Clearly, we believe the rewards more than outweigh the risks and our measured approach to build capability and learning from partners over the last 3 years has built this confidence. Many of you would know the other side of the story, the performance challenges our industry has faced (particularly post-COVID):<\/p>\n
- \n
- Huge increases in construction costs (particularly for apartments)<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Construction productivity for dwellings falling by +50% over the last two decades<\/strong><\/li>\n
- The building industry has reduced construction capacity (particularly for Strata apartments; and<\/strong><\/li>\n
- The continued challenges we have in construction <\/strong>quality.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
VMC offers solutions in all of these areas! To deliver on this promise, Freecity operates a fully integrated business model. Our development arm is backed by in-house construction and modular procurement capabilities through our 100% owned business: Space Labs Australia<\/strong>;<\/a> a leader in innovative Volumetric Modular Construction.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freecity.com\/business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Suker-Yang.png\")
<\/h3>\nSuker Yang, Director Modular Development at Space Labs. Suker has been procuring modular <\/strong>VMC from China for over a Decade. Previously <\/strong>developing Australia\u2019s largest VMC Building; <\/strong>the IBIS Hotel, a 19-storey, 252 room hotel in <\/strong>the Perth CBD. Freecity is now building the new <\/strong>tallest VMC Building in Australia at Macquarie <\/strong>Park at 20 levels (we will share more about this <\/strong>landmark project ahead) and this is now the <\/strong>second generation VMC at Freecity.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freecity.com\/business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IBIS-Hotel-Perth.jpg\")
IBIS Hotel, Perth<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n
Our journey has also been enriched through collaboration with global modular architecture leader HTA Design<\/strong><\/a>, whose portfolio includes over 5,000 highrise modular homes and more than 10,000 modules. Among their achievements is the world\u2019s largest VMC building: Enclave at Croydon<\/strong> <\/a>in the UK, comprising 937 units.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re excited about what lies ahead!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freecity.com\/business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Steven-Mann-200x200.png\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nSteven Mann
\nChief Strategy Officer, Freecity<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n
Bringing Global Modular Expertise to Sydney<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Welcome to Simon Bayliss – Managing Partner of HTA Design<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Over the past 15 years, HTA Design<\/a><\/strong> has been at the forefront of modular housing in London, a city, like Sydney, grappling with rapid urbanization and a widening gap between housing demand and delivery. The result: rising costs, growing inequality, and pressure on long-term livability. At HTA, we\u2019ve chosen to focus exclusively on housing, driven by a deep passion for creating better homes in vibrant communities.<\/p>\n
With a team of 250 architects and designers, we\u2019ve built unmatched expertise across housing typologies, tenures, and construction methods, both in the UK and increasingly, around the world. When approached by Freecity a little over a year ago, we immediately saw the depth of their commitment and the significant progress already made towards becoming established as the leading VMC developer in NSW.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freecity.com\/business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HTA-Ten-Degrees-2-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHTA Design buildings in Croydon – Enclave (left) and Ten Degrees (right)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Freecity\u2019s extensive research into the global modular housing market had naturally led them to London, where the modular market is relatively mature with more than 30 mid to high rise modular buildings completed over the past decade or so. Almost half of those have been designed by HTA Design, including two of the tallest modular buildings in the world at 44 and 50 storeys. One of these, Ten Degrees<\/a><\/strong> in Croydon designed for Tide Construction<\/a><\/strong> and delivered by their sister company Vision Volumetric for global BTR operator Greystar, delivered 546 built to rent homes with amenities, from our first concept sketch through to hand over in less than 4 years, and just 28 months on site.<\/p>\n
42% Reduction in construction programme
\n41% Reduced CO2 emissions
\n97% Factory waste recycled
\n86% Reduction in vehicle movements
\n86% Reduction in construction waste on-site<\/h3>\nAbove is a comparison of the performance metrics during construction of HTA\u2019s Ten Degrees project with traditional builds, which shows large productivity gains and outperformance.<\/p>\n
Modular construction doesn\u2019t just save time, it delivers higher quality, fewer defects, and significant sustainability gains. Studies show up to 40% reduction in embodied carbon, less waste, minimal site disruption, and near-zero accidents.<\/p>\n
Over the past year, we\u2019ve worked closely with Freecity to share our expertise, advocate for modular innovation in Australia, and adapt our approach to NSW\u2019s unique development landscape. Our network here is growing rapidly, with developers and manufacturers increasingly confident in VMC\u2019s potential. On the back of this opportunity, we took the plunge to establish HTA Design Sydney, bringing together our UK VMC expertise with highly experienced architects in the local market and beyond, from which look forward to continuing advising Freecity, and many others.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freecity.com\/business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Simon-Bayliss.png\")
<\/p>\nSimon Bayliss
\n<\/strong><\/em>Managing Partner, HTA Design<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nhta.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n
- Construction productivity for dwellings falling by +50% over the last two decades<\/strong><\/li>\n