public domain. Balcony projections could help to provide shade that improves thermal comfort in buildings and on the street.

Key points to consider

• Ground level footpaths should remain free and clear to pedestrian movements.
• The design of cantilevered balconies that project into the public domain need to retain clearances to vehicle movement and possible future public domain works. This could include limiting projection of balconies to the extent of adjacent footpaths.
• There is the need to consider how to mitigate the risks of falling objects from balconies, which increases with the height of the building. There is the potential to increase the setback of balconies on higher levels to reduce the risk of falling objects.